Is it possible to delete all previous versions of a Microsoft Excel workbook? If so, how do you do it?

Question

Is it possible to delete all previous versions of a Microsoft Excel workbook? If so, how do you do it?

This way theoretically I could save space on my hard drive or cloud storage.

Answer 1

Dear

Thanks for posting in the Microsoft community.

I understand that you're looking for a way to delete all previous versions of a Microsoft Excel workbook to save space on your hard drive or cloud storage.

To better assist you, could you please clarify the following:

• Are the Excel workbooks stored on OneDrive, SharePoint, or your local machine?
• Are you using any specific backup or version history tools like Windows File History or File Recovery?
• Are you using Excel’s AutoSave or AutoRecover features?

In the meantime, here are some steps you can try to delete previous versions:

1. For OneDrive or SharePoint:
   • Go to the cloud storage where your file is stored.
   • Right-click on the file and select Version History.
   • Delete the versions you no longer need.
2. For local files (using Windows File History):
   • Right-click the Excel file in File Explorer and select Properties.
   • Go to the Previous Versions tab, and delete unwanted versions.
3. For Excel AutoRecover:
   • You can clear AutoRecover settings from File > Options > Save and adjust the AutoSave frequency.
   • AutoRecover files are typically cleared once the workbook is saved and closed properly.

If these methods don't address your issue, let me know, and we can explore additional solutions.

Best wishes,
Born-Blessed | Microsoft Community Support