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Edit my excel files on my new iPad mini 7

Pam Vince 0 Reputation points
2026-04-02T08:57:34.6133333+00:00

I have Microsoft office for mac where I can edit y files on my phone and MacBook Air - I have bought a new iPad mini 7 and want to edit on it but it not an option when I open my files

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | iOS
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  1. Pam Vince 0 Reputation points
    2026-04-05T10:52:54.36+00:00

    Spoke to Microsoft and they are adamant that as the iPad mini runs on iPad os that it will not allow editing as the iPhone can but will if you pay for the 365 subscription - so they have effectively removed this option unless you pay more money. This seems to be the way Microsoft do business and cannot do anything about it!

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  2. Gunasekar N 68,335 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-02T09:42:51.1166667+00:00

    Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

    According to the Microsoft article here-

    Office 365 apps should work normally on devices with a screen size below 10.1". Checking the display size of the iPad mini 7, it appears to be 8.3 inches, so you should be able to edit your documents or spreadsheets.

    See -

    What you can do in the Microsoft 365 apps on mobile devices with a Microsoft 365 subscription

    However, there seems to be a bug or issue where the iPad mini 7 requires an Office 365 subscription in order to edit documents. This problem has already been reported, and feedback has been submitted directly to Microsoft. Since the iPad mini 7 is a new device and is categorized as a tablet, Microsoft may not have added it to the exception list for devices with a screen size below 10.1" yet. This is likely the reason you’re not able to edit documents for free on your iPad mini 7.

    It works only with an Office 365 Subscription.

    Here’s the feedback thread -

    https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/ecfbc86f-4bed-ef11-a4dd-7c1e52c1c6b2

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  3. AI answer

    2026-04-02T08:57:47.5466667+00:00

    On iPad, whether an Excel file can be edited depends on both the file type and the app being used.

    1. Confirm the file type On iPad (iOS), Excel can:
      • Open and edit: .xlsx and .xlsm (macros will not run), and some others via conversion (see below).
      • Open read-only only: .xls, .xltx, .xlsb, .csv, .ods, .xlt.
      • Cannot open or edit: .xltm, .xla, .xlam, .xml, .dif, .htm, .html, .mht, .prn, .slk, .sylk, .txt, older Biff formats.
      If the files are in one of the read-only types (for example old .xls workbooks), they will open but not allow editing on iPad. In that case, open them on the Mac, save as .xlsx, then use them on the iPad.
    2. Make sure Excel for iPad is installed and used Install Excel for iPad from the App Store and open the files directly in that app (not only via preview in Files, Mail, or another viewer). The Excel mobile app is the one that supports editing.
    3. Check for OpenDocument (.ods) files If the files are in OpenDocument Format (.ods):
      • They can be opened on iPad/iPhone but initially as read-only.
      • To edit, open the .ods file in Excel on iPad, allow the online conversion, then use Duplicate to save it as an editable .xlsx file. After that, the duplicated .xlsx version can be edited and saved.
    4. If nothing is editable If even .xlsx files are read-only on the new iPad, verify that the same Microsoft 365 account used on the Mac and phone is signed in to Excel on the iPad, and that the subscription includes the mobile apps. If the subscription is only for web/mobile (like Microsoft 365 Basic), editing is supported in the mobile apps, but desktop apps are not included; in that case, ensure the iPad is online and signed in so the apps can validate the subscription.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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