How to Repair Corrupted Excel Files on Windows
Excel files are widely used in business and personal life. Unfortunately, sometimes these files can get corrupted, making it impossible to access important information. If you’re facing this issue, don’t worry, as this article will provide you with tips on how to repair corrupted Excel files on your Windows computer.
Steps to Repair Corrupted Excel Files on Windows
Here are the steps to repair a corrupted Excel file using the built-in Microsoft Office Repair feature:
- Open Microsoft Excel
- Go to the “File” menu
- Select “Open”
- In the “Open” dialog box, click on the corrupted Excel file
- Click on the arrow on the “Open” button and select “Open and Repair”
- Select “Repair” in the dialog box
- Save the repaired file
In some cases, the Repair feature may not work. If this is the case, continue reading for other methods to repair your corrupted Excel file.
Other Methods to Repair Corrupted Excel Files
If the built-in Repair feature doesn’t work, here are other methods you can use to repair your corrupted Excel file:
- Use Third-Party Excel Repair Software
- Repair Excel File Manually
There are several third-party Excel repair software available online. These software programs are specifically designed to repair corrupted Excel files. Examples of such software include EaseUS Data Recovery, DiskInternals Excel Recovery, and Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair. Simply download and install one of these software programs, and follow the instructions to repair your corrupted Excel file.
If you’re comfortable with working with the command prompt, you can try repairing your Excel file manually. Here are the steps to do so:
- Open the command prompt by pressing Windows Key + R on your keyboard, then type in “cmd” and press enter.
- Navigate to the folder where your corrupted Excel file is located. This can be done by typing in “cd [folder path]” and pressing enter.
- Type in “xcopy [file name] [new file name]” and press enter. This creates a copy of your corrupted Excel file.
- Type in “excel.exe /unregserver” and press enter. This unregisters Excel from the system registry.
- Type in “excel.exe /regserver” and press enter. This registers Excel back to the system registry.
- Open Excel and go to “File” > “Open”. Browse for the new file you created, and try opening it.
If none of these methods work, it’s possible that your Excel file is corrupted beyond repair. In this case, you may need to recreate the file from scratch.
FAQs
Q: How can I prevent my Excel files from getting corrupted?
A: Here are some tips to prevent your Excel files from getting corrupted:
- Save your Excel files regularly.
- Don’t shut down your computer while an Excel file is open.
- Avoid using Excel files on external devices, such as USB drives, as they can get corrupted easily.
- Use antivirus software to protect your computer from malware that may damage your Excel files.
Q: Can I recover data from a corrupted Excel file?
A: In some cases, it is possible to recover data from a corrupted Excel file. You can try using a third-party Excel repair software to recover the data. Alternatively, if you have a backup copy of the Excel file, you can try restoring the data from the backup.
Video Tutorial
Conclusion
Corrupted Excel files can be a major headache, but with the right tools and techniques, it’s possible to repair them. In this article, we’ve discussed various methods to repair corrupted Excel files on Windows. Start with the built-in Repair feature and if that doesn’t work, try third-party software or repairing the file manually. Remember to save your Excel files regularly to avoid losing important data.
