Is there anything more frustrating than losing an important Excel file or not being able to open one due to corruption or password protection? Fear not, as we’ve got you covered with these essential tips and tricks to help you recover, repair and open Excel files with ease.
How to Recover Saved Excel Files
Imagine working on an important Excel file for hours and then accidentally closing the file without saving, or worse still, your computer crashes before you get a chance to save your work. Don’t panic! There are several ways to recover your saved Excel files.
AutoSave and AutoRecover Excel Files
Fortunately, Excel comes with an autosave and autorecover feature that can save your work in progress as you go along, or recover files that haven’t been saved yet due to a computer crash or shut down. Here’s how to enable these features in Excel:
- Open Excel and click on File.
- Select Options and then click on Save.
- Under Save Workbooks, enable the ‘Save AutoRecover information every X minutes’ option and set the time interval to your preference. This will automatically save your work at regular intervals.
- Next, click on Advanced and scroll down to the ‘File Locations’ section.
- Select the folder where you want your auto-saved files to go and click OK.
- Ensure that the ‘AutoSave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on Excel’ option is enabled if you are using Microsoft 365.
- Click OK to save the changes.
Now, if Excel crashes, or you accidentally close a file before saving, Excel will automatically recover the most recent version of the file for you. The recovered file can be found in the location you specified earlier.
Check the Recycle Bin
If you can’t find your Excel file, check your recycle bin as it may have been accidentally deleted. Here’s how to recover Excel files from the recycle bin:
- Click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
- Find the Excel file you want to recover and right-click on it.
- Select ‘Restore’ and the file will be restored to its original location.
How to Repair Corrupt Excel Files
Excel files can get corrupted due to various reasons such as power outages, viruses, hardware failures, among others. This can lead to errors and you may not be able to open the file. Here’s how to repair corrupt Excel files:
Using the Repair Tool in Excel
Excel has a built-in repair tool that can help fix minor corruption issues with Excel files. Here’s how to use the repair tool:
- Open Excel and click on File.
- Select Open and then click on Browse.
- Select the file you want to repair and click on the drop-down arrow next to Open.
- Select ‘Open and Repair’.
- Choose whether you want to ‘Repair’ or ‘Extract Data’.
- Click OK and wait for the repair process to complete.
This repair tool works best for minor issues, but if the problem persists, you may need to use a third-party tool or seek professional help.
Using a Third-Party Tool
There are several third-party tools available that can help repair corrupt Excel files. Here are a few popular options:
- Stellar Excel Repair – This tool can recover data from corrupt Excel files and supports all Excel file formats. It has a user-friendly interface and is easy to use.
- Kernel Excel Repair – This tool can repair corrupt Excel files and restore all the data to its original state. It supports all versions of Excel and is highly effective.
- DataNumen Excel Repair – This tool is designed to repair corrupt Excel files and restore all the data including worksheets, charts, formulas, etc. It supports all versions of Excel and is very effective.
These third-party tools come with a price tag, but may be worth considering if you frequently work with Excel files and need a reliable tool to repair any corruption issues that may arise.
How to Open Password-Protected Excel Files
It’s not uncommon to password-protect Excel files to prevent unauthorized access or to keep sensitive information secure. However, if you forget the password or don’t have access to it, opening the file can be a challenge. Here’s how to open password-protected Excel files:
Using the Built-In Password Recovery Tool in Excel
Excel has a built-in password recovery tool that can help you recover forgotten passwords for your Excel files. Here’s how to use the tool:
- Open the password-protected Excel file.
- Click on File and select Info.
- Click on ‘Protect Workbook’ and then select ‘Encrypt with Password’.
- Delete the password and click OK.
- Excel will prompt you to re-enter the password. Leave it blank and click on OK.
- Save the file and the password protection will be removed.
Note that this method only works for passwords that are easily guessable or have been brute-forced. If the password is complex, you may need to use a third-party tool or seek professional help.
Using a Third-Party Password Recovery Tool
If the built-in password recovery tool in Excel doesn’t work, you can use a third-party password recovery tool to remove the password protection from your Excel files. Here are a few popular options:
- Passware Excel Password Recovery – This tool can remove the password protection from Excel files for all versions of Excel. It’s easy to use and highly effective.
- Eltima Recover PDF Password – This tool can remove the password protection from Excel files as well as other types of files including PDFs. It can recover passwords quickly and has a user-friendly interface.
- Excel Key – This tool is designed specifically for removing password protection from Excel files. It can recover passwords of any length and complexity.
These third-party tools come with a price tag, but may be worth considering if you frequently work with password-protected Excel files and need a reliable tool to remove the password protection.
FAQs
How can I prevent my Excel files from getting corrupted?
There are several ways to prevent your Excel files from getting corrupted. Here are a few tips:
- Save your Excel files regularly to ensure that you have a backup in case of a computer crash or power outage.
- Use a surge protector to protect your computer from power surges.
- Scan your computer regularly for viruses and malware to prevent them from corrupting your Excel files.
- Avoid abruptly shutting down your computer or closing Excel files without saving.
- Store your Excel files in a secure location and avoid sharing them with unauthorized individuals.
Can I recover Excel files that have been permanently deleted?
If you have permanently deleted an Excel file, it may be difficult to recover it. However, you can try using a file recovery tool such as Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to recover deleted files from your hard drive. These tools are not always 100% effective, but they may be worth a try if you have important data that you need to recover.
Video Tutorial
For a visual guide on how to recover, repair and open Excel files, check out this helpful video tutorial:
