You’ve been working on an Excel project for several hours, but all your efforts are wasted because of one stop that shuts down your system. Everyone knows the fear that occurs when they mistakenly overwrite important tasks. But the good news is that not everything is lost! There are several ways to restore excel file not saved and you can do it in just a few steps.
There are two very common situations in which files are lost: either you are working with a new file that has never been saved before, or you cannot keep updates made to existing files. Most files can be retrieved in any way, but the best way to recover unsaved Excel files will vary depending on your target.
Recover new unsaved Excel files
To restore your new file without a saved update, please open Microsoft Excel first. Then click Open in the File tab on the tape bar at the bottom of the page after selecting Recent, click Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
You will be able to select files that have not been saved in an open window. That’s all it takes to recover new unsaved Excel files. The built-in auto-saving function of Excel and AutoRecover makes this method quite easy, so make sure it’s enabled.
Recover Excel files with unsaved changes
If you are making changes to Excel files and have not had the chance to save them before having to close the program, you will have to have another way to recover unsaved Excel files.
When everything works properly again, open Excel. All unsaved Excel files should be displayed in the document recovery window, which will appear when Excel is closed incorrectly. All you have to do is select the file you want to recover!
Please remember that just like the last method, this method only works when automatic saving is enabled.
Recover Excel file to previous version
Sometimes the function does not respond and the temporary closure of the application is not responsible for the loss of important files. Everyone almost mistakes writing the worksheet with an update only to realize later that they really need the original file.
So all you need is to get your previous file back. Here’s how to do it!
- First go to the File tab, then select Info and manage the workbook. That’s where you’ll find the previous version of your workbook.
- To return the value you want. Just select from the item!
- After clicking on the previously saved version, Excel will ask you to open it with the Restore option. You will have the option to save the file under a new name, which is recommended – in this way you do not need to worry about future rewrite.
Use Third-party Freeware to Recover Unsaved Excel Files
WinfrGUI, a free Windows freeware, can also recover unsaved Excel files. With its simple interface and strong functionality, WinfrGUI can help you recover lost or unsaved data.
Download and install WinfrGUI for Excel file recovery on Windows. Launch the application after installation and follow the simple instructions to scan for missing or unsaved Excel files. Advanced algorithms in WinfrGUI find and recover files mistakenly deleted, rewritten, or lost due to system problems.
WinfrGUI can help you restore unsaved Excel files and reduce data loss. WinfrGUI protects your Excel projects and ensures your hard work is never lost with its complete capabilities and ease of use.
How to prevent file loss in Excel by enabling automatic saving and updates
As you can see now Excel does most of the work when it comes to recovering lost files – you just need to know how to find them.
That’s because Excel uses AutoSave and AutoRecover to protect your work automatically. Both functions are enabled by default, but only in case they’re disabled for you, here’s how to get them to work again:
- After opening Excel, select files and options.
- When you open the Options dialog, select Save in the left bar.
- Make sure that the “Automatic Recovery Saves” box and “Save the latest version of AutoRecovered if I close without saving records” both boxes are checked.
- You will notice that “AutoRecover Saves” has the option of changing the number of minutes. Do not hesitate to change the interval between auto-saves if you want!
- By enabling the features below as well, you can restore versions of your workbook that were not saved before Excel was closed.
Please note that in some versions of Excel (e.g. Excel for Mac), you will see a button that says save automatically in the top left corner of the Excel window. If it closes, click off to open it again. And automatic saving will be enabled:
Create a peaceful backup
Automatic backup is a feature that creates a copy of a file every time you save it and is one of the best ways to keep your information secure.
By enabling automatic backup, you will receive a saved version of your latest workbook even if your system fails. Unlike AutoSave and AutoRecover, you can allow automated backups for the desired workbooks.
Click the file on the bar, select Save as, then select the tool in the lower right corner, and click General Options.
Alternatively, you can select a file and then select Options from the menu, then select Save where you will see the AutoRecover option under the workbook log.
You will always see a dialog with the option to create a backup. Click OK and save it to your selected folder. And you will have an automatic backup for your workbook!
The backup file has an extension.XLK pop windows may appear when you go backup again, but you can just select “Yes” and the file will open. Furthermore, your backup will be a “later” version of your current version, so keep it in mind while updating.
Use a cloud service to back up missing jobs
In the old days, before cloud storage became popular, many people saved their worksheets to USB drives or other types of external storage devices. While you can still do so, it’s not enough to protect your work – especially since the USB drive itself can easily be lost.
Saving your workbook (or important information) to a cloud service such as OneDrive or Google Drive is the safest way to keep everything safe. By this way, you will know that your work gets backed up automatically as you go.
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