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Problem guide · approved for publication

LibreOffice changes or damages an XLSX file after saving

Office file formats can contain features that do not round-trip identically between applications; preserve the original and verify important results before sharing a converted copy.

APPROVEDDOCUMENTED ONLYChecked 2026-10-15

Symptoms

What you may notice

  • Formatting changes after an XLSX is opened or saved.
  • A formula, chart, pivot, external link or macro behaves differently in another application.
  • A workbook opens with a repair notice or missing feature warning.

Possible causes

Why this can happen

  • The workbook uses features with different application support.
  • Formulas, formatting, macros or embedded objects are represented differently across file formats.
  • A conversion round trip changed content that was not covered by a compatibility check.

Diagnostics

A safe way to narrow it down

  1. 01

    Keep an untouched copy of the original workbook and compare copies, never the only source file.

  2. 02

    Identify whether the workbook uses macros, external links, complex formulas, charts, pivots or other features called out by the official compatibility guidance.

  3. 03

    Open and verify a representative copy in the application that will be used by recipients.

  4. 04

    Check critical formulas and visible outputs manually; do not treat a successful save as proof of equivalence.

Solutions

Documented approaches

Use the documented compatibility limitations

DOCUMENTED

Review LibreOffice's current Microsoft Office conversion limitations and identify affected features before choosing a round trip.

Read supporting source

Preserve the source and verify a test copy

DOCUMENTED WITH LIMITS

Work on a copy, compare critical outputs in the target application and keep the original format when fidelity is more important than interchange.

Read supporting source

Alternatives and limits

Keep the trade-offs visible

Verify the workbook in the application used by recipients

This can identify compatibility differences but does not guarantee that every feature or future edit will remain identical.

Evidence

What this page is based on

LibreOffice Help: Microsoft Office conversion limitations

Known conversion and feature-compatibility boundaries.

Official source
LibreOffice Help: using Microsoft Office files

Guidance for opening and saving Microsoft Office formats.

Official source

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