Excel Recovery: How to Recover Deleted Excel Files (Win/Mac)

Last Updated: September 11th, 2023By Categories: Microsoft Office Recovery

While typing stuff on an Excel file, we never know that this file is going to be lost due to unintentional deletion or corruption.

None of these cases is what we expect, but will actually befall us when we almost complete our task of editing the sheet. We have to get it back. Otherwise, the hours or even days of sweating are in vain. Worse still, the deadline is near. Let’s set your anxiety and depression aside. Focus on the remedies now – recover your deleted Excel file before it’s too late!

How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

Method 1: Recover Lost Excel Files with Excel Recovery Software

To recover the deleted Excel file, the best way is sure to fall back on professional kits like a data recovery program. Here, what I meant is the famous echoshare Data Recovery.

Being famous for its handy operation and power recovery feature, this program is welcomed by users from various industries and ages. It really kills their anxiety of the files are gone due to different reasons.

All-in-One Data Recovery

Recover deleted, corrupted, or lost data from any device

√ Supports Video, Audio, Document, Image, Email, Archive

√ Covers USB drives, hard drive, Android & Camera SD Card

√ Compatible with NTFS, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, EXT

It Recovers Deleted Excel Files Easily

Your Excel file, whether it’s deleted, corrupted, unsaved, or even saved-over, can be easily recovered by echoshare Data Recovery in minutes. It doesn’t matter how you lost the file, it really doesn’t. As long as this program is there, your data – not just Excel files, will be safe and sound always.

Moreover, it covers every output format of Microsoft Office and hundreds of other formats:

  • XLSX
  • XLSM
  • SLXB
  • XLS
  • XLT
  • XML
  • etc.

Also, if you’ve converted or saved your Excel file to another format like TXT, DOC, PPTX, or PDF, don’t worry. It’s recoverable via this program. PDF, Word, Powerpoint, PhotoShop, and other documents can be easily retrieved with the help of this program.

How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

All the mentioned features and benefits are easy to access with the program’s simple interface. No complex terms and steps, just tick some options and click several buttons. That’s all you need to bring your deleted Excel chart back.

Neither the reason nor the format is a problem when using echoshare Data Recovery. It helps you get them back with the least effort. Download it and let’s start to get the deleted spreadsheet back!

All-in-One Data Recovery

Recover deleted, corrupted, or lost data from any device

√ Supports Video, Audio, Document, Image, Email, Archive

√ Covers USB drives, hard drive, Android & Camera SD Card

√ Compatible with NTFS, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, EXT

Steps to Recover Deleted Excel Files with echoshare Data Recovery

STEP 1

On any computer where you edited or saved the Excel file, download and install this Excel recovery program. Launch the program when it’s set.

STEP 2

To recover the lost Excel file from the computer, you need to let this program run a scan on the hard drive. Follow the steps below to decide the configurations of the scan.

For Windows Users:

  • How does the file(s) lost: Choose the reason why the Excel file is gone. Tick one from these options. Here, to recover deleted Excel file(s), we will choose Deleted.
  • Check all file types: Here, to recover your Excel file, uncheck this option. Then, look down and tick the Document option only.
How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

Click Next to decide one last configuration, the previous location of the Excel file.

If you have no idea where it was saved before. Choose the disk from that your Microsoft Excel app is located. Normally, it’s the C or D disk.

How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

Click Next to decide one last configuration, the previous location of the Excel file.

If you have no idea where it was saved before. Choose the disk from that your Microsoft Excel app is located. Normally, it’s the C or D disk. Click Start to initiate the data scan.  Don’t exit the scan program before it’s complete.

For Mac Users:

  • Check all file types: Disable this option and choose Document only.
  • Hard Disk Drives: Normally, we will choose the system disk, here, in mine, I chose the Macintosh 10.6 disk.
How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

STEP 3

As the scan is complete, the program will list all the files it found. Find the Excel option and start to browse and select the spreadsheet file.

Click Recover and click OK to restore it back to your computer. You may browse and choose another folder on your hard drive to save it though.

How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

Method 2: Check the Recycle Bin to Find the Deleted Excel File

Whenever you delete anything and want to get it back, the first and foremost solution is to check the recycle bin. Normally, all the deleted items will be transferred there as long as their file size is smaller than 5GBs.

However, you must restore the deleted items in 30 days. Otherwise, the recycle bin may have an auto-clearance, and the data will be gone forever.

Method 3: Recover Deleted Microsoft Excel Files via AutoRecovery

Starting from Microsoft 2011, a feature named AutoRecovery is added to Excel, Word, PDF, and PowerPoint.

This feature will back up all the opened and edited documents every 10 minutes on your computer. Also, it will keep these backups on the cloud if you’ve synced OneDrive to Microsoft programs.

Most importantly, this feature is on by default and you don’t have to worry if you’ve never turned it on. It’s on already.

However, to enjoy this feature, you must have activated the Microsoft account on your Excel 2011 and later.

Where to Find the Auto-Save Excel Files?

If you’re a subscriber of Microsoft 2011 and later, follow this path to find the saved Excel file.

  • Windows: C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Romaing\Microsoft\Excel\
  • Mac: /Users//Library/Containers/com.Microsoft/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery
How to Recover Deleted Excel Files in Windows/Mac

FAQs

Yes, you can edit your Numbers files to Excel and vice versa.

For Mac users, the Apple Numbers is the go-to app to create your spreadsheets. It has similar functions to Microsoft Excel.

Yes, Microsoft Office apps have auto-save or auto-recovery features that will recover your files if in any case, you forgot to save its changes. However, not all of the recent changes will be restored.

All recovered Excel files will be stored in the Recovered Workbooks folder found on the Excel app.

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