How to Install Microsoft Excel on Linux and What are Excel Alternatives? 2025

Switching from Windows to Linux is quite simple. However, when you want to run an application or video game, you may encounter some compatibility issues. A clear example of this is Microsoft Office.

Maybe you have a complex spreadsheet that you should use. It could be an XLS or XLSX file you have been working on for years. The only way to open it is Microsoft Excel, rather than a Linux-based, open-source Office alternative.

In this article we will show you how to install Microsoft Excel on an Ubuntu PC.

How to Install Microsoft Excel on Linux?

You can install the entire Microsoft Office on Linux, but if you want to use Microsoft Excel, you need to make some settings.

Installing Microsoft Excel on a Linux computer is usually easy if you have the right hardware. However, it is not always simple.

For this:

Print a spreadsheet or chart

Use low power system

Have a computer that’s usually offline

Alternatives to Excel

You don’t need to install Excel to open an XLS or XLSX spreadsheet. There are some good alternatives, but not suitable for all scenarios.

Running LibreOffice Calc

LibreOffice is the most common alternative to Microsoft Office on Linux systems. However, it is not good for macros and often does not print spreadsheets correctly.

Use Microsoft Office Online

The browser version of Microsoft Office is extremely useful. It’s free to use, making it easy for anyone who wants to use word processing, email, spreadsheets and presentations. Honestly, it’s a better solution than Google’s online office suite and it’s easier to use.

Run Excel on the Virtual Machine

It is a popular option for many users with desktop and laptop computers. However, virtualization is not a good option if your computer is not strong for this. Usually, computers with an Intel Core i5 or higher CPU support virtualization. Less advanced processors (such as Core i3, Intel Dual Core Processors and ARM processors) may not be able to handle virtualization.

For example, if you are running Linux on an old computer, you cannot run Windows on a virtual machine.

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