recover file

Question

how to recover excel file i accidentally did not save

Answer 1

Dear @Sriram, Sam,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you want to recover an Excel file that you did not save.

Regarding this situation, I have tested on my end and therefore, kindly try the following steps to find and recover your file:

• Open a blank Excel document and look on the left in the Document Recovery pane and choose the version/file that you need to recover
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  • 
• Open File and select Info > choose Manage Workbook, then select Recover Unsaved Workbooks
• In the window that appears, select the file you were working on and choose Open
• As soon as the file opens, select Save As and save it to a secure location
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• In Excel, open File, then select Options > go to the Save section and ensure Save AutoRecover information every n minutes is enabled and adjust the interval if needed
• Note the AutoRecover file location shown there so you know where to find recovered Excel files
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I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going! 

Thank you for your time and patience.

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Answer 2

Follow these steps in Excel on Windows to try to recover an unsaved workbook:

1. Open Excel.
2. Go to File > Info.
3. Select Manage Workbook.
4. Click Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
5. In the dialog that opens, select the file you were working on and choose Open.
6. When it opens, immediately select Save As and save it to a safe location.

If the file had been saved at least once before and Excel closed unexpectedly, you may also see it in the Document Recovery pane the next time Excel starts. In that case:

1. In the Document Recovery pane, select the version you want.
2. Click Open to review it.
3. Use Save As to save it permanently.

To reduce the risk of future data loss, ensure AutoRecover is enabled and configured:

1. In Excel, click File > Options.
2. Go to the Save category.
3. Make sure Save AutoRecover information every n minutes is checked and adjust the interval.
4. Confirm the AutoRecover file location is set.
5. Ensure Disable AutoRecover for this workbook only is unchecked.

If the file was never saved and does not appear under Recover Unsaved Workbooks or in Document Recovery, there is no additional built-in recovery option.

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References:

• Recover an earlier version of an Office file
• Recover your Microsoft 365 files
• Help protect your files in case of a crash
• Save, back up, and recover a file in Microsoft Office
• Repair a corrupted workbook
• Privacy supplement for Excel
• Video: Recover Office files