How to Recover Excel Files

If you have ever lost an important Excel file due to accidentally deleted, system crash, or other reasons, you know how frustrating it can be. Fortunately, Microsoft Excel comes with a recovery feature that can help you retrieve your lost or unsaved work. By following a simple set of procedures, you can recover Excel files and continue with your work as if nothing happened. This blog post will provide you with a concise and quick guide on how to recover Excel files, so you can avoid losing any more valuable work and keep your productivity on track.

Understanding Excel’s Recovery Feature

Before we dive into the steps on how to recover Excel files, let’s take a quick look at how Excel’s recovery feature works. Excel automatically saves a backup version of your file every few minutes, enabling you to recover the latest version of your work in case of any mishap.

How to Recover an Unsaved Excel File

Step 1: Go to the File Tab

If your Excel file was unsaved before the system crashed or you closed it accidentally, the first step is to go to the File tab and select the Recent option from the menu. You will see a list of unsaved files, click on the one you want to recover.

Step 2: Check the Document Recovery Pane

If you do not see the unsaved file in the Recent documents list, go to the bottom of the page, and select Recover Unsaved Workbooks. Excel will open the Document Recovery pane, where you will find your unsaved file. Click on it and select ‘Open’ to restore it.

Step 3: Save the File

After recovering the file, make sure to save it to avoid losing it again. Go to the File tab and select Save As to choose a location and name for the file.

How to Recover a Saved Excel File

Step 1: Go to the File Tab

If you can’t find a saved Excel file, go to the Excel File tab and select the Open option from the menu.

Step 2: Select Recent Workbooks

Select Recent Workbooks from the menu, which will show you a list of all recently used Excel files. Check if the file you want to recover is listed there, if you find it, click on it to open the file.

Step 3: Check the Recycle Bin or Trash Folder

If you can’t find the file under the Recent Workbooks list, you can check the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash Folder (Mac). If it’s there, select it, right-click, and choose Restore.

Step 4: Check Backup Files

If you don’t find the file in the Recycle Bin or Trash Folder, you could still find it in the backup files created by Excel. Open Excel and go to the File tab and select Open -> Browse. Select All Files from the dropdown menu and navigate to the location where you saved the file. Look for files with the same name of the lost file but with a different extension. These files have a backup of the unsaved data. Select the one with the latest date and click on Open.

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, you can recover your Excel files, so there’s no need to panic if you accidentally lose your work. Always remember to save your files periodically and keep your system updated to avoid any unexpected glitches that might lead to data loss.

Additional Tips to Avoid Losing Your Excel Files

While knowing how to recover Excel files is essential, prevention is always better than cure. Here are some additional tips to help you avoid losing your valuable Excel files.

Save Frequently

You can press Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac to save your work. Making it a habit to save your files from time to time can significantly reduce the chances of losing data.

Enable AutoSave Feature

Enabling AutoSave can help you avoid losing data in case of an unexpected computer crash or accidental closure. Go to File -> Options -> Save and tick the ‘Save AutoRecover information every X minutes’ checkbox.

Keep Your System Updated

Update your system and Excel to ensure that you have the latest security patches and bug fixes. Updating regularly can prevent glitches and system crashes that lead to data loss.

Backup Your Files Regularly

Creating backups of your Excel files means that you always have an extra copy in case of accidental file deletion or any other unexpected circumstance. You can manually copy your Excel files to an external device such as a USB or external hard drive or use a cloud storage service like OneDrive or Dropbox to automatically backup your files.

Wrapping Up

Knowing how to recover Excel files is essential, especially if you deal with big data. By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be better equipped to retrieve any accidentally deleted or lost files. Additionally, following the tips we provided will help you avoid losing critical data in the future.

FAQs about Recovering Excel Files

Here are some frequently asked questions about recovering Excel Files:

Can I recover an unsaved Excel file?

Yes, you can recover unsaved Excel files by following the steps outlined in this article. Go to the File tab, select the Recent option, and click on the unsaved file you want to recover. Alternatively, go to the Document Recovery pane at the bottom of the Recent page and click on the unsaved file to restore it.

What should I do if I can’t find my saved Excel file?

If you can’t find your saved Excel file, check the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash Folder (Mac). If you can’t find it there, look for backup files created by Excel. You can access these files by opening Excel, navigating to the File tab, and selecting Open -> Browse. Look for files with the same name as the lost file but with a different extension. These files have a backup of the unsaved data.

How can I avoid losing my Excel files in the future?

To avoid losing your Excel files, make it a habit to save your work frequently by pressing Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. You can also enable the AutoSave feature, which saves your work every few minutes automatically. Updating your system and Excel with the latest security patches can reduce the chances of system crashes. Finally, creating backups of your Excel files is essential to ensure that you always have an extra copy in case of accidental file deletion or other unexpected circumstances.

What is the Document Recovery pane in Excel?

The Document Recovery pane in Excel is where you can find and recover unsaved files. If you have closed an unsaved file accidentally, Excel automatically opens the pane and displays the lost file for recovery.

What happens if I can’t recover my Excel file?

If you can’t recover your Excel file, it’s likely that the file might have been overwritten, corrupted, or deleted from your system permanently. In such instances, you may try using third-party recovery tools to try and recover the lost file or a data recovery service if the file is essential.