xlsReadWrite is an obsolete R package that was officially archived and removed from the CRAN repository. Historically, it was a prominent Windows-only tool utilized for importing and exporting legacy .xls files without external Java dependencies. However, because it lacks support for the modern .xlsx XML format and has been unmaintained for over a decade, modern data analysts use highly efficient, cross-platform alternatives. Why xlsReadWrite Became Obsolete
Platform Limitations: The package only operated on Windows systems.
Format Restrictions: It only supported the legacy binary .xls format (Excel 97–2003) and could not handle modern XML-based .xlsx files.
CRAN Removal: It was permanently removed from CRAN in April 2013 due to license restrictions on its underlying third-party library and compatibility breakdowns with newer 64-bit systems. Top Modern R Packages for Excel
Because xlsReadWrite is no longer viable, the R community relies on a robust ecosystem of specialized packages depending on the task required: Read Excel Files • readxl