windows update, excel takes over

Something happened (a Windows update?) and Excel has taken over my Libre spreadsheets. I tried to save them as ods files but Excel converts them to xls automatically. It then wants me to try or activate MS Office. I want to stay with Libre. Please advise. Thanks!

Translated with external help from my answer, so the Windows texts may vary.

1 If you are working with Windows 7, when the list of programs appears, choose the last option: Select a program from the list of installed programs, press OK.

1.1 If LibreOffice is among the recommended programs, choose it, verify that the box Always use the selected program to open these types of files is active, and click on OK.

1.2 If LibreOffice is not among the recommended programs, click next to Other programs. If LibreOffice is there, choose it, verify that the box Always use the selected program to open these types of files is active, and click on OK.

1.3 If LibreOffice is not in that list, click the Browse button and go to the directory where LibreOffice is installed (usually C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\program), choose soffice.exe, and click Open.

LibreOffice 6.3.6.2 (x86); OS: Windows 6.1


2 If you are working with Windows 10, when the list of programs appears, choose the last option: Choose another application, and click on OK.

2.1 If LibreOffice is among the recommended programs, choose it, verify that the box Always use this application to open .odt files is activated, and click on OK.

2.2 If LibreOffice is not among the recommended programs, click on More applications ↓. If LibreOffice is there, choose it, verify that the box Always use this application to open .odt files is selected, and click on OK.

2.3 If LibreOffice is not in that list, click the Find another application on my computer button, and go to the directory where LibreOffice is installed (usually C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\program), choose soffice.exe, and Click on Open.

LibreOffice 6.2.8.2 (x64); OS: Windows 10.0

EDIT: 2020-10-08 only deleted extra spaces sorrounding backslashes.


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Also very useful is the first paragraph of the answer at Associate odt with Libreoffice