Excel File Recovery: How to Effortlessly Recover Deleted XLSX Files

How to Recover a Deleted XLSX File

Have you ever considered how to recover lost .xlsx/.xls files? This is crucial for users who store their work in Microsoft Excel workbooks and haven't created a backup.

There are various issues that can result in the loss of data within Excel files. This can occur due to power outages or file system corruption, which effectively renders your documents, including Microsoft Excel files, inaccessible.

If your .xlsx or .xls files are lost due to any of the above reasons, you now have three simple Excel file recovery solutions to retrieve your lost files.

Method 1: Recover Deleted Excel from Recycle Bin When you delete an Excel file accidentally, it doesn't get erased immediately. Instead, it moves to the Recycle Bin, giving you a chance to restore it. Follow these steps to recover your deleted Excel file: 1. **Open Recycle Bin**: Click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop or search for it in the Start menu. 2. **Search for the File**: In the Recycle Bin window, use the search bar (if available) to look for the Excel file by typing its name or a part of it. 3. **Locate the File**: Browse through the files and folders listed in the Recycle Bin to find your Excel file. 4. **Restore the File**: Once you find the file, right-click on it and select "Restore" or simply drag it back to your original folder. 5. **Confirm Restoration**: The file should now be restored to its original location, and you can access it as before. Remember that if you've emptied the Recycle Bin or the file was deleted from a network drive or external storage, this method won't work. In such cases, try Method 2 or Method 3 for recovery.

If you accidentally deleted your Excel file, be it a .xlsx or .xls file, you can simply restore it from the Recycle Bin yourself:

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin and search for the deleted .xlsx or .xls files within it.

Step 2. Right-click on the lost XLSX/XLS files and choose "Restore". The deleted .xlsx or .xls file will then be restored to its original location on your computer.

Method 2: Utilize Excel File Recovery Software to Restore XLSX File

Data Recovery Wizard Pro is one of the best Microsoft Office file recovery software for retrieving deleted or lost Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files.

This professional MS Office Excel file recovery tool boasts the following prominent features.

• Restore lost XLSX/XLS files due to accidental deletion, device formatting, partition loss, etc.
• Recover corrupted Excel files in XLSX/XLS formats
• Restore Excel data including tables, charts, formulas, chart sheets, and more
• Real-time preview of recovered Excel file
• Supports MS Excel 2019/2016/2013/2010/2007/2003/XP/2000/97/95 versions

Download this XLSX recovery tool for free and follow the step-by-step instructions to perform Excel file recovery. The process for recovering lost Word documents is identical.

Step 1. Choose location and click "Scan"

Select the drive or a specific folder on your Desktop or any other location where you lost the Excel files, and click the "Scan" button.

Step 2. Locate your Excel files

To swiftly locate Excel files from the scan results, click on the "Documents" option in the left panel. Proceed by selecting "Excel," and then click "Preview" to verify if the Excel files are the desired ones.

Step 3. Recover Excel Files

Lastly, choose the desired Excel files and click the "Recover" button. Next, select a folder to save the recovered Excel files to a different location.

Method 3: Recover Deleted XLSX File from Previous Versions

If you're not fond of using third-party XLS file recovery software, you can explore an alternative method to recover deleted XLSX files in Windows 10 using File History.

Previous versions can come from File History or restore points, but you'll need to have enabled file backup beforehand.

Step 1. Right-click on the folder where the deleted XLSX/XLS file was located.

Step 2. Select "Restore previous versions." Choose the correct version from the list.

Step 3. Click "Restore" to recover the XLSX file at any desired location on your system.

What is the Best Method to Recover a Deleted XLSX File?

To summarize, you can learn three methods to recover Excel XLS or XLSX files:

1. Restore deleted Excel from Recycle Bin if you haven't emptied the files 2. Recover lost or permanently deleted Excel file using Excel recovery software tools 3. Retrieve XLSX files from previous versions if you have enabled Windows File History

Out of the three solutions, the Excel file recovery tool is highly recommended. Data recovery software data recovery software can effectively retrieve lost or deleted photos, videos, audios, documents, emails, and other files in various complex data loss scenarios. It is known for its high success rate in restoring permanently lost files.

Useful Tips to Prevent Excel Data Loss 1. Save Regularly: Always remember to save your work frequently, especially when you're making significant changes or calculations. You can enable AutoSave in Excel to ensure your data is automatically saved at regular intervals. 2. Use Backup Copies: Create backup copies of your important Excel files to avoid losing data due to system crashes or accidental deletion. You can use version control systems or simply save different versions with timestamps. 3. Enable Spreadsheet Protection: Protect your worksheets and workbooks with passwords to prevent unauthorized access or accidental modification. This can be done under the 'Review' tab in the 'Protect' section. 4. Check Compatibility: Before sharing an Excel file with others, ensure it's compatible with their software version to avoid data corruption or formatting issues. 5. Use Error Checking: Excel has a built-in error checking tool that helps identify potential mistakes like formula errors or invalid data. Utilize this feature to catch and correct errors promptly. 6. Validate Data: Implement data validation rules to restrict input and prevent users from entering incorrect or incompatible data. This can be found in the 'Data' tab under 'Data Validation.' 7. Avoid Large Worksheets: Split large worksheets into smaller, manageable sheets to improve performance and reduce the likelihood of data loss due to system limitations. 8. Use Named Ranges: Instead of referring to cells directly, use named ranges. It makes your formulas easier to understand and maintain, reducing the chances of accidentally overwriting data. 9. Review Links and References: If your spreadsheet contains external links or references, regularly check them for accuracy and validity. Broken links can lead to missing data or calculation errors. 10. Save in Safe Location: Store your Excel files on a reliable storage device or cloud service to protect against hardware failures or natural disasters. 11. Keep Software Updated: Keep your Microsoft Office or Excel version up to date with the latest updates and patches to ensure compatibility and security. 12. Learn Good Spreadsheet Practices: Familiarize yourself with best practices for organizing, formatting, and structuring data in Excel. This will minimize the risk of errors and data loss. By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of experiencing Excel data loss and ensure your valuable information remains secure.

To prevent the issue of Excel file loss from occurring again, consider the following recommended tips that might be beneficial:

1. Enable the AutoRecover feature to automatically save Excel:

1. Open an Excel file, click "File" in the top-left corner, then select "Options." 2. In the "Save" category, check the "Save AutoRecover information every" box under "Save workbooks," and enter the number of minutes you want to set for automatic Excel saves. 3. In the "AutoRecover file location" box, specify the location where you wish to save the recovery file. 4. Deselect the "Disable AutoRecover for this workbook only" option.

2. Regularly backup Excel

It also matters a lot if you have created an Excel file backup when an accident or error occurs.

3. Resort to the appropriate solution for various Excel data loss issues.

If you're dealing with Excel file deletion, relax. Scroll up and utilize the methods provided on this page to address most Excel .xlsx or .xls file recovery issues.