MySQL for Excel still ranks first on Google, but Oracle archived it in 2020. The methods that work today, including which run on Mac and web Excel.
MySQL for Excel still ranks first when you search for how to connect MySQL to Excel. Oracle archived it in September 2020: no updates, no bug fixes, Sustaining Support only. The last release, version 1.3.8, came out in 2019. The methods that work today are Power Query with the Oracle Connector/NET driver, an ODBC data source, a manual CSV export, or a connector add-in for teams that need Mac, web Excel, or a schedule. Here is every option, with the platform limits each one carries.
Method 1: MySQL for Excel add-in (archived, avoid for new setups)
Oracle's MySQL for Excel add-in added an Import MySQL Data button directly inside the Excel ribbon. When it worked, you could browse tables, filter rows, and push edits back to the database. It was the cleanest native option available at the time.
The catch: Oracle moved it to Sustaining Support on September 18, 2020. There will be no further development. It works with older Excel and MySQL versions, but newer Office builds often break the add-in manifest loading entirely. If you already have it running, you can keep using it until something breaks. For anyone setting up a new connection, skip it and use one of the methods below. It is Windows-only regardless.
Method 2: Power Query with the MySQL connector
Power Query includes a MySQL Database connector under Data, Get Data, From Database. Before it will appear and connect, you need to install Oracle's Connector/NET on the Windows machine running Excel. The connector architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) must match your Excel install. Once installed, enter the server hostname or IP, the port (default 3306), and the database name. Power Query downloads the schema and lets you pick tables or write a native SQL query.
The catch: this method is Windows desktop Excel only. Connector/NET does not install on a Mac, and Power Query's database connectors are not available in Excel on the web. If your MySQL server is remote, port 3306 must be open in the firewall and the MySQL user must have a host entry that allows connections from your machine's IP.
Method 3: ODBC via MySQL Connector/ODBC
Download MySQL Connector/ODBC from Oracle's site, install the driver, and create a DSN in Windows ODBC Data Sources (use the 32-bit or 64-bit administrator to match your Excel). In Excel, go to Data, Get Data, From Other Sources, From ODBC, pick the DSN, and connect. You can write SQL in the advanced options or browse tables. Power Query wraps the ODBC connection, so refresh is available on demand.
The catch: Windows desktop only. The 32-bit vs 64-bit mismatch between the driver and Excel is the most common failure point and produces a confusing error. ODBC is also harder to hand off to colleagues because they each need the driver installed and configured.
Method 4: CSV export from MySQL Workbench or phpMyAdmin
In MySQL Workbench, run a query, right-click the results grid, and choose Export Recordset to an External File, picking CSV. In phpMyAdmin, run the query and use the Export tab with CSV format. Open the file in Excel. This works on any platform, including Mac and web Excel, because you are just opening a file.
The catch: every refresh is a manual repeat of the process. For a single snapshot or a table you check monthly, this is fine. For anything that needs to be current daily, it becomes a recurring task nobody enjoys.
Method 5: Brooked for Excel (Mac, web, and scheduled refresh)
Brooked for Excel is an add-in that connects to MySQL directly, pulls the tables or query results you choose into the worksheet, and keeps it current. It runs inside Excel's ribbon and works in desktop Excel on Windows, desktop Excel on Mac, and Excel on the web, which none of the driver-based methods above can do. It also includes an AI analyst for plain-English questions about the data you imported.
Honest framing: Excel support is in beta. Manual imports and the AI analyst work today; scheduled refresh is rolling out through the beta. The Google Sheets version of the connector is fully live, so the MySQL plumbing itself is mature.
Setting up the MySQL connection
Open Brooked in the Excel ribbon, choose MySQL as the source, and enter the host, port, database name, and credentials. Brooked connects over a secure tunnel so the MySQL port does not need to be publicly exposed. Pick the tables or write a query, choose the destination sheet, and import. No driver installs, no DSN configuration.
Brooked AI, MySQLMethod comparison
| Method | Cost | Works on | Refresh | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MySQL for Excel add-in (archived) | Free but unsupported | Windows Excel only | Manual re-import | Nothing new; use a different method |
| ODBC via Connector/ODBC | Free | Windows desktop Excel only | Refresh in Power Query | IT-managed Windows environments |
| Power Query MySQL connector | Free (requires Connector/NET) | Windows desktop Excel only | Refresh in Power Query | Windows shops with Connector/NET installed |
| CSV export from MySQL Workbench | Free | Any Excel | Manual re-export | One-off table snapshots |
| Brooked for Excel | Free during beta | Desktop, Mac and web Excel | Scheduled (rolling out in beta) | Mac and web Excel; scheduled refresh |
What teams build with this
- Daily sales reports pulled from a transactional MySQL database into a formatted Excel workbook
- Inventory dashboards with low-stock alerts, refreshed each morning without manual exports
- Customer cohort tables built from raw event data in MySQL, for analysis in Excel pivot tables
- Support ticket summaries from a MySQL-backed help desk, delivered to a shared Excel workbook
- Financial month-end reports joining order and payment tables, without an IT ticket each time
Troubleshooting common issues
Related Articles
- How to Connect SQL Server to Excel
- How to Connect PostgreSQL to Excel
- How to Connect MySQL to Google Sheets
Frequently asked questions
Does MySQL have a native Excel connector?
Oracle published MySQL for Excel, but it moved to Sustaining Support on September 18, 2020, meaning no new features or bug fixes. The last release was version 1.3.8 in 2019. It still appears at the top of search results, which is why people keep trying to install it, but it is not a viable connector for new projects. The practical native option today is Power Query's database connector, which requires Oracle Connector/NET on Windows.
Can I connect MySQL to Excel on a Mac?
Not with ODBC or Power Query. Both methods depend on Windows-only drivers and the Windows version of Excel's Get Data menu. On a Mac, your options are exporting a CSV from MySQL Workbench or phpMyAdmin and opening it in Excel, or using a connector add-in like Brooked that runs inside Excel for Mac natively.
Can I connect MySQL to Excel on the web?
Power Query and ODBC do not work in Excel on the web at all. The web version of Excel has no Get Data panel that can reach a database directly. You need either a manual CSV export or an add-in that supports Excel on the web. Brooked for Excel works in the web version.
Can I refresh MySQL data in Excel automatically?
Power Query lets you click Refresh All to re-run the query on demand, but there is no built-in scheduler in Excel that will refresh a MySQL connection on a timed basis without a machine sitting open and running a macro. For hands-off scheduled refresh you need a connector add-in. Brooked is rolling out scheduled refresh through its beta.
Why is my ODBC connection to MySQL failing in Excel?
Common causes: the 32-bit vs 64-bit mismatch between the ODBC driver and your Excel install (both must match), the MySQL server's bind-address blocking remote connections, or a firewall rule on port 3306. Check Control Panel, ODBC Data Sources, and make sure you are opening the correct 32-bit or 64-bit administrator. Then test the DSN from the ODBC panel before trying it in Excel.
Is MySQL for Excel the same as MySQL Workbench?
No. MySQL for Excel was a separate Office add-in that let you import and export data between Excel sheets and MySQL tables. MySQL Workbench is a GUI client for managing the database itself. Workbench can export query results to CSV, which you can open in Excel, but it has no direct Excel integration. MySQL for Excel is archived; Workbench is still actively maintained.
Get live MySQL data in Excel, on any platform.
Brooked for Excel is in beta and free to try. Using Google Sheets instead? Read the Sheets version of this guide.
See Brooked for Excel →
