Tips to open SYLK file

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

SYLK file extension

File Name Microsoft Symbolic Link Format
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Data Files

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

Operating systems
  • 2
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is SYLK file?

The SYLK file has been categorized as Data Files. It was designed by Microsoft. Data Files consists of 1326 similar files. Microsoft Symbolic Link Format appears on 2 operating systems as a functional file. These systems consist of Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The main program that supports this format is Microsoft Excel. This was created by Microsoft Corporation. This file type can also be opened by 3 other programs. You can use Microsoft Office, WordPerfect Office in case Microsoft Excel cannot be used.

How to open SYLK file?

An often recurring problem with Microsoft Symbolic Link Format is that SYLK is not associated with the correct program file. This causes the file SYLK to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the SYLK 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

In this case, you should first verify that the Microsoft Excel application is installed on the computer. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name Microsoft Excel in it. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below you will find a list of applications that support SYLK files.

Step 2. Create association of Microsoft Excel with SYLK files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the SYLK file to open in the Microsoft Excel application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting 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 SYLK file with the Microsoft Excel program.

Step 3. Update Microsoft Excel to the latest version

If, however, after binding Microsoft Excel with Microsoft Symbolic Link Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version. 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 SYLK file

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the SYLK file. 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. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our SYLK file. Sometimes virus-infected SYLK files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
Older version of SYLK file may not always be supported by the latest software version. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular SYLK file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Microsoft
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted SYLK files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. Copying the SYLK file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the SYLK file while scanning. If the problem persists, restart the machine.