How to Restore Previous Version of Excel

If you are using Microsoft Excel on your computer, you may encounter situations where you accidentally delete important data, or realize that some changes you made were not beneficial. In such circumstances, you might need a way to restore previous versions of your Excel files, and fortunately, this is a quick and easy process. In this blog post, we will dive into how to restore previous versions of Excel documents to help you save time and recover your valuable work.

Introduction

Microsoft Excel is one of the most commonly used spreadsheet software worldwide. However, accidents happen, and you might accidentally delete or lose your important data, causing unwanted stress and panic. Luckily, Microsoft Excel has an in-built feature that helps to restore previous versions of your Excel files, which can save you a considerable amount of time and effort. In this post, we’ll guide you through the simple steps required to restore the previous version of Excel documents.

Step by Step Guide: How to Restore Previous Version of Excel

Step 1: Click the File Tab

To restore the previous version of your Excel document, you must navigate to the file tab on your Microsoft Excel worksheet. The file tab is located in the top left corner of your screen. Click on it to access the ‘Info’ drop-down menu.

Step 2: Select ‘Info’

After clicking on the file tab, select ‘Info’ from the drop-down menu on the left-hand side of your screen. This will expose critical information about your Excel worksheet, including your last saved version, previous versions, and other important details.

Step 3: Click on ‘Version History’

Under the ‘Info’ tab, you’ll find an option labeled ‘Version History.’ Click on it to view the previous versions of your Excel document.

Step 4: Choose the Version You Want to Restore

After clicking on the ‘Version History’ tab, you’ll see a list of available versions. Scroll through the list and select the version you want to restore. Ensure that the version date and time match the intended previous version that you want to restore.

Step 5: Click ‘Restore’

Once you have selected the appropriate version, click on ‘Restore.’ This will open a confirmation dialogue box that prompts you to confirm if you want to continue. Click on ‘Ok,’ and Microsoft Excel will restore the previous version of your document.

Restore previous versions of your Microsoft Excel documents without hassle using the five easy steps outlined above. Through this process, you’ll save a considerable amount of time and effort while recovering valuable data. Give these steps a try the next time you need to recover a previous Excel document version.

When to Use the ‘Restore Previous Version’ Feature

The ‘restore previous version’ feature can come in handy in various situations, such as:

• Accidentally deleting important cells or data from your worksheet.
• Saving work that contains errors without realizing it.
• One or more coworkers make unwanted changes to your original Excel document.
• Your Excel file gets corrupted.

Regardless of the reason, the ability to restore previous versions of your Excel files offers peace of mind that you can recover crucial work when unexpected incidents occur.

Automatic Saving of Previous Versions

Did you know that Microsoft Excel automatically saves versions of your document each time you close it? This is an incredible safety feature called AutoRecover, which saves drafts of your work every ten minutes, ensuring you don’t lose anything in the event of unplanned incidents like a power outage.

When you reopen the document, you can choose to recover the AutoSaved versions to a new file, or you can overwrite the previously saved file with the recovered version.

Restoring the previous version of Microsoft Excel files can save you considerable time and effort, helping ensure that you maintain a productive workflow. Follow the five easy steps outlined in this blog post and recover crucial excel data with ease.

Also, take advantage of Microsoft Excel’s AutoRecover feature, which automatically saves multiple versions of your documents and gives you the option to recover your work in the event of any mishap.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about restoring previous versions of Excel files:

Can I restore a previous version of Excel even if I didn’t manually save it?

Yes, you can restore previous versions of Excel files, even if you didn’t manually save the versions. Excel automatically saves versions of a worksheet every ten minutes using the AutoRecover feature.

Can I recover deleted Excel files?

If you have deleted an Excel file, you can try recovering it from the Recycle Bin. If the file is not in the Recycle Bin, you could try recovering it from a previous version. However, there’s no guarantee that a previous version of the file exists or that it will contain all the lost data.

Can I recover changes made to an Excel file from a specific date?

Yes, you can recover changes made to an Excel file from a specific date if you have been saving the file regularly. The Version History option in Excel allows you to check all saved versions of your document, enabling you to restore the version of your choosing as far back as you need.

What happens if I restore a previous version of an Excel file?

If you restore a previous version of an Excel file, you overwrite the current version of your document with the selected version. This means that any changes made since the selected version will be lost.

Why is my Excel document not showing any previous versions?

If you do not see any previous versions of your Excel document, it could mean that the document’s previous versions are not saved on your computer. To enable this option, go to the Excel Options > Save option and select the ‘Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving’ checkbox to ensure versions of your document are always saved.