Convert Lotus 1-2-3 to XLSX — Open Legacy .123 Spreadsheets in Excel

• Converts .123 files (Lotus 1-2-3 releases 1 through 9) to XLSX
• Processes one file or an entire folder in a single batch
• Preserves cell values, numbers, text, and sheet layout
• Works 100% offline — no files uploaded anywhere
• Provides command-line interface for automation
• Includes a 30-day free trial with no limitations

Download Total Excel Converter and start recovering your Lotus 1-2-3 data today.

Lotus 1-2-3 vs XLSX: What Is the Difference?

Lotus 1-2-3 (.123, .wk1, .wk3, .wk4) was the dominant spreadsheet application in the 1980s and early 1990s, before Microsoft Excel took over the market. Lotus stored data in a proprietary binary format that varied across versions. The software was discontinued in 2013 when IBM ended support. Today, no actively maintained application opens .123 files reliably — including current versions of Microsoft Excel, which dropped Lotus support years ago.

XLSX is the default format for Microsoft Excel since version 2007. It uses ZIP-compressed XML internally and is readable by Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, and virtually every modern spreadsheet tool. XLSX supports formulas, cell formatting, multiple sheets, charts, and conditional formatting — far beyond what Lotus 1-2-3 offered.

Because the .123 format is proprietary and obsolete, you cannot simply rename the file or open it in a current spreadsheet app. A dedicated converter must parse the Lotus binary structures and rebuild the cell data as an Excel-compatible workbook. Total Excel Converter does exactly that.

How to Convert Lotus 123 to XLSX

• Step 1. Launch Total Excel Converter. The left panel shows a folder tree for quick navigation.
• Step 2. Browse to the folder that contains your .123 files. The file list in the center displays all supported spreadsheet types, including Lotus formats.
• Step 3. Check the files you want to convert. Use Check All to select every file in the folder for batch conversion.
• Step 4. Click XLSX in the format toolbar at the top of the window.
• Step 5. Choose a destination folder for the output files. The conversion wizard lets you adjust page layout and naming conventions if needed.
• Step 6. Press Start. The converter processes all selected files and saves XLSX output to your chosen folder.

Each .123 file becomes a separate XLSX workbook. If the original Lotus file contained multiple sheets, they are preserved in the output. Your original .123 files remain untouched.

Command-Line Conversion

Total Excel Converter includes a command-line interface for converting Lotus files without the GUI. Example:

ExcelConverter.exe C:\Data\budget.123 C:\Output\budget.xlsx

You can wrap this command in a .bat file or a scheduled task to automate recurring conversions. This is useful for migrating entire archives of legacy Lotus spreadsheets — point the script at a folder tree and let it process every .123 file automatically.

Why Use Total Excel Converter?

Reads all Lotus versions. Total Excel Converter handles .123 files from Lotus 1-2-3 releases 1 through 9, as well as related formats like WK1, WK2, WK3, and WK4. No need to find different tools for different Lotus versions.

Batch processing. Select 500 .123 files and convert them all to XLSX in a single run. Each source file becomes a separate workbook. No need to process files one at a time or upload them to a website.

No Lotus software required. Lotus 1-2-3 has been discontinued since 2013 and does not run on modern Windows. Total Excel Converter reads .123 files using its own parser — no legacy software installation needed.

Data preservation. Cell values, numbers, text, and sheet structure survive the conversion. The converter maps Lotus cell data to Excel cells accurately, so your spreadsheets remain usable after migration.

Privacy. All conversion happens locally on your PC. No cloud uploads, no third-party servers. This matters when converting financial records, payroll spreadsheets, or confidential business data from legacy archives.

20+ output formats. Besides XLSX, convert .123 files to XLS, PDF, CSV, HTML, XML, ODS, and more — all from the same program. Total Excel Converter also handles 20+ other input formats.

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