Format comparison
DOC vs XLS
How do DOC and XLScompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.doc
Full guide →Microsoft Word Document (Legacy)
DOC is the legacy binary format used by Microsoft Word before 2007. While still widely encountered, it has been superseded by DOCX. Many older documents and templates still use this format.
.xls
Full guide →Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (Legacy)
XLS is the legacy binary format used by Microsoft Excel before 2007. While superseded by XLSX, many existing spreadsheets and enterprise systems still use this format.
| Specification | DOC | XLS |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Microsoft Word Document (Legacy) | Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (Legacy) |
| Extension | .doc | .xls |
| MIME type | application/msword | application/vnd.ms-excel |
| Category | Document | Document |
| Developer | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Year introduced | 1983 | 1987 |
DOC advantages
- Universal recognition
- Compatible with older Word versions
- Still supported by all major office suites
- Extensive installed base of existing documents
DOC limitations
- Larger file sizes than DOCX
- Binary format — harder to recover if corrupted
- Limited to older feature set
- Being phased out in favor of DOCX
XLS advantages
- Compatible with older Excel versions
- Widely recognized format
- Supported by all major spreadsheet apps
- Large installed base
XLS limitations
- Limited to 65,536 rows and 256 columns
- Larger file sizes than XLSX
- Binary format — harder to recover
- Missing modern Excel features
Which should you use?
DOC and XLS serve different purposes. DOC is ideal for opening legacy documents, while XLS excels at legacy spreadsheet compatibility.
Best uses for DOC
Opening legacy documents
Compatibility with older systems
Template archives
Government and institutional legacy files
Best uses for XLS
Legacy spreadsheet compatibility
Older enterprise systems
Historical data archives
Backward-compatible exports
Convert between DOC and XLS
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.