This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Microsoft Excel files show as downloading, but only the empty software opens. You must then click the link a second time for the actual file to open. ?change

  • 5 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 8 views
  • Last reply by chrisreed

more options

Clicking on links to Excel files used to work. Within last 2(?) weeks the files will not open. I am talking about the basic old .xls files.

Clicking once opens the Excel software only. Double clicking open two windows with empty Excel software. Clicking one to open the software. And then going back to click a second time opens the actual file.

On all clicks the download popup box shows the file being downloaded. And no it is not showing up on my desktop or in any other files.

Clicking on links to Excel files used to work. Within last 2(?) weeks the files will not open. I am talking about the basic old .xls files. Clicking once opens the Excel software only. Double clicking open two windows with empty Excel software. Clicking one to open the software. And then going back to click a second time opens the actual file. On all clicks the download popup box shows the file being downloaded. And no it is not showing up on my desktop or in any other files.

Chosen solution

What do you have in the following list -- mine are all set to "Always Ask":

orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Options > Applications

In the search box above the list, type or paste Excel to filter the list.


Do you have any add-ons related to saving or downloading files that might impact .xls files? You can review your add-ons here:

orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons

Check both the Extensions and Plugins categories.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (5)

more options

If you notice a difference between Excel-closed and Excel-open behavior, this often indicates a problem with the settings for that file type in the Windows Registry. You can re-associate and reset the Registry settings for XLS (and other common Excel-handled file types) using the /regserver startup switch as described in this Microsoft support document: MSKB 291288: Description of the startup switches for Excel. Does that help?

more options

Sorry but it doesn't. I don't think the problem is with the way my computer vis a vis my Excel software is set up because all the other browsers continue to work as they always have ---- whatever file is in the link gets opened along with the Excel software.

more options

Chosen Solution

What do you have in the following list -- mine are all set to "Always Ask":

orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Options > Applications

In the search box above the list, type or paste Excel to filter the list.


Do you have any add-ons related to saving or downloading files that might impact .xls files? You can review your add-ons here:

orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons

Check both the Extensions and Plugins categories.

more options

I had looked at both those pages, but obviously not closely enough.

Under Tools>>Options>>Applications>>Excel I showed the options to open directly with "spreadsheet8". I changed that to "always ask". That got around my problem. I had to answer the popup box, but once I did, the file loaded properly.

Under Tool>>>Extentions I found "Adblock Plus" has issued an update around the date my problems started. So I disabled Adblock, and reset the Tools>>Options back to "Open with sheet8" ...

And hurray. Everything works as it should. Thank you for your time and effort.

Modified by chrisreed

more options

Sorry, did not say Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate your effort