Did you forget to save Excel files on a Windows PC and find the unsaved Excel file not in recovery? Follow the steps below to recover unsaved Excel files with simple clicks.

Workable Solutions Step-by-step Troubleshooting

Recover Unsaved Excels in Software

The tool can scan your hard drive for unsaved Excel data and recover them if possible...Full steps
Recover from TEMP Files If you lost the unsaved Excel file, you can find the temporary file and recover it...Full steps
Recover from AutoRecover The Microsoft Office AutoSave folder is your next best option in the Excel recovery folder...Full steps
Recover from Document Recovery Suppose you saved the Excel file earlier, but your latest changes were not saved...Full steps
Other Effective Solutions Recover overwritten excel files, and recover unsaved excel file Mac 2022...Full steps

Common Reasons: Unsaved Excel File Not in Recovery

Any business owner or manager knows that data is essential to the success of their enterprise. Without accurate, up-to-date information, making informed decisions about where to allocate resources or how to set prices would be difficult. Excel files are often used to store this vital data, as they offer a convenient way to organize and manipulate large amounts of information. However, excel data loss can occur for a variety of reasons.

01

Accidental Deletion:

One common cause is accidental deletion. This can happen if a user accidentally clicks the wrong button or deletes an Excel file without meaning to. But you can recover deleted Excel sheets if you have the right methods.

02

Unintentional Formatting:

Instead of manually deleting all files stored on a storage device, this error often happens all of a sudden and you can't open the Excel file. Formatted files can almost always be recovered, but you must begin the recovery process promptly.

 
03

Excel Corruption:

Another common cause is corruption. This can happen if a file is damaged or corrupted during storage or transfer. You can repair corrupted Excel files if they are not heavily damaged. When it comes to a heavily corrupted file, the backup is a better choice.

04

Excel Overwritten:

Finally, Excel data loss can occur if a file is overwritten or lost. Unlike the previous causes of Excel data loss, it is often impossible to recover overwritten Excel files. Especially if you're not willing to spend some money on data recovery services.

 

Whatever the cause, Excel data loss can have serious consequences. Not only can it lead to lost productivity, but it can also result in lost revenue and customers. That's why Excel Recovery is so important, and find unsaved excel file not in recovery if necessary.

How to Recover Excel File Not Saved on Windows 11/10/8/7

We've all been there - we're working on an important Excel file and accidentally close it without saving it. Or, worse yet, our computer crashes and we lose unsaved changes. Suddenly, all of our work seems like it's gone for good. But there is hope! In many cases, it is possible to recover Excel file disappeared. Luckily, you can try a few different methods to recover your Excel documents.

Let's take a look at those Excel recovery methods to see how they're done.

Method 1. Unsaved Excel File Not in Recovery? Try Third-Party Tool

An unsaved Excel file not in recovery can be frustrating, especially if you've spent a lot of time working on it. However, there is still hope - you may be able to recover XLSX/XLS files using the third-party data recovery software, which can scan your hard drive for unsaved Excel data and recover them if possible. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is one of the most popular data recovery programs available.

  • It offers a variety of features that make it a valuable tool for anyone who needs to recover lost data.
  • It supports a wide range of file types, making it possible to recover photos, videos, documents, and more.
  • With it, you can recover Excel recovery, undelete Excel files, and run Excel password recovery.
  • The software also includes a preview feature that allows you to view recovered files before saving them.

EaseUS data recovery software is an excellent choice for anyone who needs to recover lost or deleted Excel files. Read on to carry out Excel recovery with EaseUS file recovery software.

 Download for Win Recovery Rate 99.7%
 Download for Mac Trustpilot Rating 4.7

Step 1. Select location and click "Scan"

Choose the drive or a specific folder on Desktop or somewhere else where you lost the excel files, and click the "Scan" button.

select the location of the Excel files

Step 2. Locate your excel files

To quickly find the Excel files from the scan results, click the "Documents" option in the left panel. Choose "Excel", and click "Preview" to check if the Excel files are the wanted ones.

scan the lost excel files

Step 3. Recover Excel files

Finally, select the desired Excel files and click the "Recover" button. Then, select a folder to save the Excel files to another location.

recover Excel files

Method 2. Excel Recovery: Recover from TEMP Folder

Temporary files work as backups. If you find the unsaved Excel file not in recovery, you can recover the temporary file. You can recover Excel file not saved from your worksheet, but it might still exist on one of the disks. Only visit the correct path to the TEMP folders to view the missing Excel files.

You can go to the following path to find the Excel temp file location:

C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles

Or you can make it with the guides below.

Step 1. Open Excel, and click "File" > "Info" > "Manage Workbook". Click "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" from the drop-down menu.

Manage Workbook

Step 2. Select the unsaved file and click the "Open" button. Then, choose "Save As" on the pop-up window to recover it.

Select the unsaved file

Method 3. Excel Recover Unsaved File from AutoRecover

The Microsoft Office AutoSave folder is your next best option if the unsaved Excel file not in recovery. You should be able to find and open the unsaved file from this point on.

Step 1. Go to your Excel app, click "File" > "Open" > "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" at the bottom.

Recover Updated Excel Files - 1

Step 2. Find the unsaved Excel file you lost, and double-click on it to open it in Excel. Then, hit the "Save As" button to recover Excel file not saved.

Recover Updated Excel Files - 2

Step 3. Open Excel, and click "File" > "Options". In the left navigation pane, click "Save". Change the AutoRecover duration in "Save AutoRecover information every xx minutes" and click "OK".

Change the AutoRecover

You can also use a similar method to recover unsaved Excel file Mac 2022:

Recover Unsaved or Lost Excel File on Mac

3 Methods: Recover Unsaved or Lost Excel File on Mac

This article introduces two ways to help you recover lost unsaved Excel file document on Mac from the Temporary folder and AutoSave. Read more >>

Many Mac users have proved the efficacy of these fixes. If one of the methods is helpful in resolving the Excel file disappeared issue, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms!

 

Method 4. Recover from Document Recovery in Excel

Suppose you saved the Excel file earlier, but your latest changes were not saved because the Excel or the Microsoft system crashed or the power went off. In that case, you can find the unsaved Excel file not in recovery but exists in the Document Recovery feature.

The last Excel file that was automatically saved can be recovered if you saved it at least once before it vanished from your computer. To recover Excel file not saved running Windows 10 and other systems, follow the guide below.

Step 1. Open the Excel application, find "Recovered," and click "Show Recovered Files".

Recover Unsaved Excel from Previous Versions - 1

Step 2. The "Document Recovery" pane will display the unsaved files. Open and save the one you need.

Open and save the one you need

Method 5. How to Recover Overwritten Excel Files

Storing important files in the cloud can help prevent the unsaved Excel file not in recovery in case of a hardware failure or other catastrophe. OneDrive and DropBox are two popular cloud storage services that offer a convenient way to back up files and recover Excel file not saved.

How to Recover Overwritten Excel Files from OneDrive

When it comes to storing Excel files, OneDrive is a great option. It offers 2 GB of storage for free, and users can purchase additional storage if needed. It keeps track of prior versions of files, so users can restore an older version if necessary. To learn how to retrieve unsaved Excel data from OneDrive, follow these steps:

Step 1. Enter the OneDrive official page and sign in to your account.

Recover Overwritten Excel Files from OneDrive - 1

Step 2. Click on the folder you saved your file in (in our case, that's Documents).

Step 3. Find the Excel document you're looking for, and right-click it.

Step 4. Select "Version History". You can see all the previous versions of the file in the pane on the left.

Recover Overwritten Excel Files from OneDrive - 2

Step 5. Find the one you're looking for, and select "Restore" to overwrite the current version, or click "Download" to download a copy of that version.

Recover Overwritten Excel Files from OneDrive - 3

How to Recover Overwritten Excel Files from DropBox

DropBox also offers 2 GB of storage for free, but it caps file sizes at 100 MB. As a result, users with large Excel files may need to upgrade to a paid plan. DropBox also offers a convenient and reliable solution for users who need to recover Excel file not saved. To get the previous version of the Excel file from DropBox, follow the steps below.

Step 1. Log into DropBox.

Recover Overwritten Excel Files from DropBox - 1

Step 2. Click on the three dots for the file for which you want to see the previous versions.

Step 3. Click the" Version History" option.

Recover Overwritten Excel Files from DropBox - 2

Step 4. Open and download the Excel data from DropBox.

No doubt, Microsoft OneDrive, and DropBox are great tools for storing unsaved excel file not in recovery. You don't have to worry if you regularly back up your office files to these powerful cloud services.

Method 6. Restoring Previous Versions of the Excel from File History

If you accidentally delete or make changes to an Excel file that you later regret, you can use File History to restore a previous version of the Excel recovery. Make that you've enabled File History, and then restore Excel data with the steps.

Step 1. Navigate to your file in Windows Explorer.

Step 2. Right-click the file and select "Previous Versions".

Restoring Previous Versions of the Excel from File History

Another window will appear, and you'll see any previous versions that you can restore. If you haven't turned on File History and haven't created a restore point, you can't recover excel file not saved.

How to Recover Unsaved Excel Files on Mac 2022

When it comes to a Mac user, things could be a little different. There are a few different ways that you can go about recovering an unsaved Excel file on Mac.

The first thing to do is simply look for the file in the temporary folder. This folder should contain a list of all of the recently saved Office files.

  • Go to "Applications" > "Utilities" > "Terminal".
  • Type open $TMPDIR and press "Return" to open the Temporary files folder. Select the folder named "TemporaryItems".
  • Find the unsaved Excel file under "TemporaryItems" and restore.

Restore Unsaved Excel File from the Temporary Folder on Mac

Precautions to Avoid Excel Data Loss - AutoSave

As anyone who has ever lost an important Excel spreadsheet can attest, data loss is a serious issue. The consequences of losing valuable data can be severe, whether due to a power outage, system crash, or simply user error. This is why it is so important to enable Excel AutoSave.

Excel AutoSave automatically saves a copy of your workbook at regular intervals, ensuring that you will always have a backup in case of an unexpected event. To enable AutoSave, simply click the "File" tab and select "Options". In the Save category, check the box next to Save AutoRecover information every _ minutes.

turn on Excel AutoSave

You can also choose how often you would like Excel to save your workbook by changing the number of minutes in the text box. In addition to enabling AutoSave, you can take several other steps to avoid Unsaved excel file not in recovery issues.

1. Save your workbook regularly.

Even though Excel will save your workbook automatically, it's always a good idea to save manually as well. This way, you can be sure that your latest changes are always saved.

2. Back up your workbook.

In addition to saving the workbook regularly, it's also a good idea to back up your workbook periodically. This way, you'll have an extra copy of your data in case something happens to your original file.

3. Avoid working files without first creating a backup.

This way, if something does happen to the file, you will still have a copy to fall back on.

4. Save Excel files in multiple formats

Finally, it's always a good idea to save your files in multiple formats. If one Excel becomes corrupted or unreadable, you'll still have access to your data in another format.

Conclusion

Excel is a powerful tool for organizing and analyzing data but also susceptible to data loss. If you accidentally close an unsaved Excel file, or if your computer crashes while you're working on a file, you may be able to recover your work using Excel's AutoRecover feature. To maximize your chances of recovering unsaved Excel work, make sure that AutoRecover is turned on and you know where the recovery files are stored. You should be able to get your work back with a little luck.

 Download for Win Recovery Rate 99.7%
 Download for Mac Trustpilot Rating 4.7

Unsaved Excel File Not in Recovery FAQs

Here are 4 additional questions about the Excel recover unsaved file. Check here for the answers.

1.How to fix unsaved excel file not in recovery?

Follow the steps below to recover any Excel file that hasn't been saved yet.

  1. Open a new or an Excel workbook.
  2. Go to "File > Open".
  3. Click the "Recent" option on the top left.
  4. Click the "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" button at the bottom.
  5. Scroll through the list of unsaved Workbooks and open the one you want.

2. Why is auto recovery not working in Excel?

If the user neglects to turn on the feature, AutoRecover won't function. In these circumstances, Excel files are not automatically saved when the software is closed. Therefore, it is advisable to determine whether the checkboxes next to "Save AutoRecover information every minute" and "Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving" are ticked.

3. How to recover unsaved excel file 2007?

  • For Excel or PowerPoint, select "File" - "Info" - "Manage Document" - "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" or "Recover Unsaved Presentations".
  • Choose "Open" after selecting the file.
  • To save the file, choose "Save As" in the bar at the top of the document.

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Updated by Dany

Dany is an editor of EaseUS who lives and works in Chengdu, China. She focuses on writing articles about data recovery on Mac devices and PCs. She is devoted to improving her writing skills and enriching her professional knowledge. Dany also enjoys reading detective novels in her spare time.

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Written by Brithny

Brithny is a technology enthusiast, aiming to make readers' tech lives easy and enjoyable. She loves exploring new technologies and writing technical how-to tips. In her spare time, she loves sharing things about her favorite singer - Taylor Swift on her Facebook or Twitter.

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