How Can I Open a Lotus 123 File?

By Joe Rivers

Nearly anyone who has used a computer knows what Excel is. Spreadsheet software has many uses and Excel has very few competitors other than Apple’s Numbers. What most users don’t know is that before Excel controlled the market share of spreadsheet software, Lotus 123 was the spreadsheet application of choice. And while it is nowhere near as popular as it used to be, there are still some who use it and the Lotus 123 file type still exists. Users who don’t have the Lotus software need not worry, as opening Lotus files is quite easy.

Step 1

Locate the Lotus .123 file that you wish to open. If it has a “.123” appendage, you need to rename it to have a “.wk4” appendage. This will allow Excel to read the file.

Step 2

Right click the Lotus 123 (.wk4) file.

Step 3

Select “Open with…” and select Microsoft Excel. Excel will open the file with all associated information and formatting. If you wish to convert to a native Excel file, merely save it, making sure to select the Excel format.

References

Writer Bio