How do I find Excel files that disappeared after the latest update?

Alice K 45 Reputation points
2025-12-16T15:40:36.37+00:00

How do I find Excel files that disappeared after the latest update?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
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Answer accepted by question author
John Oliver 11,675 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-12-16T16:19:59.3+00:00

Hello Alice K, thanks for posting this in our community.

Start by opening Excel and checking the Recent section under File > Open. If the files appear there, you can open and re-save them to a known location.

If you don’t see them, try searching your PC. Press Win + S, type *.xlsx or *.xls and hit Enter. This will display all Excel files on your system. You can narrow the search by adding keywords from the file name if you remember them.

Next, verify your default save location. Updates sometimes reset default paths. In Excel, go to File > Options > Save and check the Default local file location and AutoRecover file location. Look in those folders for your files.

If you use OneDrive or SharePoint, your files may have synced there. Open your OneDrive folder or log in to OneDrive online, and don’t forget to check the Recycle Bin in OneDrive as well.

Finally, try recovering unsaved workbooks. In Excel, go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks. This option works if the files were open during the update and not saved properly.

Kind regards,

John Oli

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AI answer

2025-12-16T15:40:49.4166667+00:00

If Excel files have disappeared after a recent update, there are several steps you can take to try to locate them:

  1. Check Recent Documents: Open Excel and check the "Recent" section to see if the files are listed there.
  2. Search for Temporary Files: Sometimes, Excel creates temporary files. You can search for files with the extension .xls or .xlsx in your file explorer.
  3. Look in the Recycle Bin: It's possible that the files were accidentally deleted. Check the Recycle Bin to see if they are there.
  4. Check OneDrive or SharePoint: If you are using OneDrive or SharePoint, check those locations as your files may have been saved there instead.
  5. Restore Previous Versions: If you have File History or another backup solution enabled, you might be able to restore previous versions of your files.
  6. Check for Hidden Files: Sometimes files can be hidden. Ensure that your file explorer is set to show hidden files.
  7. Contact Support: If you still cannot find your files, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for assistance.

These steps should help you locate your missing Excel files after the update.

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