The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft sharepoint foundation-compatible spreadsheet

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Recently while working with “Import Spreadsheet” app in SharePoint 2013 I got the below error: The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser.

I was trying to create a list using the Import Spreadsheet option in SharePoint 2013 using Internet Explorer. But still, I was getting the error.

the list cannot be imported because a microsoft sharepoint
The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser.

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the list cannot be imported because a Microsoft sharepoint foundation-compatible spreadsheet

The solution to this problem is that we need to use 32-bit Internet Explorer. When I open my site in IE 32 bit and try using the “Import Spreadsheet” option it works perfectly.

Also, check the below add-ons are enabled in Internet Explorer. Open IE click on Settings Icon -> Manage Add-on and check the below add-ons are enabled.

  • SharePoint Export Database Launcher
  • SharePoint Spreadsheet Launcher
  • SharePoint Stssync Handler
the list cannot be imported because a microsoft sharepoint foundation-compatible spreadsheet
The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser.

After this the error The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser will not appear.

Use Internet Explorer 32-bit version to solve The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser

If the above solution does not work, then Open IE (Internet Explorer) in 32-bit mode and then use the Import spreadsheet app to create the app.

Add SharePoint site to Trusted Sites Zone

The last thing you can try is to add the SharePoint Site to the Trusted Sites Zone.

Open Internet Explorer then Click on “Tools” -> Internet Options.

Then click on Security tab -> Trusted Sites -> click on the “Sites” button and Enter SharePoint Site URL and then click on “Add“.

Import excel spreadsheet into SharePoint list

This SharePoint tutorial will discuss how to import an excel spreadsheet into SharePoint 2013 or SharePoint 2016 or SharePoint Online.

import excel spreadsheet into SharePoint list

Here I have an excel which has a few columns as Name, EmailID, and Course. And also it has 2 records. The excel spreadsheet looks like below:

import excel spreadsheet into sharepoint list 2013
import excel spreadsheet into sharepoint list 2013

To work with an import excel spreadsheet, use a 32-bit version of Internet Explorer 10 or 11. Else you will get an error like below: The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser

Open SharePoint 2016/2013 or SharePoint online site. Then from the Settings icon -> Add an app. And then select the “Import Spreadsheet” app. Then in the New app, give a name, description and choose the excel file which we have created earlier. The screen looks like below: Then click on import.

import excel spreadsheet into sharepoint list 2016
import excel spreadsheet into sharepoint list 2016

Then you can choose from Table Range, Range of Cells, or Named Range, choose Range of Cells, and then click Select Range manually. Then click on Import.

import excel spreadsheet into sharepoint online list
import excel spreadsheet into sharepoint online list

After that, you can see the list will get created with the columns and data. The list looks like below:

import excel file into sharepoint list 2013
import excel file into sharepoint list 2013

The types of columns that are created for a list are based on the kinds of data that are in the columns of the spreadsheet.

The specified file is not a valid spreadsheet or contains no data to import in SharePoint

If you are getting the below error while importing spreadsheet in SharePoint 2016/2013 or SharePoint online. The error comes as: The specified file is not a valid spreadsheet or contains no data to import. Also, the error can come as: unexpected error importing spreadsheet SharePoint 2013.

The error looks like below:

the specified file is not a valid spreadsheet sharepoint 2013
the specified file is not a valid spreadsheet sharepoint 2016

The specified file is not a valid spreadsheet or contains no data to import in SharePoint

The solution is to add the site to “Trusted sites” in Internet Explorer. Open Internet Explorer. Click on the Settings icon and then click on Internet options.

Then go to the Security tab. Then choose Trusted sites and then click on the Sites button. There add the site in the Add this website to the zone. And click on Add like below:

sharepoint 2016 import spreadsheet an unexpected error has occurred
sharepoint 2013 import spreadsheet an unexpected error has occurred

Now it should work fine.

This is how we can fix error, The specified file is not a valid spreadsheet or contains no data to import in SharePoint.

Read below SharePoint spreadsheet tutorials:

I hope this will be helpful to resolve the error The list cannot be imported because a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible spreadsheet application is not installed or is not compatible with your browser.

Also, we saw, how to fix the error, he specified file is not a valid spreadsheet or contains no data to import in SharePoint.

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