Tips to open SILK file

Can't open the SILK file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open SILK files as well as a list of programs that support SILK files.

SILK file extension

File Name Microsoft Excel Symbolic Link Format
File Developer Microsoft Corporation
File Category Spreadsheet Files

The SILK file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the SILK files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the SILK file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is SILK file?

The file in the SILK format belongs to the Spreadsheet Files category. The author of this format is Microsoft Corporation. In addition to this file, the Spreadsheet Files category includes 100 related files. Microsoft Excel Symbolic Link Format is supported by 2 operating systems. The file will work on , Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. The main program that supports this format is Microsoft Excel. This was created by Microsoft Corporation. There are also 7 alternative programs to handle the SILK file. The Microsoft Office, Microsoft Works, OpenOffice.org Calc, Corel Quattro Pro programs will also handle the file when the Microsoft Excel program does not fulfill its role.

How to open SILK file?

The main problem with Microsoft Excel Symbolic Link Format is that the SILK file is incorrectly associated with programs. Thus, when you open SILK, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the SILK file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Microsoft Excel

The first step is to check if the computer has the Microsoft Excel program installed. This can be achieved by typing Microsoft Excel into the operating system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open SILK files.

Step 2. Create association of Microsoft Excel with SILK files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the SILK file to open in the Microsoft Excel application, but you can set it manually. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Using the "Change" button we can select the desired program. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the SILK file with the Microsoft Excel program.

Step 3. Update Microsoft Excel to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the Microsoft Excel program, it is possible that Microsoft Excel Symbolic Link Format requires a newer version of the program. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the Microsoft Corporation website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the SILK file

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. The most common file problems are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. Usually this applies to SILK files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our SILK file. Sometimes virus-infected SILK files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the SILK files changes over time. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair SILK file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting Microsoft Corporation, but this one can be expensive. Not all damage can be reversed.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted SILK files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. If possible, you can try to move the SILK file to another location.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If this does not work either, restart the device.