Documents conversion
Convert XLSX to TXT
Updated Jul 2026
XLSX is the spreadsheet format Excel saves in, with sheets, formulas, and formatting. TXT is plain text, just the characters and numbers with no structure around them. To convert XLSX to TXT, open the file in a converter and export it as plain text. Doing this on your own computer means the spreadsheet data never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .xlsx
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Spreadsheets
- Extension
- .txt
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Plain text files
Convert XLSX to TXT on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert XLSX to TXT
- Open Morphjet and drag in the XLSX file you want to convert. Add one file or a whole folder at once.
- Choose TXT as the output format.
- Convert. Each row's cells are written out as plain text, saved next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
XLSX vs TXT: what actually changes
| XLSX | TXT | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | Needs a spreadsheet program | Yes, any text editor or program can read it |
| File size | Larger, stores formatting and structure | Much smaller, just characters |
| Formulas | Yes, live and recalculating | No, only the last calculated value remains |
| Multiple sheets | Yes, one file can hold many | No, each sheet becomes its own text or gets flattened into one |
| Formatting (colors, fonts, borders) | Yes | No |
| Charts and images | Yes, can be embedded | No |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert XLSX to TXT when you need the raw data for a script, a database import, or any program that only reads plain text, and you don't need the formulas or formatting.
Keep the XLSX if you still need the formulas, multiple sheets, or formatting to work, because a text file only holds flat rows of characters.
Why not just use an online converter?
Spreadsheets often hold things you'd rather not send to a stranger's server, like financial figures, customer lists, or salary numbers. An online converter uploads the whole file to do the job. Converting on your own computer means that data stays on your machine the entire time, and you can even do it with your wifi off.
Questions
Does converting XLSX to TXT lose the formulas?
Yes. A text file can't store a formula, only the value it calculated. If a cell showed a total, the TXT keeps that number, not the calculation behind it.
What happens to a workbook with multiple sheets?
It depends on the converter. Some write one sheet per text file, others combine every sheet into a single file with separators between them. Either way, the sheet structure itself doesn't carry over the way it does in XLSX.
Will the TXT keep the formatting, like bold headers or colored cells?
No. Plain text has no concept of color, font, or bold, so all of that is dropped. Only the raw values remain.
How are rows and columns represented in the TXT file?
Each row usually becomes a line of text, with the cell values separated by a tab or comma so the column structure is still readable.
Can I convert a spreadsheet with sensitive data without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet reads and converts the file locally, so financial data, customer lists, or anything else in the sheet never travels over the internet.
Morphjet converts XLSX, TXT, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.