My Excel file is missing! How to recover lost Excel files 2016/2013/2010/2007

See available solutions: Where did my Excel file go?

If your Excel file is missing, don't worry. You can recover the vanished Excel file using the methods mentioned in this article. These solutions work for Microsoft Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, or earlier versions.

There are four methods to recover an Excel file that's disappeared from your desktop. The table below summarizes the solutions. Read on for the detailed steps.

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Due to sudden power outages, Excel response issues, wrongfully closing Excel without saving, or other unknown reasons, users often find their saved Excel files missing. When this disaster strikes, your best bet is to use some effective methods to recover the vanished Excel file.

On this page, you can learn how to easily recover deleted Excel files using professional data recovery software and other handy tips.

How to Recover an Excel File That Disappeared from the Desktop (4 Ways)

The steps to recover a lost Word document, Microsoft Excel, or PPT file in Windows 10 are similar. Here are three possible solutions. Follow the detailed guide on how to recover an unsaved or lost Excel file.

Method 1: Recover an Excel File with Data Recovery Software

Excel files can sometimes go missing due to accidental deletion, virus attacks, hard drive failures, or operating system crashes. In such cases, you can use the Data Recovery Wizard tool to help restore your lost Excel/Word/PPT documents, images, videos, audio files, or emails with just a few simple steps.

Now, download and install this Excel file recovery software and then follow the guidelines below to restore your lost Excel file in the simplest way possible.

Step 1: Choose a location and tap "Scan."

Select the disk partition where your lost Excel file was saved, or choose Desktop or any other specific folder, and then click on the “Scan” button.

Step 2: Locate your Excel file

To quickly locate your Excel files from the scan results, click on “Documents” in the left pane. Select “Excel,” and then hit “Preview” to check if these Excel files are the ones you need.

Step 3: Recover the Excel File

Lastly, select the required Excel file and click on the “Recover” button. Then, choose a folder to save your Excel file in another location.

If your saved Excel file has disappeared on Mac and you're looking for a solution, visit the linked page.

Method 2: Recover Disappeared Excel File from Recycling Bin

Sometimes antivirus software can delete your Excel file because it mistakes it for a malicious file. In this case, you might be able to recover the deleted Excel file by searching your recycle bin.

Step 1: Open the File Explorer or Desktop and access the Recycle Bin.

Step 2. Find the lost Microsoft Excel file and then choose “Restore” from the right-click menu.

How to Recover an Earlier Version of Excel File After Saving?

If you have saved the file, you can use the built-in tool in Excel to restore previous versions. Read on for help.

Method 3: Recover a Missing Microsoft Excel File from a Backup

It is advisable for all computer users to back up their data regularly, as it's a good practice. This can be done using the 'File History' feature built into the Windows operating system. Additionally, there are other third-party backup options, such as cloud backups, available as well.

For the purposes of this section, a backup created using File History will be used to recover an Excel file that disappeared after being saved. Read this article for more detailed information on how to recover an overwritten Excel file.

Follow those steps. There are other backup and restore options that work similarly.

Step 1: Type Restore files in the search box on the taskbar.

Step 2: Choose “Restore files from File History.”

Restore a file from the file history

Step 3: Use the arrow keys to locate the file you want to restore and view the available versions.

Step 4. If you want to save the file in another location rather than restoring it to the default Excel temporary files folder, click Recover.

If any of these methods help you recover your missing files, share this article on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc!

Solution 4: Search for the Lost Microsoft Excel File and Worksheet

Why is my Excel file missing from the recycle bin on my desktop? It might just be that the shortcut to the file has disappeared. You can recover a lost Excel file by searching for a specific file type on your computer.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and the S key simultaneously to open the Windows search bar. Then, type in the name of the missing Excel file.

Step 2: Check here to see if the missing desktop file has landed here.

Suggestion: Try using cloud services to back up your saved Excel files.

"My Excel file is missing!" How can you prevent losing your Excel files? The safest bet is to save your Excel documents in a cloud service such as OneDrive or Google Drive, where your work will be backed up automatically.

Before cloud storage became popular, many users were used to saving their workbooks on USB drives or other external storage devices. While this is still possible, it may not always be enough to protect your work, especially considering how easy it is to lose a USB drive.

Hopefully, you didn't lose any files due to an unexpected Excel crash. But if you did, these methods can help you recover unsaved Excel 2016 files.

In sum

This article discusses the possible reasons for "missing Excel files" and solutions to recover them. Manually fixing this issue can be time-consuming. However, if you need immediate access to your Excel file, you can quickly and easily restore your Excel documents using the Data Recovery Wizard software.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Disappearing Excel Files

Here are four additional questions about recovering a lost, saved Excel file from your computer. Check here for the answers.

**1. Why can't I see my Excel workbook, but it's still open?** If your Excel workbook is not visible on the screen but you're sure it's still open, there could be several reasons: 1. **Minimized Window**: Check the taskbar (Windows) or Dock (MacOS) for a minimized Excel icon. Click on it, and your workbook should reappear. 2. **Hidden Worksheets**: You might have accidentally hidden a worksheet within the workbook. Go to the "View" menu, then choose "Unhide," and follow the prompts to display the hidden worksheet. 3. **Running in Background**: Excel could be running in the background without being in the foreground. Press `Alt + Tab` (Windows) or `Command + Tab` (MacOS) to switch between open applications, locate Excel, and switch to it. 4. **Multiple Windows Mode**: If you have multiple Excel windows open, your workbook might be in another window. Check all open Excel windows to make sure you haven't missed it. 5. **Split Screen**: If you've used the "Split Screen" feature on Windows or "Tile Windows" on MacOS, the workbook may have moved to another section of the screen. Adjust the window positions to locate the workbook. 6. **Accidental Hiding**: Sometimes, the workbook might be hidden behind other open windows due to an accidental action. Move other application windows around to see if the workbook becomes visible. If none of these solutions work, try restarting Excel or check for any system or software conflicts. If the workbook remains elusive, check the Recycle Bin to see if it was accidentally deleted.

When you click “Hide,” the worksheet will disappear, but it is still usable. You can unhide it by selecting “Unhide” from the “View” tab. This will display a list of currently hidden workbooks. Select the one you want to view and hit “OK.” It will reappear.

2. How to recover unsaved Excel 2007 files?

If you accidentally closed or shut down without saving, you can recover unsaved files by going to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Workbooks in Excel.

Why did my Excel file disappear?

• Accidental deletion
• Unintentional formatting
• Corrupted Excel file
• Excel file overwritten

Read the article to find out how to recover an overwritten Excel file without previous versions.

4. Can deleted files be recovered?

Yes, deleted files can be recovered. However, depending on how long the file has been deleted, you might need to use specialized software to attempt the recovery of the deleted file.