To recover deleted Excel files, first check the Recycle Bin (right-click and Restore), then use Excel's built-in AutoRecover (File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks) for temporary files or unsaved versions, and if needed, look for temporary files (starting with ~) in the original folder or use File History/Backups, or consider specialized data recovery software for permanently deleted files.
To recover accidentally deleted files, first check the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) and restore them; if emptied, use built-in tools like Windows' File History or macOS's Time Machine, or try cloud backups (OneDrive, Google Drive). For permanently gone files, use specialized recovery software (like Recuva, EaseUS) and stop using the computer immediately to prevent overwriting the data.
3 Ways to Recover Deleted Excel Files Not in Recycle Bin
MikeyAtkins -The default location for the auto saved files is "C:\Users\Your Machine name(Mikey. Atkins something like this)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\. Please check this location. Also, you can check excel options and confirm if the auto saved location is not different from one which is pasted above.
Go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Workbooks in Excel, or Recover Unsaved Presentations in PowerPoint.
To recover a deleted Excel file, first check the Recycle Bin. If not found, use Excel's AutoRecover feature by opening Excel, going to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks. For files lost due to deletion, consider using file recovery software or restoring from backups.
Ctrl+H Displays the Find and Replace dialog box, with the Replace tab selected. Ctrl+I Applies or removes italic formatting. Ctrl+K Displays the Insert Hyperlink dialog box for new hyperlinks or the Edit Hyperlink dialog box for selected existing hyperlinks.
As an extra safeguard, you can set up AutoRecover in your app.
Click File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents in Word, Recover Unsaved Workbooks in Excel, or Recover Unsaved Presentations in PowerPoint. Click on the name of the file and click open. Save the file again by clicking “save as” and simply name the file again.
Searching for AutoRecover files
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, check the following folder locations for backup files: C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word. C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles.
If your recycle bin is empty or the deleted file is not there, you can still recover it using File History. For File History, right-click on the folder where the file was located, select "Restore previous versions," and choose a version to restore.
To restore files from your Recycle Bin in Windows, open the Recycle Bin, select the files or folders you want to recover, then right-click them and select Restore. The file or folder will be restored to its original folder.
A deleted file doesn't really disappear from your hard drive; it stays there until new data fills up the space it occupied. This process might be hard to understand for people who don't know much about how computers handle files.
Undo an action on your computer
If you're a Windows user, this keyboard shortcut would be Ctrl + Z, and if you're a Mac user, the shortcut is Command + Z. Performing these shortcuts will undo anything from accidentally deleting something from your downloads folder to erasing a word you may have typed incorrectly.
If you have a backup system set up on your computer (like Windows File History or Time Machine on Mac), you can restore the file from there. Some programs, like Microsoft Excel, have an auto-save feature. Open Excel and go to "File" > "Open" > "Recent" and look for a "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" option.
❗️ Note: Occasionally, Excel may save temporary files in the Temp folder of Windows, located at C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp, in addition to the early specified designated locations for such files.
When Microsoft Excel detects a corrupted workbook upon opening, it automatically starts File Recovery mode and attempts to repair the workbook. If File Recovery mode doesn't start, try using this manual process to recover your workbook: Click File > Open.
Try to see if the Auto-Recovery Feature is stored a copy of your file. Go to File > Open Recent > Recover Unsaved Workbooks. There could be a temporary copy of your file in a folder.
Open the file you want to view. Select File > Version History. Select a version to open it. If you want to restore the previous version you've opened, select Restore.
Some of the most commonly used function key shortcuts include: F1 to display help or the Office Assistant, F2 to edit the active cell, F3 to paste a name or function into a formula, and F4 to repeat the last action. F5 allows you to go to a cell or find data, F6 moves between panes, and F7 performs a spelling check.
Alternatively called Control+F11 and C-f11, Ctrl+F11 is a keyboard shortcut most commonly used to insert a macro sheet in Microsoft Excel.
CTRL+` Alternates between displaying cell values and displaying formulas in the worksheet. CTRL+' Copies a formula from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the Formula Bar. CTRL+1 Displays the Format Cells dialog box.