How to Turn Off Autosave in Excel

Autosave is a useful feature in Excel that automatically saves your work periodically to help prevent data loss. However, in certain situations, you may prefer to turn off Autosave in Excel. Whether it’s to prevent accidental data overwriting or to reduce the time it takes to save larger workbooks, turning off Autosave is a straightforward process. In this blog post, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to turn off Autosave in Excel, so you can gain more control over your spreadsheet management.

Why You May Want to Turn Off Autosave in Excel

As mentioned earlier, Autosave is a useful feature in Excel that periodically saves your work to prevent data loss. However, there are a few reasons why you may want to turn it off. First, if you’re working on a large data set, and Autosave is set to save too frequently, it may slow down your computer. Second, Autosave can be frustrating if you’re collaborating with others on a project, and you keep overwriting their work. Turning off Autosave can help prevent such incidences. Finally, if you’re experimenting with different formulas, it may be helpful to turn off Autosave so you can undo changes without Autosave overwriting your data.

How to Turn Off Autosave in Excel

Now that you understand some of the benefits of turning off Autosave in Excel, let’s dive into the meat of this article: How to turn off Autosave in Excel. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Open an Excel Workbook

The first step is to open Excel and the workbook you want to turn off Autosave for.

Step 2: Click on the ‘File’ Menu

Next, navigate to the ‘File’ menu located at the top left of the workbook.

Step 3: Click on ‘Options’

From the ‘File’ menu, select ‘Options’ at the bottom left of the screen.

Step 4: Click on ‘Save’

Once you’ve opened the ‘Options’ window, click on ‘Save’ in the left-hand menu.

Step 5: Turn Off Autosave

In the ‘Save’ settings, you’ll see an ‘Autosave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on Any changes’ checkbox. Uncheck this box to turn off Autosave. Once done, click ‘OK’ at the bottom right of the window to save the changes.

Congratulations, You’ve Turned Off Autosave in Excel!

So there you have it. A step-by-step guide on how to turn off Autosave in Excel. Remember, while Autosave is a great feature to have, it can be beneficial to turn it off in the right situations. Now you are empowered to turn it on or off as needed.

How to Save Your Work After Turning Off Autosave in Excel

Now that you have successfully turned off Autosave, you need to make sure you manually save your work frequently. Saving your work manually is an essential habit when Autosave is off.

You can save your work in Excel by pressing the “CTRL” and “S” keys at the same time. You can also click on the “Save” button located in the top left corner to save your work.

It is recommended to save your work every 10-15 minutes or after completing a significant amount of data entry to ensure you don’t lose any work.

How to Turn On Autosave in Excel

If you would like to turn Autosave back on in Excel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open an Excel Workbook

The first step is to open Excel and the workbook you want Autosave turned on for.

Step 2: Click on the ‘File’ Menu

Next, navigate to the ‘File’ menu located at the top left of the workbook.

Step 3: Click on ‘Options’

From the ‘File’ menu, select ‘Options’ at the bottom left of the screen.

Step 4: Click on ‘Save’

Once you’ve opened the ‘Options’ window, click on ‘Save’ in the left-hand menu.

Step 5: Turn On Autosave

In the ‘Save’ settings, you’ll see an ‘Autosave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on Any changes’ checkbox. Check this box to turn on Autosave. Once done, click ‘OK’ at the bottom right of the window to save the changes.

Autosave is a helpful feature that can save you time and reduce the risk of data loss. However, if it’s causing problems or hindering your efficiency in Excel, turning it off is a viable solution. By following the simple steps outlined in this article, you can easily turn Autosave on or off in Excel. Remember to save your work regularly when Autosave is off to ensure you don’t lose any data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the answers to some common questions people have about turning off Autosave in Excel:

Can Autosave be turned off in specific workbooks?

Yes, Autosave can be turned off in individual workbooks. Follow the same steps outlined in this article, and Autosave will be turned off for that specific workbook.

Will turning off Autosave cause me to lose my work if Excel crashes?

If Autosave is turned off, and Excel crashes, you may lose the current unsaved work. It is essential to save your work regularly when Autosave is off to prevent data loss.

Can I adjust how frequently Autosave saves my work?

Yes, you can adjust how frequently Autosave saves your work in Excel. On the same settings page as turning off Autosave, you can change how often Excel saves your work. By default, Excel saves work every 10 minutes.

Is turning off Autosave recommended if I’m collaborating on an Excel file?

If you’re collaborating with others on an Excel file, it’s generally not recommended to turn off Autosave. Autosave helps ensure that everyone has the most recent version of the file.

Can I have Autosave on for one worksheet and off for another in the same workbook?

No, Autosave applies to the entire workbook in Excel. If Autosave is turned on or off, it will apply to all sheets within the workbook.