---
title: "Translate Excel files"
description: "Translate .xlsx, .xlsm, .xltx and .xltm workbooks up to 50 MB into several languages in one job. Formulas, number formats and sheet order stay as they were."
canonical: "https://ai-glot.com/docs/formats/excel"
updated: "2026-10-12"
---

# Translate Excel files

Excel workbooks (`.xlsx`, `.xlsm`, `.xltx` and `.xltm`) are accepted up to **50 MB**. Every sheet is read, the plan tells you which sheets and columns hold the words, and you get a workbook back with the same sheets, the same cell addresses and the same formulas.

> **Tip: Try it free**
>
> Drop a workbook of up to 2 MB on the free [Excel translator](https://ai-glot.com/file-formats/excel-translation) to try it with no account, five files a day. The app, the API and the CLI take Excel files up to 50 MB.

## What is translated, and what is left alone

| Translated                                                  | Left as it was                                       |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| Text cells in the sheets and columns you name               | Formulas: a cell containing one is never a candidate |
| Several languages at once, as new columns beside the source | Numbers, dates, prices and number formats            |
|                                                             | Sheet names, sheet order and cell addresses          |

Cell styles, merged cells and column widths are kept. A translated cell is written as plain text, so a bold or coloured word inside a single cell loses that inline formatting.

## What you can ask

**Several languages, new columns**

Adds one column per language next to the source.

Translate the description column on the Catalog sheet into French, German and Spanish, as new columns next to it. Leave the sku and price columns unchanged.

**Complete a hand-off sheet**

Translates only what is missing, so a reviewer sees both languages on one row.

Translate the English column into Italian. Keep the Italian cells that are already filled in.

**Only some sheets**

Scopes the plan by sheet name.

Translate only the Help sheet into Portuguese. Do not touch the other sheets.

**Only the changed rows**

Returns just the rows that were written.

Translate the text column into French and return only the rows you changed.

**Protect codes**

Keeps identifiers readable and untouched.

Translate the labels into German. Leave cells that contain product codes, formulas or only numbers exactly as they are.

## Good to know

- **Several languages in one job.** Excel can take several target languages at once, each in its own column.
- **Existing target columns.** When part of a target column is already filled, the plan translates only the missing cells. It may write them into a column it names, such as an added completed column, rather than into the empty cells themselves, so read the plan to see where the result goes.
- **Output filter.** Available. Ask for "only the rows you changed" to get a smaller workbook back.
- **Variants.** `.xlsm`, `.xltx` and `.xltm` are read like `.xlsx`. The old `.xls` and the binary `.xlsb` are refused: save them as `.xlsx` first.
- **Ceiling.** 50 MB. A large workbook is processed in windows and reassembled.
- **Long cells.** A single value above 50,000 characters cannot be translated as one unit.

## Related

- [CSV and TSV](/docs/formats/csv), and [OpenDocument](/docs/formats/opendocument) for ODS spreadsheets.
- [Preparing a spreadsheet export](/docs/platform/files-and-formats#preparing-a-spreadsheet-export)
- [All file formats](/docs/formats)