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Use an Excel template whenever a workbook is meant to be reused as a starting point. Choose .xltx for a macro-free template and .xltm when the template contains VBA or Excel 4.0 macro sheets. Use .xlsx or .xlsm instead when the file is an ordinary working document, not a reusable design.
The distinction matters because opening a template through Excel’s template workflow creates a new workbook based on the master, while the correct extension determines whether macro content can be retained.
Quick format guide
| Extension | What it is | Macros allowed? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
.xltx |
Excel Template | No VBA or Excel 4.0 macro sheets | Reusable forms, reports, budgets, trackers and dashboards without macros |
.xltm |
Excel Macro-Enabled Template | Yes | Reusable workbooks containing VBA, buttons, event procedures or Excel 4.0 macro sheets |
.xlsx |
Excel Workbook | No | An ordinary, macro-free working file |
.xlsm |
Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook | Yes | An ordinary working file containing macros |
Microsoft explains that the x suffix identifies a macro-free Open XML format and m identifies a macro-enabled format (Microsoft’s Open XML explanation). Its supported-format table identifies .xltx as unable to store VBA and .xltm as the macro-enabled template format (Microsoft’s format reference).
Reason 1: A template separates the master from each new workbook
An Excel template is a reusable workbook design. It can include worksheets and their order, labels, instructions, formulas, styles, charts, graphics, data validation, print areas, page settings, hidden or protected sheets, rows and columns, and (in .xltm) macros. Microsoft documents these reusable settings in its guidance on startup workbooks and templates (Microsoft’s template settings guide).
When you open a template from Excel’s template gallery, Excel creates a new workbook based on it. Your entries then belong to the new file rather than the reusable master (Microsoft’s save-as-template instructions). That is the practical advantage over handing someone an ordinary .xlsx file and hoping they use Save As before entering data.
This reduces routine overwriting risk, but it is not a guarantee. Someone can still open the template file directly, edit it, rename it, move it or delete it. A template is not a backup, version-control system, secure archive or read-only file. Use SharePoint, OneDrive version history or another document-management system when recovery and collaboration are required.
Reason 2: The extension preserves the features the design needs
Choose .xltx when the template has no macros
Formula-driven reports, budgets, invoices, trackers, charts, tables, validation rules and print layouts can use .xltx when the workbook contains no VBA project or Excel 4.0 macro sheet. A macro-free format also avoids asking users to make macro-related security decisions for a file that does not need executable code.
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Choose .xltm when VBA is part of the workflow
Use .xltm for a template with VBA procedures, workbook or worksheet events, form buttons, user forms or Excel 4.0 macro sheets. Saving such a template as .xltx can remove or fail to preserve the macro content, depending on the save operation and Excel’s warning. Cancel the conversion and select the macro-enabled template format instead (Microsoft’s supported-format details).
An .xltm extension preserves macros; it does not certify them as safe. Treat VBA as executable code, obtain files from trusted sources, inspect projects where appropriate and follow your organization’s macro policy. Macro-enabled files may be blocked or trigger security warnings.
Format changes can still lose other features
Neither extension promises that every Excel feature transfers perfectly from every source format. Microsoft warns that formatting, data or features may not transfer when a workbook is saved in another format (format compatibility guidance). Reopen the saved template and test formulas, links, controls, queries and macros before distributing it.
Reason 3: Templates standardize recurring work
A well-prepared template gives every new report, budget or schedule the same starting structure. It can retain formulas, styles, charts, validation lists, page breaks, print settings, hidden or protected areas, hyperlinks and other workbook settings. That removes repetitive setup and reduces the chance that one person omits a required field or changes a calculation.
Before sharing a template, perform a cleanup pass:
- Remove real customer, employee, bank or household data and replace it with clearly labeled sample values.
- Inspect hidden sheets, rows, columns, comments, document properties and defined names.
- Review external links, data connections, credentials and file paths.
- Confirm that formulas, validation, print areas and protection behave as intended.
- For
.xltm, test buttons, event procedures and forms on the platforms your users will use.
How to save a template on Windows
Microsoft’s current desktop workflow covers Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, Excel 2021, Excel 2019 and Excel 2016. Menu labels can vary by build.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Open the workbook that will become the reusable master.
- Select File > Export.
- Select Change File Type.
- Under Workbook File Types, double-click Template.
- Enter the template name and select Save.
- Confirm the resulting extension: Excel Template (*.xltx) for macro-free workbooks or Excel Macro-Enabled Template (*.xltm) when macros are required.
- Close the template, then create workbooks from the template gallery rather than editing the master directly.
If the command is absent, use the available Save As route and select the same format. If Excel warns that the chosen format cannot preserve macros or other features, cancel and choose the appropriate macro-enabled format.
Make the template appear under Personal or Custom
- Select File > Options.
- Select Save.
- Enter a folder under Default personal templates location.
- Select OK.
Templates in that location can appear under File > New > Personal; some versions label the area Custom (Microsoft’s Windows instructions).
How to save and use a template on Mac
- Open the workbook.
- Select File > Save as Template.
- Enter a name and choose a location if desired.
- In File Format, select Excel Template (.xltx) or Excel Macro-Enabled Template (.xltm).
- Select Save.
Microsoft’s documented default custom-template path is /Users/username/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Templates, but the location depends on the Excel version and installation (Microsoft’s Mac template instructions).
To create a workbook afterward, use File > New from Template, select the template and let Excel create the working copy.
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Which file should you choose?
| Your situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Reusable report, budget or tracker with no VBA | .xltx |
| Reusable invoice generator with a VBA button | .xltm |
| Reusable dashboard with a VBA refresh event | .xltm |
| One-off working file with no macros | .xlsx |
| One-off working file with VBA | .xlsm |
| Required Excel 97–2003 compatibility | .xlt, the legacy binary template format |
Use Book.xltx or Book.xltm only when you want a custom default workbook whenever Excel creates a blank workbook; startup behavior and the XLSTART location are installation-dependent (Microsoft’s startup-template guidance). A custom default worksheet can similarly use Sheet.xltx or Sheet.xltm where supported.
Common mistakes and fixes
- Macro workbook saved as
.xltx: recreate or resave it as.xltm, then verify macros, buttons, forms and events. - Master edited directly: close it without saving changes and use File > New > Personal/Custom on Windows or File > New from Template on Mac.
- Template treated as a backup: store the master in a managed location with version history and backups.
- Confidential sample data shared: remove data, hidden content, links and metadata before distribution.
- Assuming cross-platform parity: test VBA, ActiveX controls, add-ins and platform-specific paths on each supported platform.
- Assuming every feature survives conversion: reopen and test the saved file, especially after changing formats.
When a template is not the right format
If the file is an ongoing record that people intentionally reopen and update, .xlsx or .xlsm may be clearer. If the priority is collaborative editing, recovery or audit history, use SharePoint or OneDrive version history in addition to—or instead of—a template. Excel for the web is free with a Microsoft account, but advanced desktop features and VBA workflows may not be available; Microsoft describes those differences in its subscription guidance (Microsoft 365 and Excel options).
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