ImportError: Missing optional dependency 'openpyxl'. Use pip or conda to install openpyxl.

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How to fix ImportError: Missing optional dependency 'openpyxl'. Use pip or conda to install openpyxl.

Install the Excel engine: python -m pip install openpyxl. pandas deliberately does not bundle Excel readers; read_excel on an .xlsx file needs openpyxl installed in the same environment. Use the exact same python/pip pair (python -m pip) so it lands in the right env.

The exact error

ImportError: Missing optional dependency 'openpyxl'. Use pip or conda to install openpyxl.

Fix it

1. Run python -m pip install openpyxl. Expected: pip reports Successfully installed openpyxl

2. Retry pd.read_excel('file.xlsx'). Expected: returns a DataFrame, no ImportError

3. For legacy .xls files you need xlrd instead: python -m pip install xlrd. Expected: read_excel works on .xls

When this applies

pd.readexcel / ExcelFile / toexcel on .xlsx raises Missing optional dependency 'openpyxl'

When this does NOT apply

the file itself is missing (FileNotFoundError) or corrupt (BadZipFile)

Versions

pandas >= 1.0 reading .xlsx

Why it happens

Excel IO engines are optional dependencies; pandas raises a helpful ImportError telling you which one to install.

Edge cases

xlrd >= 2.0 dropped .xlsx support, so do not 'fix' this by installing xlrd for an .xlsx file.

Asked about: ImportError: Missing optional dependency 'openpyxl'. Use pip or conda to install openpyxl. (web:pythonfriday readexcel guide). The verified fix: Install the Excel engine: python -m pip install openpyxl. pandas deliberately does not bundle Excel readers; `readexcel on an .xlsx file needs openpyxl installed in the same environment. Use the exact same python/pip pair (python -m pip`) so it lands in the right env. Full thread: https://pythonfriday.dev/2025/04/274-working-with-excel-files-in-pandas/