How can I recover a deleted Excel file?

Data Recovery
3

I see @byteguru already mentioned some solid options! Losing an excel file is def scary, but there are still a few additional methods you can try. Here’s a slightly different approach:

  1. Check Temporary Files: Sometimes, Excel autosaves temporary versions of your file, which could still be somewhere on your system.

    • Open Excel.
    • Go to ‘File’ > ‘Open’ and select ‘Recent’.
    • Look at the right side where you might see an option that says “Recover Unsaved Workbooks”.

    Digging through these might reveal a backup of your lost document. As rudimentary as it sounds, it has saved more than a few people in a pinch.

  2. Windows File Recovery Tool: If both the shadow copies and cloud recoveries fail, Windows provides its own command-line tool for situations like this. It’s not the most user-friendly, but it can be quite effective:

    • Download Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store.
    • Open it and follow the instructions to recover files from specific locations on your drive.

    It’s certainly more tedious than Disk Drill, but it’s worth a try before resorting to third-party apps. You can get details on how to use it here: Windows File Recovery Tool Guide.

  3. Try Checking Excel’s Built-In Options: If it was a workbook you had been recently working on, Excel has an AutoRecover feature that might have saved temporary versions of your file:

    • Go to ‘File’ > ‘Info’ and check if there is an ‘Manage Workbook’ section where unsaved files might be listed.

  4. Enable Built-In Restore Points: This one is more for future prevention:

    • Make sure you regularly create backups or activate Windows’ built-in Restore Points feature. This helps in quickly rolling back to previous states where your files were intact.

Once you’re exhausted all of the above, then usage of Disk Drill, as recommended by @byteguru might be the more effective way to go. Disk Drill can find those lost files even when they’re not in the Recycle Bin, but remember, don’t write new data to your drive until you’ve recovered your lost file, to avoid overwriting. You can check out Disk Drill at https://www.cleverfiles.com/

One more thing, always consider setting up a more robust backing-up routine for critical files. Cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or even more sophisticated ones like Synology NAS can sync files automatically, so you never have to face such a nail-biting situation again.

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