It is said that there are only two types of people in the world: those who have never lost Excel data and those who read this article to learn how to recover Excel file.
We will show you how to recover Excel file in different scenarios—from unsaved workbooks to corrupted files, with step-by-step instructions for every situation.
Recover Excel File from AutoRecover
One of the easiest ways to recover an Excel file is to use the AutoRecover feature, which automatically saves a backup copy of your workbook at regular intervals. This is your first line of defense when Excel closes unexpectedly or you forget to save.
Method 1: Use “Recover Unsaved Workbooks” (Fastest)
This is the quickest way—Excel keeps a list of recently unsaved files that you can access directly from within the application.
- Open Microsoft Excel
- Click on File > Open
- At the bottom of the Open dialog, you’ll see “Recover Unsaved Workbooks”
- A directory will open showing unsaved files. Look for your file by name or modification date
- Click on the file and select Open to preview it
- Once you confirm it’s the right file, click Save As and save it to a permanent location (choose .xlsx format)
Tip: These unsaved files are only kept for a limited time. Recover them as soon as you notice they’re missing.
Method 2: Find AutoRecover Files Manually (For Advanced Users)
If Method 1 doesn’t work, your AutoRecover files are stored in a hidden folder on your computer. Knowing the exact path helps if Excel’s recovery tool fails.
Windows 10/11 Users:
Your AutoRecover folder is typically at:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel
Step-by-step:
- Open File Explorer
- In the address bar at the top, paste:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Excel - Press Enter – this takes you directly to your AutoRecover folder
- Look for files with your workbook’s name (they may have odd extensions or timestamps)
- Right-click any file and open it with Excel
- If it opens, immediately save it as .xlsx in a safe location
Alternative path if the above doesn’t work:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
Windows 7/8 Users:
The path is slightly different:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
Follow the same steps as Windows 10/11 above.
Mac Users:
Mac stores AutoRecover files in:
~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Office User Settings/AutoRecovery
Or try:
~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/
To access it:
- Open Finder
- Press Cmd + Shift + G (Go to Folder)
- Paste the path above
- Press Enter
- Look for your unsaved files
Method 3: Check Temporary Files and Backup Copies
Excel creates temporary backup files (often starting with ~$ or .tmp) in the same folder where you were working. These files may contain your recent work.
Where to look:
- Same folder as your original file (check for files like
~$yourfile.xlsx) - Windows temp folder:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Temp - Mac temp folder:
/var/folders/
If you find a file with ~$ prefix, make a copy, rename it to remove the ~$, and try opening it in Excel.
Method 4: Enable and Adjust AutoRecover (For Future Protection)
To prevent losing data in the future, configure AutoRecover to save more frequently.
- Open Excel
- Click File > Options > Save
- Check the box: “Save AutoRecover information every [X] minutes” (set to 1-2 minutes for maximum protection)
- Check the box: “Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving”
- Note the AutoRecover file location (this is where your backups are stored)
- Click OK
Important: Excel keeps AutoRecover files for approximately four days by default. After that, they’re automatically deleted. Don’t wait too long to recover your files.
Recover an Overwritten Excel File
You accidentally saved over your file with new data, and now you’ve lost the original version. There’s still hope—Excel and cloud services keep version history.
If You Use OneDrive or Microsoft 365:
OneDrive and Microsoft 365 automatically save multiple versions of your files. This is one of the best protection methods.
- Go to onedrive.live.com and sign in with your Microsoft account
- Navigate to the folder containing your Excel file
- Right-click on the file
- Select Version History (you’ll see a list of previous versions with dates and times)
- Choose the version you want to recover (usually the most recent one before the accidental overwrite)
- Click Restore to replace the current version with the selected older version
Alternative method:
- Open the file in Excel
- Click File > Info > Version History
- This shows versions saved in Office 365 (if your file is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint)
If You Don’t Use OneDrive (Local Files Only):
Windows and macOS can restore previous file versions using the built-in version history feature.
Windows 10/11:
- Locate your Excel file in File Explorer
- Right-click on the file
- Select Restore Previous Versions (if this option doesn’t appear, the feature may not be enabled)
- A window opens showing older versions of the file with dates
- Select the version you want to recover
- Click Restore and choose a save location
Note: This feature only works if File History is enabled on your computer. To check:
- Go to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Backup options
- Make sure File History is toggled ON
Mac Users:
macOS has Time Machine backup, which works similarly:
- Open Finder and navigate to the folder containing your file
- Click Finder > Settings > Tabs
- Look for an option to enter Time Machine
- Browse through backup versions and restore the one you need
If No Version History Exists:
If neither OneDrive nor system backups are available, your original file may be lost. However, try these steps:
- Check your Recycle Bin (or Trash on Mac) – the old file might still be there
- Search your entire hard drive for Excel files with similar names created around the time you want to recover
- Use File Explorer’s search feature: Search for
*.xlsxor*.xlsmodified in a specific date range
Repair a Corrupted Excel File
A corrupted Excel file won’t open, shows error messages, or crashes when you try to use it. These methods can often repair it.
Method 1: Use Excel’s Built-in “Open and Repair” Tool
This is Excel’s most reliable native repair method for corrupted files. It works surprisingly well for moderately to severely damaged files.
Steps:
- Open Excel (but don’t open the corrupted file yet)
- Click File > Open
- Navigate to your corrupted Excel file, but don’t double-click it
- Instead, look for a small arrow icon next to the Open button (bottom right of the dialog)
- Click the arrow and select Open and Repair
- A dialog appears with two choices:
- Repair – Attempts to recover your data, formulas, and formatting
- Extract Data – Recovers only values and formulas (formatting may be lost)
- Choose Repair first. If it fails, try again and choose Extract Data
What to expect:
- Excel attempts to fix the file’s internal structure
- If successful, you’ll see your data with most/all formatting intact
- If only partially successful, you’ll get a message showing what could and couldn’t be recovered
Method 2: Save As Different File Format
Sometimes switching file formats and back can fix minor corruption.
- Open the corrupted file in Excel (even if it shows errors)
- Click File > Save As
- In the “Save as type” dropdown, choose Excel 97-2003 Workbook (.xls) instead of .xlsx
- Give it a new filename (e.g., “myfile_recovered.xls”)
- Click Save and close Excel completely
- Reopen Excel and open the newly saved .xls file
- Click File > Save As again, this time saving it as Excel Workbook (.xlsx)
This process can sometimes clear out minor corruption that prevents opening.
Method 3: Use External References to Extract Data
If the file won’t open normally, you can pull data from it into a new workbook using formulas.
- Create a new Excel workbook
- Click in cell A1
- Enter this formula:
='[CorruptedFile.xlsx]Sheet1'!A1(replace “CorruptedFile.xlsx” and “Sheet1” with your actual filenames) - Press Enter
- If Excel reads the corrupted file, the data will appear in cell A1
- Copy this formula down and across to extract all your data
- Repeat for other sheets if needed
This method often recovers usable data even when the original file won’t open normally.
Method 4: Look for Temporary Backup Files
Excel automatically creates temporary backup files that may not be corrupted.
- In the same folder as your corrupted file, look for files starting with ~$ (tilde + dollar sign)
- Example: if your file is “myfile.xlsx”, look for “~$myfile.xlsx”
- Make a copy of this file
- Rename it by removing the ~$ prefix (so it becomes “myfile.xlsx”)
- Try opening it in Excel
Note: These temporary files are created while Excel is open and deleted when you close normally. They may contain your recent work if the file corrupted during editing.
Method 5: Use Third-Party Excel Repair Software
If Excel’s built-in tools fail, professional recovery software can often help. These tools use advanced algorithms to reconstruct corrupted files.
Top Excel Repair Tools (2025):
| Tool | Recovery Rate | Ease of Use | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DataNumen Excel Repair | Very High | Very Easy | Premium | Best overall recovery rate |
| Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair | High | Easy | Premium | Enterprise use |
| Kernel for Excel | High | Easy | Premium | Batch recovery of multiple files |
| Recovery Toolbox for Excel | Moderate | Easy | Affordable | Budget-conscious users |
| EaseUS Fixo Document Repair | Moderate | Very Easy | Premium | User-friendly interface |
| Softaken Excel Repair | Moderate | Medium | Affordable | Preview before recovery |
How to use third-party tools:
- Download and install the recovery software
- Launch the tool and select your corrupted Excel file
- Most tools show a preview of recoverable data before you commit
- Click “Repair” or “Recover” and choose a save location
- Open the recovered file in Excel
Prevention: How to Stop Losing Excel Files
The best recovery is no recovery needed. Here’s how to protect your work:
Enable AutoRecover (covered above – set to save every 1-2 minutes)
Use OneDrive or Cloud Storage:
- Store Excel files in OneDrive, Google Drive, or SharePoint
- Cloud services auto-save and maintain version history
- Access files from any device
Enable Windows File History (Windows users):
- Settings > System > Storage > Backup options
- Toggle ON “File History”
- Files are automatically backed up to an external drive
Enable Time Machine (Mac users):
- System Settings > General > Time Machine
- Connect an external drive for automatic backups
- Restore previous versions anytime
Save Manually:
- Press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac) frequently
- Use File > Save As to create numbered versions (myfile_v1.xlsx, myfile_v2.xlsx)
- Never rely on AutoSave alone for critical work
Keep Backups:
- Regularly copy important Excel files to an external hard drive or USB
- Cloud backup services (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) provide automatic protection
What to Do If Nothing Works
If all recovery methods fail, you may have experienced permanent data loss. At this point:
- Contact Microsoft Support – they have advanced tools for severe corruption
- Hire a professional data recovery service – they can recover data from damaged hard drives (expensive but effective)
- Accept the loss and rebuild – if the file contains non-critical data, sometimes starting fresh is fastest
However, this situation is rare if you follow the prevention tips above.
Summary
Excel provides multiple ways to recover lost or corrupted files, depending on your situation:
- Unsaved files: Use AutoRecover or “Recover Unsaved Workbooks”
- Overwritten files: Check Version History in OneDrive or restore previous Windows file versions
- Corrupted files: Try “Open and Repair,” format conversion, or third-party recovery software
The key is acting quickly—AutoRecover files are deleted after 4 days, and some recovery methods have time limits. Enable AutoRecover now, use cloud storage, and maintain regular backups to avoid losing critical Excel data in the future.
