To edit an Excel template, open it directly via File > Open > Browse, make your changes, and save it to its original location using the Excel Template (*.xltx) file type.
Opening a template the wrong way wastes time. If you double-click an Excel template file hoping to edit it, you’ll end up with a new workbook instead. Editing a template in Excel starts with the File > Open menu, not a double-click. This method opens the source .xltx file directly, so your changes—new formulas, updated formatting, or fresh tables—save back to the reusable template.
What Makes Editing an Excel Template Different?
An Excel template file (.xltx) is designed to create new workbooks without altering the original layout. When you double-click a template, Excel treats it as a command to generate a fresh copy. Editing the template itself requires you to explicitly open the source file through the file browser, bypassing the “New” screen entirely. This distinction is the single most common point of confusion, according to Excel help forums, where users struggle to save modifications back to the template they intended to edit.
Editing an Excel Template: Rules That Apply Today
The following workflow works consistently across Excel 2016, Excel 2021, and Microsoft 365 on Windows. Dedicated tutorials on editing personal templates in Excel echo this exact sequence from start to finish.
- Launch Excel and go to File > Open.
- Click Browse to open the file explorer.
- Navigate to the Custom Office Templates folder, usually located inside My Documents (
C:\Users\).\Documents\Custom Office Templates - Select the template file (it will have the .xltx or .xltm extension) and click Open.
- Edit the workbook as needed—update text, adjust formulas, modify charts, or change formatting.
- Click File > Save (or use Save As).
- In the Save As dialog, confirm the file type is set to Excel Template (*.xltx). If your template contains macros, choose Excel Macro-Enabled Template (*.xltm).
The file will save back to the Custom Office Templates folder and reappear under Personal templates the next time you open Excel.
Where Are Excel Templates Saved?
Excel automatically routes template saves to a dedicated personal folder. The default location is C:\Users\. You can verify or change this path by going to File > Options > Save and looking for the Default personal templates location field. If you save a template outside this folder, it won’t show up under Personal when creating a new workbook from the File > New screen.
Common Template File Types and Uses
| Template Type | Extension | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Excel Template | .xltx | Standard reusable layouts (budgets, invoices, calendars) |
| Macro-Enabled Template | .xltm | Templates containing VBA macros or automated routines |
| Excel 97-2003 Template | .xlt | Sharing with users on legacy versions of Excel |
| Office Theme/Startup | .xltx | Company-wide default workbooks placed in the XLSTART folder |
| Add-In Template | .xlam | Distributing custom functions or macros as an add-in |
| Strict Template (Trusted Location) | .xltx | Secure environments where macro execution is restricted |
Editing a Template vs. Using a Template
Knowing the difference between editing the source file and creating a workbook from it stops the most common template mistakes. This table breaks down each action:
| Action | How to Open | Resulting File |
|---|---|---|
| Edit the template source | File > Open > Browse > Custom Office Templates | Opens the .xltx file directly for editing |
| Create a new workbook from template | File > New > Select a template | Creates a new .xlsx file based on the template |
| Double-click the template file | Windows Explorer default action | Usually creates a new workbook (not an edit) |
| Edit a macro template | File > Open > Browse > Save As > .xltm | Updates the macro-enabled template file |
| Accidentally save as workbook | Save As > Excel Workbook (.xlsx) | Creates a normal file; template configuration is lost |
| Re-save to original template folder | Save or Save As > Excel Template (.xltx) | Updates the source template for future use |
How to Choose Between .xltx and .xltm
The decision comes down to one factor: macros. Choose Excel Template (*.xltx) for standard layouts without code. Choose Excel Macro-Enabled Template (*.xltm) when your template includes VBA macros or automated processes. Saving a macro-containing template as a plain .xltx will strip its macro functionality without warning. Only open .xltm files from sources you trust, as macro-enabled files carry a higher security risk.
Why Won’t My Edited Template Save Changes?
Three issues cause nearly all template-saving problems:
- Accidental workbook save. If you save the edited file as Excel Workbook (*.xlsx), it stops functioning as a template. Always verify the file type in the Save As dialog.
- Wrong folder location. Templates saved outside the Custom Office Templates directory won’t appear under Personal templates. Use the location set in File > Options > Save.
- Permissions issues. On a managed work computer, you may not have write access to the default template folder. Save the template to a local folder you control and browse to it manually each time.
A note on compatibility: the steps above apply to the desktop version of Excel on Windows. Excel for the web or Mac uses a different folder structure, but the principle of opening the source template file through the file menu remains the same.
A Simple Editing Checklist for Excel Templates
Use this sequence to edit any Excel template without losing your work:
- Open Excel and go to File > Open > Browse.
- Navigate to the Custom Office Templates folder.
- Select the .xltx or .xltm file and click Open.
- Edit the workbook contents, formatting, or structure.
- Click File > Save to overwrite the source template.
- Confirm the file type is Excel Template (*.xltx) or Macro-Enabled Template (*.xltm).
- Close and reopen Excel to verify the template appears under Personal.
References & Sources
- TutorialsPoint. “How to Edit/Change a Personal Template in Excel?” Step-by-step guidance on opening and editing Excel templates.
- Excel Easy. “Create a Template in Excel (Easy Steps)” Overview of template creation, saving, and file types.