<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001104659-10-057686
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20101102
<FILING-DATE>20101110
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20101110
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Little Patrick W
<CIK>0001477963
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-21970
<FILM-NUMBER>101181483
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O PHOENIX TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
<STREET2>915 MURPHY RANCH ROAD
<CITY>MILPITAS
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95035
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ACTEL CORP
<CIK>0000907687
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>770097724
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0103
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2061 STIERLIN COURT
<CITY>MOUNTAIN VIEW
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94043-4655
<PHONE>6503184200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2061 STIERLIN COURT
<CITY>MOUNTAIN VIEW
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94043-4655
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000907687</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACTEL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ACTL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001477963</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Little Patrick W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2776 MIRA BELLA CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MILPITAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95037</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.03</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-05-27</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-05-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.47</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-05-28</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-06-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the merger agreement between the issuer, Microsemi Corporation (&quot;Microsemi&quot;) and Artful Acquisition Corp., (&quot;Artful&quot;), and in connection with the completion of a cash tender offer by Artful to purchase all of issuer's issued and outstanding common stock, this option was not assumed by Microsemi and was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment to Reporting Person equal to the difference between the offer price per share of $20.88 and the exercise price per share of the option.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Patrick Little</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
