Convert XLS to JSON Online Free
Transform legacy Excel .xls spreadsheets into structured JSON arrays. Each row becomes a JSON object with column headers as property names. No Microsoft Office required.
To convert XLS to JSON, drop your legacy Excel file onto the ChangeThisFile converter. Column headers become JSON keys and each row becomes an object in a JSON array. Free, browser-based, no Excel installation needed, and your data is never uploaded.
Convert XLS to JSON
Drop your XLS file here to convert it instantly
Drag & drop your .xls file here, or click to browse
Convert to JSON instantly
XLS vs JSON: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | XLS (Excel Legacy) | JSON |
|---|---|---|
| File format | Binary BIFF format (pre-2007) | Plain text, human-readable |
| Structure | Flat rows and columns with sheets | Nested objects and arrays |
| Data types | Numbers, text, dates, booleans, formulas | Strings, numbers, booleans, null, nested objects |
| Max rows | 65,536 rows per sheet | No limit |
| Formatting | Fonts, colors, borders | None (data only) |
| API compatibility | Not directly usable in APIs | The standard format for REST APIs |
| Programmatic use | Requires Excel or parser library | Native in JavaScript, Python, and most languages |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Migrating legacy data for web applications
Convert archived XLS files into JSON for use in modern web applications, APIs, and JavaScript-based data processing.
Importing old spreadsheets into NoSQL databases
MongoDB, Firestore, and CouchDB accept JSON documents. Convert legacy XLS data directly into JSON for database imports.
Building API payloads from old reports
Transform legacy Excel reports into JSON arrays for bulk POST requests to REST APIs or webhook integrations.
Data recovery from legacy formats
Extract data from old .xls files without needing legacy Excel installations. Convert to JSON for universal access in modern tools.
How to Convert XLS to JSON
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1
Upload your XLS file
Drag and drop your .xls file onto the converter, or click to browse. Excel 97-2003 binary format is fully supported.
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2
Automatic conversion
The first row becomes JSON property names. Each subsequent row becomes a JSON object. Formulas are resolved to their computed values.
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3
Download the JSON result
Click Download to save your .json file. The output is pretty-printed with 2-space indentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The converter supports Excel 97-2003 .xls files (BIFF8 format). This covers all .xls files created by Excel 97, 2000, XP, and 2003.
The first (leftmost) sheet in the workbook is converted to JSON. Rearrange sheets before converting if you need a different one.
Yes. Formulas are resolved to their last computed values. The JSON output contains calculated results, not formula expressions.
Yes. Excel numbers become JSON numbers. Integer values become integers, and decimal values become floats in the JSON output.
Excel dates are converted to their formatted text representation based on the cell's date format.
Merged cells are unmerged. The value appears in the property for the top-left cell, and other cells in the merge range become empty or null.
No. The converter uses SheetJS to parse XLS files entirely in your browser. No Microsoft Office installation is needed.
Yes. The output is pretty-printed with 2-space indentation for readability. Each object in the array is clearly structured.
No. Password-protected XLS files cannot be read by the browser-based parser. Remove the password protection first.
Yes. The conversion happens entirely in your browser. Your legacy spreadsheet data is never sent to any server.
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