How to Recover Deleted Excel Files on Windows?[2024]

Wait a minute there! Are you having those troubles at work that you thought about? Thoughts like, “I can’t possibly be the only one who has made the mistake of deleting their company’s Excel sheet, mistaking it for some other less important file. But how was anybody in my shoes able to escape it without getting laid off?” Well, the only way forward is to recover that deleted Excel file now. I know you might be questioning that, but in this guide, we will show just how to recover deleted Excel files. So sit back and continue reading!

4 Methods to Recover Deleted Excel Files on Windows

As I mentioned earlier, you can still recover that deleted Excel file. Here are four methods you can use. Below are the methods:

Method 1: Check Recycle Bin First

It’s normal to panic when you accidentally delete your Excel files, but checking the Recycle Bin on your computer is often a good first step in attempting to recover deleted Excel files. If you have not permanently deleted the files using Shift+Delete, they may still be located here.

• Simply open the Recycle Bin.

• Locate the Excel files you wish to restore.

• Right-click on them, and select “Restore.”

This action will move the Excel files back to their original location on your system. However, if you need to recover shift+delete files that have been permanently deleted, they are most likely not found in the Recycle Bin. In this case, you will need to explore the next method below on how to recover permanently deleted Excel files.

Method 2: Try the Excel File Recovery Tool to Retrieve Deleted XLS Files 

If you fall into the category of using Shift+Delete, then your XLS files have been permanently deleted. However, there’s no need to worry; you can use the Excel File Recovery tool to recover permanently deleted XLS files. Data recovery tools such as Stellar Data Recovery, Disk Drill, and ONERECOVERY perform deep scans of your storage device to find and restore deleted XLS files. Below is how to go about it:

👉Using the Excel File Recovery Tool to Retrieve Deleted XLS Files:

• Download and launch the Excel File Recovery Tool on your computer, part of a data recovery suite.

• Select the drive or folder where the deleted Excel files were located to enhance search efficiency.

• Initiate the scanning process, which may take time based on drive size and file quantity. Post-scan, preview and verify the listed recoverable files.

• Choose the Excel files you wish to recover and select a different drive as the save location to prevent data overwriting.
• Execute the recovery, and afterward, check the save location to ensure all files are correctly recovered and accessible.

Method 3:  Recover Deleted Excel By Using the Restore Previous Versions

Using the methods mentioned above is not your last resort; you can also use “Previous Versions” to recover deleted Excel files. That might sound a bit confusing to you, right? Alright, let me explain it better. Restore Previous Versions of Excel is a feature in Windows that allows users to recover earlier versions of their files, stored in backups or restore points.

For users who accidentally delete an Excel file or need an earlier version of a file, this feature can be a lifesaver. Here are the steps to using it:

• Right-click on the folder where you previously stored the Excel file.
• Then select the “Properties” option.

• Select “Previous Versions”. You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the folder and files within it, each marked with a date and time.

• Select the version that contains the Excel file before it was deleted or changed.
• Click “Restore” to bring back the deleted or older version of the Excel file.

Method 4: Use the System Restore Feature to Restore Deleted Excel File

The System Restore feature is another method you can use to successfully restore a deleted Excel file. Before proceeding, it’s important to understand that this feature is an integral part of Windows. Here are the steps to follow:

• Open the Control Panel.
• Click on the “System and Security” option. If you do not see this, look for the “System” option instead.

• From the sidebar on the left, select “System Protection.”

• In the window that appears, navigate to the System Protection tab and click on the “System Restore” button.

• Press ‘Next’ and select a restore point that will recover your file.

❗Caution: Be cautious not to choose a very old restore point as it could also revert recent changes to your system files.

Bonus Tips: How to Prevent Excel Files from Accidental Deletion Again?

File recovery sometimes comes in tricky forms, but do you know what comes easily and still stops you from stressing unnecessarily? Prevention. You may ask how to prevent Excel files from accidental deletion. Here are the following answers

1. Turn on Auto-Save in Excel:
   • The Auto-Save feature in Excel saves your work periodically, which helps prevent data loss from accidental deletions or unexpected issues.
   • To activate Auto-Save, open the ‘File’ tab, click ‘Options’, and select the ‘Save’ category.

• Here, check ‘Save AutoRecover information every xx minutes’ and choose your desired time interval, such as every 5 minutes.

2. Set Up Regular Backups:
   • Regular backups of your Excel files ensure you always have a recent copy of your work, providing a safety net if the original file gets lost or damaged.
   • For automatic backups, go to ‘File’, then ‘Save As’.

• Click on ‘Tools’ next to the ‘Save’ button.

• Choose ‘General Options’, and tick ‘Always create backup’. This creates a backup each time you save your workbook.

By enabling Auto-Save and creating regular backups, you significantly reduce the risk of losing important Excel files. These measures ensure that even if files are accidentally deleted, you have recent versions saved that can be quickly and easily restored.

Conclusion

Quit having to worry about deleted Excel files. This blog outlines four methods to recover deleted Excel files on Windows, including using the Recycle Bin, an Excel File Recovery Tool, the “Restore Previous Versions” feature, and the System Restore feature. You also learn about the importance of prevention by recommendations to enable Auto-Save and set up regular backups.

FAQs on Excel File Recovery

Still have some questions on how to recover a deleted excel sheet? Here are some answers that might be useful;

1. Where are Recovered Excel Files Stored?

Have you ever wondered where those recovered Excel files get stored before you eventually move them? Well, when recovering Excel files with data recovery tools, restored files are typically saved in a default location set by the software, usually on your desktop or in the software’s directory. If using Microsoft Excel’s AutoRecover, files are saved in the AutoRecover location accessible via the “Save” section under Excel’s Options menu, typically at C:\Users[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel. Always check the recovery tool’s settings to understand where it stores files and how to access them.

2. The Difference among Different Excel Versions During the Recovery Process?

Now, do you actually know that the different Excel versions differ from each other during the recovery process? Here are the differences to get a better understanding:

Excel Version	Differences
Excel 2010 and earlier versions	Primarily rely on manual saves and backups, lacking automatic recovery options.
Excel 2013 and 2016	Introduced AutoRecover, automatically saving all open documents at set intervals, enhancing data recovery during crashes or accidental closures.
Excel 2019 and Microsoft 365	Include AutoRecover and AutoSave for files on OneDrive or SharePoint, automatically saving every few seconds and significantly reducing data loss risks.

3. How to Repair a Corrupted Excel File after Retrieving it?

If you have a corrupted Excel file you intend to repair, you can take advantage of specific tools like the Excel File Repair Tool. For instance, the ONERECOVERY software offers a feature specifically designed to address and mend issues found in damaged Excel files. Here’s how this ONERECOVERY works:

File Repair Feature of ONERECOVERY:

1. Launch ONERECOVERY on your computer and select the corrupted Excel file.

2. Initiate the repair process to fix corruption.

3. Once repaired, save the file to a new location to prevent data overwriting.

💡Note: Apart from Excel files, users also use the File Repair feature of ONERECOVERY to repair their corrupted Docx files as well as PPT files.