Recover Overwritten/Replaced/Saved XLS/CSV Files

Have you ever had an important XLS or CSV file overwritten, replaced, or superseded by a new file with the same name? What would you do if such a problem occurred?

Normally, when an Excel file on a Windows computer gets overwritten or replaced, an average user would assume that the file is irrecoverable. If you have the same problem and cannot find a solution, do not give up yet. This article will provide you with two reliable methods to recover your overwritten, replaced, or even lost XLS/CSV files. Plus, the Data Recovery Wizard can easily restore deleted, lost, or formatted XLS/CSV files.

Method 1: Recover Overwritten XLS/CSV from TMP File

It is well known that Microsoft Office has an AutoRecover feature that saves all edited Excel files as temporary documents to a specific location on your Windows C drive. The exact spot might depend on the version of the operating system you use – it could be the “Unsaved Files” folder or the “Temp” folder in Windows. Therefore, if your Excel file is lost, replaced, or even overwritten, you can recover it directly from the TMP file with the following trick.

1. Locate the Temp folder on your computer, where Excel temporary files are usually found.

• For Windows 7 users:

"C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\"

For Windows 8/10 users:

"C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\"

2. Locate and select the correct Excel temp file based on the date, then copy and save it to another secure location by changing its extension.

Then, remember to save the recovered XLS/CSV file to a secure location so that it won't get lost in case of another unexpected issue.

Method 2: Recover Overwritten/Saved XLS/CSV Files from Previous Versions

If your Excel file (XLS or CSV) has been replaced or saved over, don't panic. You can recover an overwritten XLS/CSV file by following this guide.

1. Attempt to create a new Excel file with the same name as the overwritten one, or locate the previously saved version of the file. Right-click on the Excel XLS/CSV file and select "Properties"; 2. Navigate to the "Previous Versions" tab, find and choose the latest version before Excel overwrote or saved over it, and click "Restore." This way, you can recover your Excel XLS or CSV file without losing any saved data.

If you are a Mac user and have lost an unsaved Excel file, you can read how to recover lost or unsaved Excel files on Mac here: Recover Lost or Unsaved Excel Files on Mac.

Bonus Tip: Recover Lost/Deleted/Formatted XLS/CSV Files with File Recovery Software

If you have removed XLS/CSV from your PC by deletion, formatting, virus attack or emptying the recycle bin, don't worry – Data Recovery Wizard can help. This all-in-one data recovery tool supports deleted file recovery, formatted recovery, recycled data recovery, lost partition recovery, system crash recovery, RAW partition recovery and more.

Now, download and use this Excel file recovery software to restore deleted or lost XLS/CSV files from HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, Pen drive, external hard disk, and more.

Step 1: Select a location and click "Scan."

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

Step 2: Find your Excel file

To quickly locate your Excel files from the scan results, click the “Documents” option on the left pane. Select “Excel” and then click “Preview” to check if the Excel file is correct.

Step 3: Recover the Excel File

Finally, select the desired Excel file and click on the “Recover” button. After that, choose a folder to save the Excel file to another location.