Top 7 Methods to Recover Your Deleted Excel Files

If you are like many people, you probably use Excel to create, edit, and manage spreadsheets, particularly when you're working with data in a business, educational, or personal setting. Due to its numerous features, Excel is a widely used tool for organizing, storing, analyzing, and reporting data. When you lose an important Excel file, it can be frustrating. Losing a document with financial records, project details, or personal journals can cause significant disruption to your workflow. But there are several safe and effective ways to recover Excel file contents. If you inadvertently deleted an Excel file or a file became corrupted, this blog will help you retrieve it quickly and easily.

Recover Excel File

Part 1. Best Way to Recover Deleted Excel Files

Losing an important Excel file can be a very overwhelming experience, whether it's due to accidental deletion, sudden system failure, or file corruption. If you're looking for a reliable and easy solution, Aiseesoft Data Recovery is one of the best tools available. It can restore lost Excel files on both Windows and Mac, and recover all common file types (including .xls and .xlsx), as well as over 1,000 additional file types. With advanced recovery algorithms and AI-powered repair features, it can also recover corrupted documents and handle more complex data recovery scenarios. Always keep in mind that once the package begins, your files remain fully private. If you deleted a file or want to know how to recover unsaved Excel file, this is a great option to help you recover your data quickly.

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Step 1.
After downloading, install our tool on your Mac or Windows computer. Once the main interface appears, you will see different file types and available hard drives.
Step 2.
Select the Document category to ensure the software prioritizes recovering Excel files. Select the hard disk where your Excel file was originally stored, then click “Scan” to begin.
Scan MAC
Step 3. A quick scan will automatically begin searching for recently deleted Excel files
Note: If the quick scan doesn't locate your file, switch to Deep Scan for a more thorough search.
Deep Scan MAC
Step 4.
Under the Type List, click “Document” to browse recovered Excel files. Use the “Search” or “Filter” feature to find your file by name, extension, or modified date.
Step 5.
Choose the Excel file(s) you want to restore, review the details, and click “Recover” to save them back to your computer.
Recover Deleted Excel Files On MAC

Part 2. Restore Deleted Excel Files via the AutoRecover Function

Excel has a built-in AutoRecover function that saves temporary versions of your workbook at set intervals. If you lose your file accidentally, if your system crashes, or if you forget to save your changes, you can use this tool to recover unsaved Excel file data quickly. It offers a simple and reliable way to restore work that wasn’t manually saved, making it a helpful option when unexpected issues occur.

Step 1.
Open Microsoft Excel and navigate to the “Open” tab on the left panel. At the bottom of the screen, click “Recover Unsaved Workbooks”.
Recover Unsaved Workbooks Excel Autorecover
Step 2.
A window will appear showing all available unsaved Excel files. Browse the list and select the file you want to restore.
Step 3.
Click the chosen file to open it in Excel. Then save it to a secure folder to avoid losing it again.
Step 4.
(Optional) Review your AutoRecover settings. Click on File, choose Options, and select “Save.” Ensure that the box labeled “Save AutoRecover information every X minutes” is toggled on. If you desire additional time between AutoRecover backups, you may also adjust the interval.
Set Excel Save Autorecover

Part 3. Retrieve Deleted Excel Files from the Recycle Bin

If you accidentally deleted an Excel file, the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) is the first place to look. These folders allow you to restore recently deleted files quickly without using any recovery tool.

Steps to Recover Excel Files from the Recycle Bin or Trash

Step 1.
On Windows, open the Recycle Bin. On a Mac, open the Trash. To locate the deleted Excel file by name or date, look through the list or use the search bar.
Step 2.
Right-click the file and choose “Restore” (Windows) or “Put Back” (Mac).
Step 3.
Go to the file’s original folder and open the restored Excel document. Review the content to ensure all data has been recovered correctly.
Restore Deleted Excel File From Recycle Bin

Part 4. Find an Excel File that Was Deleted from the Cloud

Your Excel files might have been automatically backed up and synced if you use cloud storage services like Google Drive or OneDrive. When a file is deleted from your device, there’s a good chance the cloud still stores a copy you can recover.

Step 1.
Log in to your OneDrive or Google Drive account using your browser or app. Then, navigate to the folder where the Excel file was originally stored.
Step 2.
Go directly to the search bar to find the deleted Excel file by name or file type. When you locate the file, select it and hit “Download”.
Step 3.
Save the recovered Excel file to a secure location on your computer.
Restore Deleted Excel File From Onedrive Backup

Part 5. Restore Deleted Excel Files from the Previous Versions

If you’ve enabled File History or System Restore on your Windows 11/10 PC, you can use the Previous Versions feature to restore an older copy of your deleted Excel file. This method is helpful when you are curious about how to recover an Excel file you deleted without using third-party tools.

Step 1.
Go to the folder where the deleted Excel file was originally saved and right-click the folder and choose “Properties”.
Step 2.
Open the “Previous Versions” tab to view available restore points. Select the version dated before the Excel file was deleted.
Step 3.
Click “Restore” to recover the folder version and retrieve your Excel file.
Restore Deleted Excel File From Previous Versions

Part 6. Recover Deleted Excel Files Using File History

If File History was turned on before your Excel file went missing, you can use it to bring back a previously saved copy of the document. This built-in Windows feature allows you to restore files from earlier backups with just a few clicks.

Step 1.
In the search results, select "Restore your files with File History" after pressing Windows + S and typing File History.
Step 2.
Look through the folders backed up by File History and open the folder where your Excel file was originally located.
Step 3.
Browse through the available versions to find the missing file. Select the file and preview it to ensure it’s the correct one.
Step 4.
Hit the “Restore” button to recover the file to its original folder.
Retrieve Deleted Excel Files Using File History

Part 7. Retrieve an Excel File I Deleted via Time Machine

Time Machine is macOS’s built-in backup tool, allowing you to restore files, apps, and system states from earlier versions. Retrieving a deleted file using Time Machine is as simple as long as regular backups are enabled.

Step 1.
Connect your Time Machine backup drive to your Mac. Open Finder and go to the folder where the Excel file was originally stored.
Step 2.
In the menu bar, click the "Time Machine" icon, then select "Enter Time Machine."
Step 3.
Use the timeline on the right to browse older backups until you reach the date before the deletion. After that, look through the folder to locate the deleted Excel file.
Step 4.
Select the file and click “Restore” to return it to its original location. If you want to save it somewhere else, drag the file to another folder before restoring.
Recover Excel File Using Time Machin

Part 8. FAQs on Recovering Excel File

How can I recover an Excel file I accidentally deleted?

You can quickly recover an accidentally deleted Excel file by following the seven methods above. For instance, you can first open the Recycle Bin or Trash from your computer and search for the deleted Excel file. If you find it, right-click it and choose to restore the Excel file. You can also check AutoRecover for recent documents. If the deleted Excel file was stored in OneDrive, Google Drive, or another cloud service, check its recycle bin, trash, or recently deleted section to restore it. Moreover, you can choose to recover previous versions of your Excel file. Select your preferred way to find the Excel file that was deleted by mistake.

What is the best recovery software for deleted Excel files?

Many data recovery tools claim to be able to handle various data loss cases and recover deleted Excel files with ease. You can select a reputable one and start with its free trial version. Test its recovery function to determine if it can locate your deleted documents. Select the best software based on your specific recovery needs, system, and budget. As mentioned above, some popular options include Aiseesoft Data Recovery, Disk Drill, Recuva, Stellar Data Recovery, PhotoRec, and R-Studio. They support the recovery of Excel files and other document types.

How do you retrieve an unsaved Excel file?

When you need to recover an unsaved Excel file, you can open Excel on your computer and go to Recent. If there is one version of the document saved, you may see it under the Recent section. Click the Excel file to access the Document Recovery option. Please select the right one and restore it. You can also go to the File menu in Excel, click Info, and then choose Manage Workbook or Manage Versions. Click the option to select Recover Unsaved Workbooks from the dropdown menu. A dialog box on your screen displays a list of unsaved Excel files. Pick the file you want to retrieve and click the Open button. This Excel file will be opened and recovered.

Why is my deleted Excel file not in the Recycle Bin or Trash?

If you can’t find your deleted Excel file in the Recycle Bin or Trash, it may have been permanently deleted or bypassed the place. Avoid using these keyboard shortcuts like Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Delete (Mac) to delete files on your computer. That will cause a permanent deletion. If the Recycle Bin or Trash was emptied, your deleted Excel file is no longer recoverable. In some cases, if a file exceeds the Recycle Bin or Trash storage limit, it may have been permanently deleted.

Conclusion

This guide shares seven effective methods to rescue your lost data. Under most circumstances, recovering deleted Excel files is often possible with the right tools and solutions. If you are also curious about how to recover unsaved Excel file, the methods above offer several reliable options. If all the above methods fail to recover deleted Excel files, you should consider consulting a professional data recovery service. When dealing with critically essential files, it’s best to turn directly to professionals.

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