---
schema_version: "1"
id: b981ee224370776db36d0b01c786423954b3ad679374f0fa08c9cd79bb44e1d7
title: Opening Workbooks
collection: tableau
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/tableau/current/en-us/reader/desktop/open.md
canonical_url: https://help.tableau.com/current/reader/desktop/en-us/open.htm
source_site: help.tableau.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: b08845e20ffab18737dfad2a200255c68178c9d1ba894f90289e428aa454b0d1
description: In Tableau Reader, you can open packaged workbooks that were created using Tableau Desktop or Tableau Server
---
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# Opening Workbooks

In Tableau Reader, you can open packaged workbooks that were created using Tableau Desktop or Tableau Server. Packaged workbooks, saved with a .twbx file extension, contain the workbook along with a copy of any local file data sources and background images. The workbook is no longer linked to the original data sources and images.

Packaged workbooks only connect to local file data sources such as Excel, Access, data extracts, and text files.

<table>
                    <tbody><tr style="vertical-align: middle;">
                        <td style="padding-right: 10px;padding-left: 10px;">
                            <h4 style="padding-left: 5px;padding-right: 5px;padding-top: 5px;padding-bottom: 5px;">To open a <span class="mc-variable Variables.ProductName variable">Tableau Reader</span> 
		 file do one of the following:</h4>
                            <ul type="disc">
                                <li class="p">
                                    <p style="padding-left: 5px;padding-right: 5px;padding-top: 5px;padding-bottom: 5px;">Click <span class="uicontrol">Browse for File</span> on the Start page and  navigate to the location of the workbook using the Open dialog box.</p>
                                    <p style="padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;">
                                        <img src="https://help.tableau.com/current/reader/desktop/en-us/Img/rstartpage1_browse.png" alt="Home page for Tableau Reader.">
                                    </p>
                                    <p class="note"><b>Note:</b> This button only appears if you have no other recently opened workbooks in the pane.</p>
                                </li>
                                <li class="p">
                                    <p>Select 
			 <span class="uicontrol">File</span> &gt; <span class="uicontrol">Open</span> 
			 and navigate to the location of the packaged workbook using the Open dialog box. </p>
                                </li>
                                <li>
                                    <p>Double-click 
			 on any packaged workbook 
			 file.</p>
                                </li>
                                <li>
                                    <p>Drag 
			 any packaged workbook 
			 file onto the Reader desktop icon or onto the running application.</p>
                                </li>
                                <li>
                                    <p>Click the <span class="uicontrol">Open a workbook</span> link and select a workbook to open. </p>
                                    <p class="note"><b>Note:</b> This link only appears after you have previously opened at least one workbook.</p>
                                </li>
                            </ul>
                        </td>
                    </tr>
                </tbody></table>

When a workbook opens, the worksheets and dashboards are shown as tabs along the bottom of the window.

![](/tableau/current/en-us/reader/desktop/en-us/Img/rsheet_navigation.png)

Note: If the workbook connects to a Microsoft Office 2007 data source (Excel or Access), you need to also have Microsoft Office 2007 installed on your computer. You can also ask the author of the workbook to save the data source to a version that is compatible with your software.