Opening an Excel file has always been easy. However, when it comes to opening an existing file that has not been saved properly, or an Excel file with an unknown password, things can get complicated. Fortunately, there are still ways to open those Excel files without losing any of the data that you’ve worked so hard to input. In this article, we will take a closer look at the different methods you can use to open an Excel file that isn’t saved properly or has a forgotten password, as well as some other related topics to give you a complete understanding of the issue.
Method 1: Opening an Excel File That is Not Saved Properly
It’s not uncommon to accidentally close an Excel file without saving it. Thankfully, there is a way to recover a file you’ve been working on even if you haven’t explicitly hit the ‘save’ button on the file yet.
Step 1: Look for the Temporary File
Since Excel keeps temporary files of the data that you’ve input in a file you’re working on, the first step to recovering your file is to look for that temporary file. The location of the temporary file will differ depending on your operating system.
For Windows users, you can find the temporary file by navigating to the folder where the original file was supposed to be saved. Look for a file with a name similar to the original, but with a different file extension, such as “.tmp” or “.~xls”.
For Mac users, you can search for the temp files by searching for a file with the extension “.tmp” using the Spotlight feature on your Mac.
Step 2: Recover the Temporary File
Once you’ve located the temporary file, you can recover it by renaming the file extension to “.xls” or “.xlsx”, depending on the file format. After renaming the file, you can open it using Excel and continue working on it as usual.
Method 2: Recovering an Excel File with a Forgotten Password
If you’ve set up a password for your Excel file but have forgotten what it is, you may feel helpless. However, there are still ways to recover the file without giving up all the data you’ve input into it.
Step 1: Try a Known Password
Before trying any other options, it’s always worth trying any passwords that you know you’ve previously used for the file. Sometimes you could have used your login password or other relevant passwords.
Step 2: Take Advantage of Excel’s Built-In Features
Excel has a built-in feature known as ‘Protect Workbook’ that you can use to help recover your file. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Excel and navigate to ‘File’ > ‘Info’.
- Click on ‘Protect Workbook’ and select ‘Encrypt with Password’.
- Enter a password you know you’ve used in the past into the ‘Password’ field, then click, ‘OK’.
- If the password you entered is correct, you will get access to your file as usual.
It’s worth noting that this method won’t work if your Excel file is locked by a third-party software that encrypts the file with a different encryption algorithm.
FAQ
What other methods can I use to recover an Excel file with a forgotten password?
If the previous method doesn’t work or you want to try a different approach, there are several third-party recovery tools available that you can use to recover passwords. Some of the most popular recovery tools include PassFab for Excel and Stellar Phoenix Excel Password Recovery. These tools offer a range of features and potential solutions to recover your password.
What should I do to prevent losing my work permanently?
The first thing you need to do is make sure you save your Excel file regularly. To do this, you can hit Ctrl + S on Windows or Command + S on a Mac to save your data. Another method would be to adjust the Excel settings so that it auto-saves your data every X amount of minutes. Alternatively, you could use cloud-based storage like Google Drive or Dropbox to save your files, ensuring that you always have access to the latest data at all times.
Conclusion
In conclusion, opening an Excel file that is not saved properly or is encrypted with a forgotten password can be daunting, but there are still ways to recover those files without losing any data. By following the steps listed in this article or by taking advantage of third-party recovery tools, you can access your Excel files without any issues. Remember to always save your data frequently, or use auto-saving features or a cloud-based storage solution, and you’ll never have to worry about losing your data again.
