The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt. How do I retrieve this file and data?

Question

The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt. How do I retrieve this file and data?

Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for posting on the forum today. I’m Bambi, a user like you and I’ll be happy to assist you.

I’m sorry to hear that your workbook is corrupted.

There are some possible ways to recover your file and data, depending on the extent of the corruption and the version of Excel you are using. Here are some suggestions:

1. Try using the Open and Repair utility in Excel. This is a built-in feature that attempts to repair the workbook and recover as much data as possible. To use it, follow these steps:

Click File > Open. In the Open dialog box, select the corrupted workbook that you want to open. Click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open and Repair. Choose Repair to recover as much of the workbook data as possible, or choose Extract Data to extract values and formulas from the workbook.

2. Try saving the workbook in SYLK (Symbolic Link) format. This is a format that can filter out the corrupted elements from the workbook. To use it, follow these steps:

Click File > Save As. In the Save as type list, click SYLK (Symbolic Link), and then click Save. Click OK when prompted to keep the workbook in this format. Close and reopen the workbook, and then click File > Save As. In the Save as type list, click Excel Workbook, and then click Save.

3. Try changing the calculation setting from Automatic to Manual. This may prevent the workbook from recalculating and causing errors. To use it, follow these steps:

Click File > New. Under New, click Blank workbook. Click File > Options. In the Formulas category, under Calculation options, pick Manual, and then click OK. Click File > Open. Locate and then double-click the corrupted workbook to open it.

4. Try using external references to link to the corrupted workbook. This may allow you to retrieve only the data and not the formulas or calculated values from the workbook. To use it, follow these steps:

Click File > Open. Go to the folder that contains the corrupted workbook. Right-click the file name of the corrupted workbook, click Copy, and then click Cancel. Click File > New. Under New, click Blank workbook. In cell A1 of the new workbook, type =File Name! A1, where File Name is the name of the corrupted workbook that you copied in step 3, and then press Enter. Select cell A1, and then drag the fill handle across the row or down the column to copy the formula to other cells.

5. Try using a third-party software solution to recover the workbook. There are some tools available online that claim to repair corrupted Excel files. However, I cannot guarantee their effectiveness or safety, so use them at your own risk. You can search for them on the web and choose one that works best for you.

I pulled steps 1-4 from this article https://support.microsoft.com/office/153a45f4-6cab-44b1-93ca-801ddcd4ea53

I hope this helps fix the issue. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.

Best Regards, Bambi