FIX: Excel error – “File error: data may have been lost”

While opening an Excel file receiving “File error data may have been lost”, and looking for the solutions to recover corrupted or damaged Excel files, then here know how to regain data in Excel file.

MS Excel is very popular spreadsheet application used world-widely. It is used for storing, organizing and manipulating data. This is the most popular Microsoft spreadsheet application used by individual and business sector. But apart from its popularity, this is also prone to corruption. There are many unpleasant reasons due to which the Excel files get corrupted and start showing Excel file error data may be lost. And this makes the spreadsheet inaccessible.

Here in this article, know most common Excel error “File error: data may have been lost”. The users face this error when they try to open an Excel sheet in higher version of MS Excel while it was created in earlier MS Excel version. The occurrence of this error makes the entire data stored in it inaccessible. This is a bothersome situation, but the good news is that there are ways to fix Excel file error data may have been lost.

Here know some of the possible reasons that are responsible for Excel error message:

  • The error appears when the MS Excel file is created using the previous version and you are accessing the same file with the latest version.
  • Virus infection
  • Due to the corruption or damage in Excel file
  • Operating system corruption

So, to fix Excel file error, try opening the Excel file in the same version in which the Excel file is created. But if still, the file won’t open, then this might happen the file gets corrupted and needed to repair the Excel file. So here know the ways to fix the file error: data may have been lost and recovers data:

 

Ways to Resolve Excel File Error Data May Have Been Lost:

 

# 1: Recover Data from Backup

 

If you are having a recent healthy Excel data backup, then you can recover data easily from the recent backup. But if in case you are not having the recent backup then, here you need to repair the excel file error.

So, below follow the manual way to fix  file error: data may have been lost

 

#2: Open and Repair Utility

 

To fix the error make use of the inbuilt open and repair utility. This is the best repair tool present in MS Excel application and can be utilized to repair the Excel file. It is easy to use, here follow the steps:

  • Click Open > click on the location where the spreadsheet is located > Browse
  • Then in the Open dialog box, select the corrupted workbook.
  • Click the Open button and then click Open and Repair.

  • And do one of the following methods:
    • To recover workbook data click Repair.
    • Or to extract values and formulas from the workbook when the repair attempt workbook is not workable, click Extract Data.
  • Save the file in XML or HTML format and convert it back to normal file format

If the file is using a chart linked to the affected file, then you use a macro to extract the data.

Hope you can now repair Excel file error data may be lost but if not then make use of the third party repair tool.

 

#3 Utilize Third Party Repair Tool

 

Make use of the third party MS Excel Repair Tool. This is the professional recommended solution to deals with any sort of corruption, damage, and errors in the Excel file. It allows to restores excel workbook data including charts, worksheets, cell comments and other data. This is the unique tool to repair multiple excel files at one time and save the recovered data in the preferred location. It is easy to use and supports both the Windows as well as Mac OS.

Try Now       Buy Now
* Free version of the product only previews recoverable data.

Steps to Utilize MS Excel Repair Tool:

excel-repair-main-interface-1
stellar-repair-for-excel-select-file-2
stellar-repair-for-excel-repairing-3
stellar-repair-for-excel-preview-4
stellar-repair-for-excel-save-5
stellar-repair-for-excel-saving-6
stellar-repair-for-excel-repaired-7
previous arrow
next arrow

Conclusion:

In this article, we tried our best to provide possible ways to fix the excel File error: data may have been lost and restore lost data. Try the given solution and get rid of the Excel error easily.



Priyanka is a content marketing expert. She writes tech blogs and has expertise in MS Office, Excel, and other tech subjects. Her distinctive art of presenting tech information in the easy-to-understand language is very impressive. When not writing, she loves unplanned travels.