How to restore earlier version of excel file​?

Restoring an earlier version of an Excel file is an essential skill for anyone who works with spreadsheets, whether for personal, academic, or professional purposes. Sometimes, mistakes are made, or important data is accidentally overwritten or deleted, and retrieving a previous version of the file can save hours of work. Fortunately, there are several methods to restore an earlier version of an Excel file. 

The Importance of Excel Version Control

Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used programs for data management, analysis, and visualization. However, working with Excel often involves frequent changes, edits, and modifications, which can sometimes lead to errors. When mistakes happen, or if a file becomes corrupted or deleted, it’s crucial to know how to restore an earlier version to avoid losing valuable data.

Historically, Excel did not have an automatic version control system. But with updates to Microsoft 365 and other cloud-based services, version history has become more accessible. Now, whether you’re working with Excel files stored locally on your computer or in the cloud, you have options for recovering older versions of your documents. This is especially helpful for collaborative work, where multiple users may have edited the same file. Excel can often track these changes and allow you to roll back to a prior version.

In this guide, we will explore several ways to restore an earlier version of an Excel file, including using Excel’s built-in “Version History” feature, leveraging File History and Windows Backup tools, and utilizing cloud storage services like OneDrive and Google Drive. We will also cover more advanced options, such as file recovery tools, when other methods fail.

1. Restoring Previous Versions Using Excel’s Version History

If you’re using Microsoft Excel as part of the Office 365 or Microsoft 365 suite and storing your file on OneDrive or SharePoint, Excel provides an excellent built-in version history feature. This feature allows you to view and restore previous versions of your file with ease.

Steps to Restore a Previous Version in Excel:

Open the Excel File: Start by opening the Excel file from which you wish to restore an earlier version. This can be done from Excel itself or directly from OneDrive or SharePoint (if your file is cloud-based).

Access Version History: In the Excel app (desktop version), click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the window.

Click on Info: From the File menu, select the Info option. This will open a screen showing details about your document.

View Version History: In the Info section, you will see a button called Version History. Click on it, and Excel will display a list of previous versions of your document.

Browse and Restore: The versions will be listed chronologically. You can click on any version to preview it. Once you find the version you want to restore, click Restore to replace your current version with the earlier one.

Save Changes: After restoring the previous version, make sure to save your file. The older version will be your active file now.

This method is seamless and very effective for users who save their files in the cloud, as OneDrive and SharePoint automatically keep versions of your files.

Benefits of Using Version History:

Automatic Saving: Excel saves versions automatically, so you don’t need to worry about manually creating backups.

No Need for Third-Party Software: The version history feature is built directly into Excel and works with OneDrive or SharePoint, so you don’t need any additional software.

Easy to Use: The process to restore a previous version is intuitive and requires only a few clicks.

Limitations:

Cloud-Based: Version History works only if the file is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. It will not work for files saved only locally on your device unless they are synced with a cloud service.

Limited Number of Versions: There may be a limit to the number of versions stored. While OneDrive offers a robust version history, older versions may eventually be deleted depending on the storage plan.

2. Restoring Previous Versions Using Windows File History

If you are not using OneDrive or SharePoint, you can rely on Windows’ built-in File History feature. This feature allows you to recover previous versions of files stored locally on your computer. File History is available on Windows 8 and later versions.

Steps to Restore a Previous Version Using File History:

Locate the Excel File: First, find the Excel file you want to restore in File Explorer.

Right-Click on the File: Right-click on the file and select Restore previous versions from the context menu.

Select a Version: A window will appear showing a list of previous versions of the file, including those saved by File History. You can click on any version to view it.

Restore the Version: Once you find the version you want to restore, select it and click Restore to recover the file. You can choose to restore the file to its original location or to a new location.

Verify the Restored File: After restoring, open the file to verify that it’s the version you wanted.

Benefits of Using File History:

Local Backup: File History is useful for files stored locally on your computer, not just those stored in the cloud.

Automatic Backups: If you’ve enabled File History, Windows automatically creates backups of files every hour (depending on settings).

Simple Process: The process of restoring previous versions is quick and easy.

Limitations:

Not Available on All Versions of Windows: File History is available only in Windows 8 and later versions. If you’re using an older version of Windows, this feature will not be available.

Requires Backup: File History needs to be enabled beforehand for it to work. If you haven’t set up this feature, you may not be able to restore older versions.

3. Restoring a Previous Version Using Backup Software

Another option for restoring a previous version of an Excel file is by using a backup solution like Windows Backup or third-party backup software. Regularly backing up your files ensures that you can recover important documents in case of accidental deletion or file corruption.

Steps to Restore a Previous Version Using Windows Backup:

Open Control Panel: Go to the Control Panel on your computer.

Select Backup and Restore: Find the Backup and Restore section and click on it.

Restore Files: Click on Restore my files to start the restoration process.

Search for the File: You can search for the Excel file you want to restore by typing its name in the search box. Once you find it, select it.

Choose a Backup Version: If multiple versions of the file are available, you can select the one you wish to restore.

Restore the File: After selecting the version you want, click Restore to recover the file.

Benefits of Using Backup Software:

Offline Backup: Backup software doesn’t rely on an internet connection or cloud service. It can work with files stored locally or on external drives.

Comprehensive Recovery: In case of major file loss or system failure, backup solutions can restore entire systems or just specific files.

Limitations:

Backup Frequency: The frequency of backups depends on how often you schedule them. If you haven’t backed up recently, you might not be able to retrieve the latest version of your file.

Complex Setup: Setting up and configuring backup software can be more involved than using the built-in version control features in Excel or Windows.

4. Using Cloud Storage Services (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox)

Cloud storage services such as OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox are increasingly popular due to their ability to sync files across devices and offer version control. If you have saved your Excel file on one of these services, you can easily restore previous versions using their built-in version history.

Steps to Restore a Previous Version Using OneDrive:

Log into OneDrive: Open OneDrive in your web browser and log into your account.

Find the Excel File: Navigate to the folder containing your Excel file.

Open File Options: Right-click on the file and select Version history.

Restore a Version: A list of previous versions will appear. Select the version you wish to restore and click Restore.

Benefits of Using Cloud Storage:

Automatic Sync: Files are automatically backed up and synchronized across devices, making it easy to recover data from different platforms.

Easy Access: You can restore previous versions from anywhere with internet access, as long as you have a cloud service account.

Limitations:

Storage Limits: Depending on your cloud storage plan, you may have a limit to the number of versions that are stored.

Dependence on Internet: Accessing version history and restoring files requires an internet connection.

5. Using Data Recovery Tools

In cases where previous versions of the file are not available through the methods mentioned above, or if the file has been deleted or corrupted, you may need to resort to data recovery software. Tools like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, and Wondershare Recoverit can scan your storage device for deleted or lost files and help you recover them.

Steps to Restore Using Data Recovery Software:

Download and Install Recovery Tool: Download and install a data recovery tool of your choice.

Scan for Deleted Files: Open the software and select the drive where the Excel file was stored. The software will scan the drive for recoverable files.

Select the File: After the scan completes, browse through the results to find your Excel file.

Restore the File: Once found, you can choose to restore the file to its original location or a different location for safety.

Benefits of Using Data Recovery Tools:

Works with Corrupted Files: Data recovery tools can often retrieve files from corrupted or damaged storage devices.

Effective for Deleted Files: These tools are designed to recover files that have been deleted, even if they’re not in the Recycle Bin.