Recoverit helps recover recoverable Excel workbooks deleted, lost, Shift-deleted,
emptied from Recycle Bin or Trash, or lost from formatted and inaccessible storage. It scans the original drive,
USB device, external disk, NAS path, or partition when the storage is still detectable and the file data has not been overwritten.
99.5% recovery rate
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21 years of excellence
99.5%
recovery rate
5min
average scan time
21 years
data recovery experience
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security
Visual Excel Recovery Roadmap
Choose the Right Excel File Recovery Method
The best Excel recovery method depends on how the file was lost. Use Excel and backup features for unsaved or
overwritten workbooks, and use Recoverit when the file was deleted, lost from storage, or removed from the Recycle Bin/Trash.
Deleted Scenarios
Unsaved Excel
Excel File Integrity Issues
Cloud & Versioning
If the workbook was deleted normally, check Recycle Bin or Trash first. If it was Shift-deleted, emptied from the bin, or deleted from a USB/external drive,
scan the original storage with Recoverit before saving new files there.
If Excel closed unexpectedly, check the Document Recovery pane, Manage Workbook, AutoRecover folders, and temporary files first. If those files are missing, storage-level recovery may help only when recoverable traces remain.
If the workbook exists but cannot open, try Excel's Open and Repair first. If the file is missing or was deleted, recover the Excel file first, then repair a copied file if needed.
If you saved over a workbook, check OneDrive, SharePoint, File History, or Previous Versions. Overwritten local sectors usually cannot be restored by recovery software once replaced by new data.
General Methods to Recover Excel Files
Built-In Ways to Recover Unsaved, Deleted, or Overwritten Excel Files
Try built-in Microsoft and backup options first when they match your scenario.
If the Excel file is deleted from storage or no backup/version exists, scan the original drive with Recoverit.
Recovering deleted Excel files from the Recycle Bin is a simple process if the files were only recently deleted and have not been permanently removed.
If you have the habit of data backup, congratulations, you can quickly recover your lost or deleted Excel files by restoring Excel backup. For the majority of Windows 10/11 system users, restoring files through File History backup is a great option.
After a crash or power outage, Excel may show the Document Recovery pane. Open the most recent recovered workbook, verify the content, then save it under a new file name.
Use File > Info > Manage Workbook to check unsaved versions. AutoRecover works only when Excel created and retained a temporary copy before the crash or close event.
If File History is enabled on your Windows for Excel file backups, follow these steps to effortlessly recover a previously saved version of Excel file.
If the workbook was stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, use Version History to restore a previous version. This is usually the best option for overwritten cloud-synced workbooks.
Step-by-Step Guide
Use Recoverit to Recover Deleted or Lost Excel Files
Recoverit scans the original storage for recoverable Excel files, including deleted XLS/XLSX workbooks, Shift-deleted files, emptied-bin cases, formatted drives, lost partitions, and inaccessible storage. For unsaved Excel workbooks, check AutoRecover and temporary files first.
Excel Recovery Methods Compared
Different Excel recovery methods solve different problems. Use the table to choose the safest first step before scanning the original storage.
| Scenario / Method |
|
Method 1 Recycle Bin |
Method 2 File History |
Method 3 AutoRecover Pane |
Method 4 Manage Workbooks |
Method 5 Previous Versions |
Method 6 OneDrive History |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Deletion |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
| Shift+Delete |
(Deep Scan)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Formatted Drive Recovery |
(Sector-level)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Unsaved/Crashed Excel Files |
(Temp Extraction)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overwritten History |
(Three-step)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| External Media (USB/SD) Data Recovery |
(Full Devices Support)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Success Rate / Scope |
Highest
(All-in-one)
|
Very Low | Medium | Medium (Crash only) |
Medium (Temp only) |
Medium | High (Cloud only) |
Recovery availability depends on backup settings, AutoRecover status, overwrite activity, storage condition, and whether Excel or the operating system retained recoverable file data.
What Kind of Devices and Loss Scenarios Do We Support
Recover Excel Files from Computers, USB Drives,
External Drives, and NAS Storage
Recoverit scans readable storage where Excel files were saved, including computer drives, USB flash drives, external HDDs/SSDs,
memory cards, NAS/shared storage when supported, and lost or formatted partitions.
Advice on Excel Recovery
How to Reduce Excel File Loss in the Future
Few people know that you can set up automatic backup when saving Excel files. When necessary, you can easily restore lost Excel files through the backup content.
1. Save or Save As an Excel file to open the Save dialog box.
2. Click on the Tools button next to the Save button.
3. Choose the General Options on the tools list and then a small window will appear with some more options.
4. Click OK on the Always Create Backup option to enable AuotBackup.
·AutoRecover automatically saves a temporary copy of your Excel file at regular intervals. Make sure you have AutoRecover enabled. To enable it, go to File > Options > Save, and make sure Save AutoRecover information every X minutes is checked.
·Adjust the time interval as needed. We suggest a minimum value (1 minute) for optimal protection, but be aware of potential performance impacts on your computer.
·To enable AutoSave, click the AutoSave toggle in the top-left corner of the Excel window while working on a file stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.
To ensure your Excel documents remain safe, there are several effective ways:
· External Storage: The simplest method is copying Excel files to a USB flash drive or SSD.
· Disk Partitioning: Creating a separate partition on your hard drive allows you to format the OS partition while keeping data on the other intact.
· Cloud Services: Platforms like OneDrive (offering 5GB free) sync your files online for access anywhere.
· Automated Systems: Mac users can rely on Time Machine, while businesses often use NAS (Network-attached Storage) for shared network backups.
Why Users Choose Recoverit
to Recover Excel Files
A 100G 4K file was unable to open and things looked dicey. That is what photographers can't stand.
My lost CSV sheet recovered! It truly save my day!
Inadvertently reformatted my SD card and lost an entire event of photos/videos.
My SD card had been accidentally formatted, over 1,000 precious photos were lost.
A 100G 4K file was unable to open and things looked dicey. That is what photographers can't stand.
My lost CSV sheet recovered! It truly save my day!
Inadvertently reformatted my SD card and lost an entire event of photos/videos.
My SD card had been accidentally formatted, over 1,000 precious photos were lost.
When I connected my 360 camera to my computer, the file appeared to be corrupted and wouldn't open.
I’d restored 42GB of files to a secondary SSD.
Nearly lost two essential scenes for my graduation project, using Recoverit saving me from the hassle of reshooting.
I mistakenly added a wrong folder name and lost 30GB footage videos.
When I connected my 360 camera to my computer, the file appeared to be corrupted and wouldn't open.
I’d restored 42GB of files to a secondary SSD.
Nearly lost two essential scenes for my graduation project, using Recoverit saving me from the hassle of reshooting.
I mistakenly added a wrong folder name and lost 30GB footage videos.
Tips and Video Tutorials about Recovering Excel Files
See What Our Users Ask Frequently
Are temporary Excel files deleted automatically?
Where does Excel store AutoRecover files on Windows 10/11?
What should I do when Excel says my file is corrupted or cannot be opened?
Can I recover a corrupted Excel file without software?
Does Excel have a "Trash" or "Recycle Bin" inside the application?
