The file extension WK4 is associated with IBM Lotus 1-2-3, which is a spreadsheet application developed by IBM during the late 1980s to mid-1990s. The 2002 upgrade of Lotus 1-2-3 was developed for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and the Linux operating system, which means that program compatibility improved as well.
The file extension WK4 is a spreadsheet and workbook file type that contains cell formatting, numeric values, mathematical formulas and calculations, spreadsheet layouts, alphanumeric text, font styles, colors, and other elements you typically use with a spreadsheet application. Lotus 1-2-3 was the most popular spreadsheet application when the MS DOS system was being used, which required keyboard commands as opposed to clicking your mouse. As Windows was developed and other operating system versions by Apple were released on the market, IBM upgraded Lotus 1-2-3 to accommodate new operating systems.
How to Open WK4 Files
Since WK4 files can be opened using multiple programs and applications, double click on the file to see if it will automatically open in a default program you have installed on your PC. WK4 files are compatible with different applications, so you may already have a program which will open the file.
If you use Windows, you can open WK4 files using Corel WordPerfect Office X6, which is available as a free trial on the Corel website. You can also use IBM Lotus 1-2-3, which is available for download on the IBM software website. Other programs that will open WK4 files include Microsoft Excel or Gnumeric, which is part of the GNOME Office program and available as a free download on the GNOME website.
For Mac OS X, you can use IBM Lotus 1-2-3 or OpenOffice spreadsheet, which is available as a free open source application on the OpenOffice.org website. You can also use Corel Quattro Pro or Microsoft Excel to open WK4 files on a Mac PC.
If you are looking for a multiplatform application that is capable of opening WK4 files, you can use OpenOffice spreadsheet or LibreOffice Calc, which is an open source spreadsheet application available as a free download on the LibreOffice website. Both OpenOffice and LibreOffice are compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and the Linux operating system.
Another option is to convert the WK4 extension to another format such as XLS for use with a variety of applications. If you are using Microsoft Excel, you can open the WK4 file in Excel, click on File and then choose Save As from the drop-down menu. Save the WK4 file to another file extension such as XLS. You may lose some of the formatting, but if this is the only option you have, at least it will allow you to open and view the contents of the WK4 file.
If you simply need to convert the WK4 file to another format, you can use any file conversion program to accomplish this task. There are a number of file conversion programs available as a free download on websites such as CNET which will convert WK4 files for you.
