Error: "Windows Security patch prevents the Jet driver from reading .xls files; install the 2010 32-bit Access driver" when loading an Excel .xls file

[JoshHP]

Issue:

The following error occurs when loading an Excel.xls file:

Error: "Windows Security patch prevents the Jet driver from reading .xls files; install the 2010 32-bit Access driver"

Environment Details

• Alteryx Designer
  • All versions
• Excel 
  • Excel 97- Excel 2003 Workbook

 

Cause

Missing Access Driver Install for .xls File Acess or corrupted Excel .xls file

Resolution

 

Solution A

 

1. Install Access Driver Install for .xls File Access

If you already have a 64-bit version of Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010, you will be prompted to uninstall it first. You will need to remove the 64-bit installation of Microsoft Access database engine 2010 and then rerun the setup of the 32-bit installation. 

NOTE: 32-bit version end of support in 2021.3 and above 
Please refer to this article: End of Support for 32-bit Database Connections

 

Solution B

 

1. Open .xls file in Excel
2. Click Yes when prompted "The file format and extension of "
3. Go to File > Save As > save as .xls again
4. Load the new file into Designer Input Data tool

Additional Resources

• How to Enable Microsoft Excel Binary, Excel Legacy, Access (accdb) for In/Out tools
• Error(s) when opening XLS files after applying Microsoft’s October 2017 updates

[FLOPEZSA]

Great info, the issue was solved thanks!