Have you ever accidentally deleted or overwritten an important Excel file? It can be a frustrating experience and potentially result in lost data. However, there are methods to retrieve and restore lost or damaged Excel files.
Method 1: Using Recuva
If you have accidentally deleted an Excel file, the first method you can try is using Recuva. This is a free data recovery software that can help you retrieve deleted files, including Excel files.
To use Recuva:
- Download and install Recuva on your computer.
- Open Recuva and select the type of file you want to recover, in this case, Excel files (XLS, XLSX).
- Select the location where the file was originally saved and click on “Scan”.
- Recuva will then scan the selected location for any deleted Excel files.
- If the file is found, select it and click on “Recover”.
- Choose a new location to save the recovered file on your computer.
Recuva is a useful tool for retrieving accidentally deleted Excel files. However, it may not always be able to recover all files, especially if they were deleted a long time ago or overwritten.
Method 2: Restoration from Previous Versions
If the file was not deleted but rather unintentionally modified, overwritten, or saved over, you can try to restore a previous version of the file, instead of trying to recover it.
Restoring a previous version of the file can be done through the following steps:
- Right-click on the file and select “Properties”.
- Click on the “Previous Versions” tab.
- Select the most recent version of the file before it was changed or saved over.
- Click on “Restore” to revert back to the previous version.
Note that this method is only effective if you have enabled the “Previous Versions” feature on your computer. If not, it may not work and you may have to resort to using data recovery software like Recuva.
FAQ
Q: Can I recover an Excel file that was permanently deleted?
A: It is possible to recover an Excel file that was permanently deleted, but the success rate will depend on various factors such as how long ago the file was deleted and if the storage device has been overwritten. Using a data recovery software like Recuva may be able to retrieve the deleted file, but there is no guarantee.
Q: How do I prevent accidentally deletion or modification of Excel files?
A: To prevent accidental deletion or modification of Excel files, it is important to regularly back up the files to an external storage device or cloud storage. You can also enable the “AutoSave” feature in Excel to automatically save changes at regular intervals and reduce the risk of losing data.
