Losing an unsaved Excel document can be incredibly frustrating, especially if hours of work suddenly vanish due to a power outage, a system crash, or simply closing the file without saving. Fortunately, Microsoft Excel includes several built-in features designed to help users recover unsaved files and minimize data loss.
How Excel AutoSave and AutoRecover Work
Excel features two main functionalities that aid in document recovery: AutoSave and AutoRecover. These features are designed to safeguard your work by periodically saving a copy of your workbook in the background.
AutoSave
AutoSave is available for Microsoft 365 subscribers and works in real-time for files stored on OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint Online. If you are working on an Excel file saved in any of these cloud locations, AutoSave saves your changes automatically every few seconds.
AutoRecover
AutoRecover is available for all Excel users, even those without a Microsoft 365 subscription. When enabled, AutoRecover saves a temporary backup of your Excel files at regular intervals, typically every 10 minutes. If Excel closes unexpectedly, you will be prompted to recover unsaved files the next time you open the application.
Method 1: Recover Using Document Recovery Pane
When Excel crashes or is closed improperly, it often displays the Document Recovery pane when reopened. This pane lists any files that Excel recovered automatically.
Steps:
Open Microsoft Excel.
If the Document Recovery pane appears, look for your unsaved file in the list.
Click the file to open it.
Save it immediately by clicking File > Save As.
Method 2: Recover Unsaved Workbooks via Manage Workbook
If you close an Excel file without saving it and there’s no crash involved, you can still retrieve it using the "Manage Workbook" feature.
Steps:
Open Microsoft Excel.
Click on File > Info.
Under the Manage Workbook section, click Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
A new window will open showing a list of unsaved files.
Select the appropriate file and click Open.
Save the file immediately.
Method 3: Check the UnsavedFiles Folder Manually
Excel stores unsaved files in a specific folder on your computer. Knowing this location allows you to manually recover a lost document.
Steps:
Open File Explorer.
Navigate to the folder: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles.
Look for files with the .asd extension (AutoSaved Documents).
Open the file in Excel.
Save it with a new name.
Method 4: Search for Temporary Excel Files
Temporary Excel files might still exist on your system even after unsaved data appears lost.
Steps:
Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
In the search bar, type *.tmp or ~*.xls*.
Look for recently modified files.
Open the file using Excel and save it immediately.
Method 5: Recover from OneDrive or SharePoint (for AutoSave Enabled Files)
If AutoSave is enabled and you're using OneDrive or SharePoint, you can restore previous versions of your Excel file.
Steps:
Open the file from OneDrive or SharePoint.
Click on File > Info.
Under the "Version History" section, view and restore older versions of the file.
Method 6: Use Data Recovery Software
Panda Data Recovery
Panda Data Recovery uses a deep scan algorithm to search for Excel files based on their structure and file signatures. This makes it possible to recover documents even if they were never saved traditionally or stored in volatile locations like the Temp folder.
Steps to Recover Unsaved Excel Files with Panda Data Recovery:
Download and install Panda Data Recovery on your PC.
Launch the program and select the drive where Excel typically stores temporary or autosaved files (usually the C: drive).
Choose the scan type—Quick Scan for recent deletions or Deep Scan for more thorough results.
Let the scan complete. You’ll be presented with a list of recoverable files.
Use the search function to filter by file type or name (e.g., .xlsx).
Preview the files, select the correct version, and click Recover.
Save the restored file to a secure location.
Method 7: Recover from Email Attachments or Backups
If you sent the file via email or saved it to an external backup, you may be able to retrieve an earlier version.
Steps:
Check your email sent folder for attachments.
Access external drives or cloud storage for backups.
Download and save the recovered file.
How to Enable AutoRecover and AutoSave
To ensure you don’t lose work in the future, double-check that AutoRecover and AutoSave are enabled in Excel.
Steps:
Open Excel and click on File > Options.
Navigate to the Save tab.
Ensure "Save AutoRecover information every X minutes" is checked.
Set the interval to something short (e.g., 5 minutes).
Also check "Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving."
If using Microsoft 365. make sure AutoSave is toggled on for cloud-stored files.
Preventative Best Practices
To reduce the risk of losing unsaved Excel files:
Save your work frequently using Ctrl + S.
Store important files in OneDrive to benefit from AutoSave.
Enable Excel’s AutoRecover with frequent save intervals.
Backup your Excel files regularly to external drives or cloud storage.
Use file versioning tools and document management systems.
Common Reasons Why AutoRecover Fails
There are instances where AutoRecover may not save your work:
AutoRecover was disabled in settings.
Excel closed normally, and the file wasn’t saved.
The system crashed before AutoRecover could trigger.
File was stored in a temporary location that was cleared.
Losing an unsaved Excel document is undoubtedly frustrating, but Microsoft Excel provides robust recovery features like AutoSave, AutoRecover, and version history to help retrieve lost work. Additionally, exploring manual recovery methods, temporary files, and professional recovery tools can often rescue seemingly lost data. To prevent future data loss, ensure recovery settings are enabled, save work frequently, and consider using cloud storage and external backups. With the right knowledge and tools, recovering an unsaved Excel document doesn’t have to be a nightmare it’s often just a few clicks away.
