readxl read_excel() in R: Import Excel Files to Tibbles

The readxl read_excel() function reads an Excel file into a tibble, detecting whether the workbook is .xls or .xlsx automatically. It needs no Java, no Perl, and no external dependency.

read_excel("data.xlsx")                       # read the first sheet
read_excel("data.xlsx", sheet = "Sales")      # read a sheet by name
read_excel("data.xlsx", sheet = 2)            # read a sheet by position
read_excel("data.xlsx", range = "A1:D20")     # read a fixed cell range
read_excel("data.xlsx", skip = 3)             # skip junk rows above header
read_excel("data.xlsx", col_names = FALSE)    # treat row 1 as data
read_excel("data.xlsx", n_max = 100)          # read only the first 100 rows
read_excel("data.xlsx", na = c("", "NA"))     # set the missing-value strings

What read_excel() does

read_excel() turns one sheet of an Excel workbook into a tibble. You give it a file path and, optionally, which sheet and which cells to read. It returns a tidy data frame with one column per field. The function inspects the file extension and picks the right engine, so .xls and .xlsx both work through the same call.

Unlike older Excel readers, readxl has no Java or Perl dependency. It ships compiled C and C++ code, which makes it fast and easy to install on any machine.

Syntax and key arguments

Most calls need only the path argument; the rest control which cells to read and how to parse them. A workbook can hold many sheets, so the arguments below tell read_excel() exactly what to pull.

The arguments you reach for most are sheet (pick the tab you want), range (read a precise block of cells), skip (jump past export junk), and col_types (stop the type guessing when you know the schema).

read_excel() examples

readxl ships example workbooks, so every example below runs without a file of your own. The helper readxl_example() returns the path to a bundled file.

With no sheet argument, read_excel() returns the first tab. This workbook's first sheet is the iris data.

A workbook usually has more than one sheet. List them with excel_sheets(), then pass a name or a position to sheet.

Read a precise block of cells with range. This is the cleanest fix for messy workbooks where the real table does not start at cell A1.

The range "C1:E5" keeps columns C through E and rows 1 through 5, treating row 1 as the header.

Skip junk rows and cap the row count. Reports often carry a title or blank rows above the real header. skip jumps past them and n_max limits how much you read.

read_excel() vs read_xlsx(), read_xls() and alternatives

read_excel() is the general-purpose reader; read_xlsx() and read_xls() force one format. They share arguments but differ in how they detect the file type.

Use read_excel() by default. Drop to read_xlsx() or read_xls() only when a file has the wrong extension and automatic detection picks the wrong engine.

Common pitfalls

Reading the wrong sheet without noticing. When you omit sheet, read_excel() silently returns the first tab. If your data lives on a later sheet, the result looks valid but holds the wrong table. Always confirm with excel_sheets() first.

Passing a sheet position that does not exist. A workbook with four sheets has no sheet 5, and the call errors.

Numbers stored as text in Excel. If a cell is formatted as text, read_excel() reads it as a character column. Fix it after reading with as.numeric(), or force the type with col_types = "numeric".

Try it yourself

Related readxl functions

read_excel() works alongside a small set of readxl helpers. Reach for the one that matches your task.

• read_xlsx(): force the modern .xlsx engine regardless of extension.
• read_xls(): force the legacy .xls engine for old workbooks.
• excel_sheets(): list every sheet name before you read.
• readxl_example(): get paths to the example workbooks bundled with the package.
• cell_rows() and cell_cols(): build a range from row or column numbers.

For the full argument reference, see the readxl documentation on tidyverse.org.

FAQ

How do I read a specific sheet from an Excel file in R?

Pass the sheet argument to read_excel(). It accepts a sheet name as a string, such as read_excel("data.xlsx", sheet = "Sales"), or a position as a number, such as sheet = 2. Run excel_sheets("data.xlsx") first to see every available sheet name so you select the correct one.

What is the difference between read_excel() and read.xlsx()?

read_excel() comes from the readxl package and has no Java dependency, so it installs cleanly everywhere and returns a tibble. read.xlsx() from the xlsx package needs Java and rJava, which often fails to configure. Use read_excel() for new code; it is faster and far easier to install.

How do I read an .xls file in R?

read_excel() reads .xls files directly. It detects the legacy format from the file itself and uses the right engine, so the same call works for both .xls and .xlsx. If a file has the wrong extension, call read_xls() to force the legacy engine.

Can read_excel() read an Excel file from a URL?

Not directly. read_excel() needs a local file path. Download the workbook first with download.file(url, "data.xlsx", mode = "wb"), then pass that path to read_excel(). The mode = "wb" argument matters, because Excel files are binary and a text-mode download corrupts them.

Why are my Excel numbers showing as text in R?

The cells are formatted as text in Excel, so read_excel() reads them as a character column. Force the type with col_types = "numeric" for that column, or convert after reading with as.numeric(). Watch for stray spaces or thousands separators, which also push a column to text.