How to recover lost files in excel​？

Losing important Excel files can be a frustrating experience, especially when those files contain critical data that is hard to recreate. Whether you’ve accidentally deleted a file, experienced a system crash, or your Excel workbook failed to save correctly, there are multiple methods you can use to attempt recovery.

1. Excel File Loss

Accidental Deletion: Files can be accidentally deleted through the trash bin or mismanagement of file directories.

Corruption: Excel files can become corrupted due to improper system shutdowns, software crashes, or even issues with the storage medium.

Overwritten Files: Saving over a file without realizing it, or losing data during a failed save operation, can cause file loss.

System Crashes: Unexpected shutdowns or software failures during the Excel file-saving process can result in file loss or corruption.

In the next sections, we’ll explore recovery options depending on the cause of your data loss.

2. Check Excel’s AutoSave and AutoRecover Features

Excel includes a built-in AutoSave and AutoRecover function, which can be a lifesaver when files are lost unexpectedly.

AutoRecover

AutoRecover saves temporary versions of your workbook periodically. This feature is turned on by default but can be customized in Excel’s options. Here’s how to check for and recover files using AutoRecover:

Reopen Excel: If Excel was closed improperly, restarting the application may prompt Excel to display a Document Recovery pane, showing any auto-saved files.

Manually Recover AutoSaved Files:

Open Excel.

Click on the “File” tab in the ribbon.

Choose Info, then click Manage Workbook (for Office 365) or Manage Versions (for older versions).

Select Recover Unsaved Workbooks.

In the window that opens, check the list of unsaved files and choose the one you wish to recover.

AutoSave

For users with Office 365 and OneDrive or SharePoint, AutoSave automatically saves files to the cloud. If your Excel file was saved in one of these locations, you can:

Open the file in Excel.

Go to File > Info.

Check if the file is saved in OneDrive or SharePoint, and click on the Version History to restore earlier versions.

3. Restore from the Recycle Bin

If you’ve accidentally deleted the Excel file, it may still be recoverable from the Windows Recycle Bin. Here’s how:

Open the Recycle Bin: Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.

Search for the File: Look through the list of deleted files or use the search bar to find your lost Excel file.

Restore the File:

Right-click the Excel file you want to recover.

Select Restore.

The file will be restored to its original location.

4. Check Temporary File Folders

Excel often creates temporary backup files during the editing process. These files might still exist even if the Excel file was not saved properly. Here’s how to look for them:

Navigate to the Temporary Files Location:

Open File Explorer.

Type %temp% in the address bar and press Enter.

Look through the list of files for files starting with “Excel” or having the extension .xlsb, .xlk, .xlsx, or .tmp.

Search for Excel Temporary Files:

If you find files with the correct name or extension, right-click and choose Open with Excel.

5. Use Excel’s Open and Repair Tool

If you suspect that the Excel file itself has become corrupted, Excel provides a built-in repair tool. Here’s how to use it:

Open Excel and go to the File tab.

Choose Open and browse to the location of the corrupted file.

Instead of opening the file directly, click on the small dropdown arrow next to Open and select Open and Repair.

Choose between:

Repair: This option tries to repair the file.

Extract Data: If repair fails, you can extract the data from the corrupted file.

6. Use Previous Versions (Windows Backup)

If you’re using Windows, you may have the option to recover earlier versions of files using the Previous Versions feature. Here’s how to use it:

Right-click the File: Go to the folder where the file was stored before it was lost or corrupted.

Select Properties from the context menu.

Go to the Previous Versions tab.

Choose the version of the file that you want to restore and click Restore.

Note: This option only works if System Restore or File History was enabled previously.

7. Check Cloud Storage Services

If your Excel file was saved to cloud storage services like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, these services often maintain version history and allow you to restore previous versions of files.

OneDrive

Go to OneDrive: Open your OneDrive account in a browser.

Find the Excel File: Locate the file you want to recover.

Version History:

Right-click the file and select Version History.

Choose the version you want to restore.

Google Drive

Go to Google Drive: Open Google Drive in a browser.

Right-click the Excel File: Find the file and click on it.

Manage Versions: Click Manage Versions to access older versions.

Dropbox

Go to Dropbox: Open your Dropbox account.

Locate the File: Find the Excel file you want to recover.

Restore Previous Versions: Right-click on the file and select Version History to restore an earlier version.

8. Third-Party Recovery Software

Panda Assistant is a powerful data recovery software that can help recover lost Excel files, whether they were deleted accidentally, corrupted, or lost due to a system crash. With its user-friendly interface and advanced recovery algorithms, Panda Assistant can effectively restore Excel files, providing a reliable solution for both personal and professional users.

Comprehensive File Recovery: Panda Assistant can recover various file types, including Excel documents (.xls, .xlsx, .xlsm), even if they have been deleted, lost, or corrupted. Whether the file was accidentally deleted, the system crashed, or the Excel workbook was improperly saved, Panda Assistant scans your device to locate lost files.

Easy-to-Use Interface: The software is designed with ease of use in mind. Users don’t need to be tech-savvy to navigate the recovery process. Simply launch Panda Assistant, select the location where your Excel file was stored, and let the software scan for recoverable files.

Deep Scan Capability: If the lost Excel file doesn’t appear in the initial scan, Panda Assistant’s deep scan feature can search for files that are hidden or buried in the system, improving the chances of finding the lost Excel file.

File Preview Before Recovery: Panda Assistant allows you to preview the recovered files before you proceed with the full recovery process. This feature ensures that you only recover the exact files you need.

Supports Multiple Storage Devices: Panda Assistant supports a variety of storage media, including hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, and external drives, making it a versatile tool for file recovery.

Secure Recovery: Panda Assistant ensures that the recovery process is safe and does not overwrite or damage existing data on your device.

9. Professional Data Recovery Services

In extreme cases where the file cannot be recovered using software solutions, or if the file is highly valuable, you may need to resort to professional data recovery services. These services specialize in recovering lost data from damaged or corrupted storage devices.

The professionals at these services use advanced techniques to retrieve lost data, but they can be expensive. It’s best to use this option when other methods fail, or when the file is critical to your work.

10. Preventing Future Excel File Loss

Once you’ve successfully recovered your lost files, it’s important to take steps to prevent future data loss. Here are some tips:

Enable AutoSave and AutoRecover in Excel settings.

Save Your Work Frequently to avoid relying on AutoRecover.

Backup Your Files Regularly using cloud services, external drives, or automated backup tools.

Use Version Control with cloud services like OneDrive or Google Drive for file versioning.