How can i recover deleted excel sheet​?

Recovering a deleted Excel sheet can be a crucial task, especially when the document contains important data.

When you delete an Excel sheet, it may not be permanently gone immediately. Depending on how you delete it (whether through the Recycle Bin or a system crash), the file may still reside in a recoverable state on your storage medium. Excel files have certain markers and structures that make them retrievable, even after being deleted, through different recovery methods. Let’s break down the process.

1. Check the Recycle Bin

The first place to check for a deleted Excel sheet is the Recycle Bin. If the file was deleted recently and hasn’t been permanently erased, you can easily restore it.

Steps:

Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop.

Look for your deleted Excel file.

Right-click the file and select Restore to return the file to its original location.

Tip: If the file is not in the Recycle Bin, it may have been deleted using the Shift + Delete method, bypassing the bin entirely. In this case, further recovery methods will be needed.

2. Use Excel’s AutoRecover Feature

Excel has a built-in AutoRecover feature designed to save backup copies of your work at regular intervals. If you’ve been working on a file and it gets deleted unexpectedly, or your computer crashes, you might still be able to retrieve an earlier version of the file using AutoRecover.

Steps:

Open Excel and click on File in the top left corner.

Go to Open and then click on Recent.

At the bottom, click on Recover Unsaved Workbooks.

Excel will show a list of unsaved or auto-saved versions of files. Look for the file in question, and select Open.

Save the file to your preferred location.

If AutoRecover hasn’t been activated or didn’t save the necessary file, you may need to rely on other methods outlined below.

3. Restore Previous Versions in Windows

Windows offers a feature called File History that may allow you to restore a previous version of a deleted Excel sheet. If you have File History enabled, you can recover files from earlier backups.

Steps:

Navigate to the folder where the Excel file was saved before deletion.

Right-click on the folder and select Restore previous versions.

A list of available previous versions will appear. Select a version that predates the deletion of your Excel file.

Click Restore to recover the file to its original location.

Tip: Ensure that File History is enabled in Windows for this feature to work. You can set it up via Control Panel > System and Security > File History.

4. Use OneDrive’s Version History (for Cloud Users)

If your Excel file was saved to OneDrive, you can take advantage of Version History to restore a previous version of the file. This is especially useful if the file was overwritten or deleted by accident.

Steps:

Log into your OneDrive account via a web browser.

Locate the folder where your Excel file was saved.

Right-click on the file and select Version History.

A list of previous versions of the file will be displayed.

Click on the version you want to restore, and then select Restore.

5. Restore from Cloud Backup Services (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)

Many people use cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and others to store important files. If your Excel sheet was stored in the cloud, these services often provide backup and version control features, allowing you to restore previous versions of files.

For Google Drive:

Log into your Google Drive account.

Locate the deleted or corrupted Excel file.

Right-click on the file and select Manage Versions.

Select the version you want to restore and click Restore.

For Dropbox:

Log into your Dropbox account.

Navigate to the deleted Excel file.

Right-click on the file and choose Version history.

You can then select the version of the file you want to restore.

6. Use Data Recovery Software

Panda Assistant is a powerful data recovery tool that can help you recover deleted Excel sheets quickly and efficiently. Whether your file was accidentally deleted, lost due to a system crash, or cleared from the Recycle Bin, Panda Assistant provides a reliable solution to retrieve lost data.

Easy-to-Use Interface: Panda Assistant offers an intuitive interface, allowing users to recover deleted files, including Excel sheets, without needing technical expertise. The recovery process is straightforward and can be completed in just a few steps.

Deep Scan Technology: Panda Assistant employs advanced scanning algorithms that search for remnants of deleted Excel files on your storage device. It can locate files even if they’ve been removed from the Recycle Bin or the system’s file structure, making it ideal for deep recovery.

Multiple File Formats: In addition to Excel files, Panda Assistant supports a wide range of file types, ensuring that it can recover your data regardless of the format. This makes it a versatile tool for retrieving various types of important documents.

Preview Before Recovery: Panda Assistant allows you to preview files before recovering them, helping ensure you’re recovering the correct Excel sheet. This feature is particularly useful when multiple files are deleted, allowing you to identify the right one.

Safe and Secure: Panda Assistant ensures that your recovered files remain secure. The software does not alter or overwrite existing data during the recovery process, which minimizes the risk of further data loss.

7. Using System Restore (Last Resort)

If you have a restore point set up on your Windows computer, you may be able to restore your system to a previous state before the Excel sheet was deleted. However, this method will affect all files and applications installed after the restore point, so use it carefully.

Steps to Perform a System Restore:

Type System Restore in the Windows search bar and select Create a restore point.

Under the System Protection tab, click on System Restore.

Follow the prompts to select a restore point that predates the deletion of your Excel file.

Complete the restoration process. Once your system is restored, check if the Excel file has been recovered.

8. Seek Professional Data Recovery Services

If all else fails and the data is extremely important, you can consider using professional data recovery services. These services are often expensive but can recover data from drives with severe physical damage or logical corruption that other methods can’t handle.

Some well-known data recovery services include:

DriveSavers

Ontrack Data Recovery

Secure Data Recovery Services

Best Practices to Avoid Losing Excel Files in the Future

While it’s possible to recover a deleted Excel sheet, prevention is always better than cure. Here are a few tips to avoid losing your important files in the future:

Enable AutoSave: Always enable Excel’s AutoSave and AutoRecover features.

Back Up Your Files: Regularly back up your Excel files using cloud storage or an external hard drive.

Use Version Control: Use cloud storage services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox that offer version history to protect against accidental deletions.

Keep Multiple Copies: Maintain multiple copies of important Excel files, stored in different locations (e.g., cloud, external hard drives).

Avoid Overwriting: When you accidentally delete a file, avoid using the disk too much to prevent overwriting deleted data, which may make it harder to recover.