Question

Recover unsaved Excel

Answer 1

Recover an Excel file overwritten with Excel Safe
Recover unsaved Excel files using OneDrive save
Recover an Excel file overwritten with Windows version history
Recover an unsaved Excel file
Autosave prevents data loss
Adjust file history
Select the folders you want to copy

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Recover unsaved Excel

When we lose a very elaborate Excel table because the program crashes or data is overwritten, many hours of work and valuable data can be at stake. Fortunately, in many cases, there is a possibility of recovering unsaved or overwritten Excel files , such as Word file recovery..

In this tutorial we show you what options you have to recover an unsaved Excel file step by step.

Index

1. Recover an Excel file overwritten with Excel Safe
2. Recover unsaved Excel files using OneDrive save
3. Recover an Excel file overwritten with Windows version history
   1. Adjust file history
   2. Select the folders you want to copy
4. Recover an unsaved Excel file
5. Autosave prevents data loss

Recover an Excel file overwritten with Excel Safe

In older versions of Excel, a backup was automatically created when saving a file. This backup served as protection against any inadvertent changes, since ultimately the last state of the file could always be recovered. In current versions of Excel this option still exists, but it is a bit hidden, since now you have to adjust in each file if you want a backup to be created or not. You can configure this setting as follows:

1. Click on the? File? and then in? Save as ?
2. In the next window, select? Browse? and the folder where you want to save the file.
3. In the? Save As? click? Tools ? and then in ? General options? .
4. In this dialog box, check the option ? Always create a backup copy? and confirm with? OK ?.

If the option? Create backup? is active, a backup is created when the corresponding Excel file is saved.

Now every time you save, a backup with the XLK extension will be automatically created..

To restore this backup you have two options : you can substitute the extension of the backup file for XLSX and open the file as usual. Or, if not, you can go to the Excel tab? File? and select? Open ?. Click the button? Browse? and navigate to the folder where the file is.

In the file selection dialog at the bottom right, select? Backups ? instead of? All Excel files ?. Now you can see all the backups in this folder and open them directly to save them again in Excel format ..

In the file formats to open a file, you can select? Backups ?.

advice

You can also get to the option? Open? using the key combination Excel [Ctrl] + [O].

Recover unsaved Excel files using OneDrive save

If you save your Excel files in OneDrive to share them with colleagues, work together, or access them from multiple computers, you already have an automatic copy of the latest version. OneDrive has a very simple version management that allows you to access the last saved states of all your files at any time. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the desired file in the OneDrive folder (in Windows Explorer).
2. In the context menu, select ? Version History? . There you can check the latest saved versions of the file.
3. Click on the three dots icon for the desired version. Now you can recover or download the Excel file with its original name or save it with another name to compare both versions.

Version history in OneDrive allows you to retrieve older states from an Excel file.

advice

With Microsoft 365 from IONOS, you have an affordable server solution for individuals and small businesses at your disposal, including 1 terabyte of OneDrive storage space.

Recover an Excel file overwritten with Windows version history

Windows 10's optional version history saves all files in your home directory at regular intervals (and in case of serious modifications) to an external drive. This option not only protects you against hard drive damage or viruses, but also from accidentally overwriting files. USB storage media or a network drive are required for saving.

If you have activated version history, you can recover an old Excel file as follows:

1. Select the file in Windows Explorer and on the ? Start? click on ? History? .
2. Then a window will open showing the last saved version of that file. You can navigate through the different versions using the arrow icons to the right and left of the bottom margin of the window. Thus, you will easily reach the desired state of your file.
3. By clicking the round arrow icon in the center, you can restore the file version. This action overwrites the current version of the file. If not, you can click the gear in the upper right corner and select ? Reset to? . Now you can select any directory to copy the file version.

advice

There is an easier way to access older versions of an Excel file : right-click on the file in Windows Explorer and select the option? Properties ? from the context menu. In the tab ? Previous versions? From the window you will be able to consult all the saved versions of the file. Now you can restore the file using the button? Restore? or save a copy in another folder.

Adjust file history

For the method described above to work, you must first adjust the file history in Windows:

1. Access the submenu? Backup ? from the configuration menu? Update and security ?.
2. Click? Add a unit ? and select the desired storage unit. If there is an external hard drive or network drive available that is suitable for file history, this drive is automatically suggested.
3. Activate the option? Do an automatic backup of my files? .
4. Once the option is selected, the file history is activated in the background.
5. Click? More options ? and then in? Make a backup now ? to immediately copy the existing data to the backup drive. Otherwise, the data will not be copied until you make the next change.

Select the folders you want to copy

The file history only saves files that cannot be recovered in the event of loss, but does not save programs or operating system files. Typical data folders are already automatically selected for saving in the user profile. Under? Backup Options? you can add more folders to the selection, for example, if you use project folders that are not in your user folder on your hard drive.

Recover an unsaved Excel file

If Excel crashes while you work or there are suddenly supply problems and you lose a file without saving it, don't worry, there are usually options to rescue a newly edited file. As a general rule, it can be recovered even if it has not been saved previously. Since all Microsoft Office programs have an automatic save option. If Excel stops working and crashes, the program offers the possibility of recovering the Excel file from autosave if it was not closed properly the last time.

After crashing, Excel tries to recover the files. In the start window you will find a button to view all the files.

Through the start window you can recover the Excel file as follows:

1. If you click? View recovered documents? a list appears with the last open files that have not been saved correctly and the time of the last save.
2. With just one click you can recover the desired file.
3. Once recovered, you should save the file as an Excel file again, as the automatic backup will be deleted the next time you close Excel properly.

Document recovery in Excel

You can also recover unsaved Excel files later:

1. Click on? File? in the menu ribbon and in the section? Information ?, select ? Manage book? .
2. In the option? Recover unsaved books? you can select unsaved excel files and recover them. Excel stores unsaved changes in the folder? C: \ User \\ AppData \ Local \ Microsoft \ Office \ UnsavedFiles ?. There you can also access the files.

Excel offers the ability to restore unsaved workbooks.

Autosave prevents data loss

Excel uses a data save function that saves intermediate changes at regular intervals. For that, however, you must have previously activated the function :

1. Access the tab? File? and select? Options ?.
2. Select the menu? Save? and check the option ? Save AutoRecover information every ...?
3. Set the desired interval in which you want Excel to save the data.
4. Activate the option? Keep the latest version automatically recovered when I close without saving ?. This will make it easier to recover the latest Excel file if the program quits unexpectedly.

The regular saving of? Self-healing information? makes it easier to recover Excel files.

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