How do I retrieve lost data?

Question

Hello! I've lost some data on excel and wondering how to recover. My laptop updated and restarted during work and it seems some of the data didn't autosave. I can't load the version history to retrieve an older version. It should have been saved to the computer and the cloud. Any advice is appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi @K

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum 

I'm sorry to hear about your data loss. That can be incredibly frustrating. Since your Excel file was saved both locally on your computer and to the cloud, I suggest something that you can try: 

1.Check Excel’s AutoRecover for Unsaved Changes 

-Open Excel. 

-Go to File > Open > Recent. 

-Scroll to the bottom and click Recover Unsaved Workbooks (this may appear under Open or Info depending on your version). 

-Look for your file in the list of unsaved workbooks 

2.Search for Temporary Files 

On Windows: 

-Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles 

-Replace [YourUsername] with your computer’s username. 

-Look for files with a .tmp extension or names like ~Excel[RandomNumbers].tmp. 

-Copy any relevant files to a safe location (e.g., Desktop). 

-Open the file in Excel (right-click > Open With > Excel) and save it as a .xlsx or .xls file using File > Save As. 

On Mac: 

-Open Finder and go to: ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery 

-(Type this path into the Go to Folder dialog by pressing Cmd + Shift + G). 

-Look for temporary files, open them in Excel, and save them immediately. 

3.Check Cloud Storage (OneDrive, SharePoint...) 

-Log into your OneDrive account  or SharePoint via your browser. 

-Locate the Excel file in the appropriate folder. 

-Right-click the file and select Version History (or click the three dots next to the file and choose Version History). 

-A panel should display previous versions with dates and times. Select an older version, preview it if possible, and choose Restore to revert to that version or Download to save a copy. 

 

4.If the Version History Not Loading:  

-Ensure you’re signed into the correct Microsoft account associated with the file. 

-Try a different browser or clear your browser’s cache to resolve loading issues. 

-If the file is on SharePoint, check with your organization’s admin, as they may have restricted version history access. 

 

5.Check Windows File History (For Locally Saved Files) 

If the file was saved locally and you have Windows File History enabled, you can try recover a previous version 

-Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where the file was saved  

-Right-click the file and select Properties. 

-Go to the Previous Versions tab. 

-If versions are available, select the one you want and click Restore to revert to that version or Copy to save it elsewhere. 

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