How to Recover Excel File That Was Saved Over? – 4 Easy Ways!

It is extremely important to save Excel files regularly as this prevents our original Excel file from being lost in any data loss situation. But what if your, saved over Excel file is lost somewhere without your consent? Frustrating right? Well, in this blog, we’ll walk through methods to recover Excel file that was saved over. So, let’s get started…

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Is There a Way to Recover an Excel File That Was Saved Over?

Yes, there are various solutions to recover an Excel file that was saved over. All the possible methods are listed in this blog. You can try both the manual as well as automatic resolutions to this situation.

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This not only helps you to repair corrupted Excel files but also recovers the entire data saved in it. With the help of this, you can easily restore lost Excel data such as a cell, comments, charts, worksheet properties, and other related data. This is compatible with both Windows as well as Mac operating systems.

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Steps to Utilize MS Excel Repair Tool:

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How to Recover Excel File That Was Saved Over?

If you also want to get an answer to these questions then try out the following fixes. Here are some best possible working solutions listed down.

Method 1: Undo The Changes

recover saved over Excel file

Very first if your Excel file is still open, then there are chances to recover the original Excel files.

Try clicking the “Undo” option in the Edit menu > until it reverts to the previous version that you are looking for.

But, if this won’t work for you and you are not having another file copy or backup then try the second solution.

Also Read: How to Recover Unsaved Excel File? – The Ultimate Guide

Method 2: Try the AutoRecover File

recover saved over Excel file 1

You can make use of the Excel AutoRecover feature, I hope this will help you.

Follow the steps to do so:

  • First click Start then > Search.
  • Now choose All Files and Folders > when asked what you want to search for.
  • After that Type*.xls > under All or Part of the File Name.
  • And click on the arrow next to More advanced options > assure that file type reads All Files and Folders.
  • Click the boxes next to Search System Folders and Search Hidden Files.
  • Tap to the Next button.

Try the AutoRecover File

  • Lastly, look for an earlier version of your file with a similar name.

As this appears, open it to check if it is the version you are looking for.

Method 3: Recover Previous Version Of Excel File

If you are using Excel 2010 and 2013, then you have an option to recover the previous version of the Excel file.

Well, this is helpful if you can’t Undo or recover previous version of Excel.

Follow the steps given to restore the earlier version:

  • First, click on the FILE tab > on the left-hand side and choose Info.
  • Next,  in the Manage Versions button > you can see the entire autosaved versions of your document
  • Try to Recover it from there.

autosaved versions of your document

Excel tends to automatically save the workbook version at specific intervals but if you have made changes to the spreadsheet between the intervals > then every version name has data and time and “autosave” note.

As you click on any of them > it opens the most current version of workbook > you can compare them and verify the changes.

Please Note: The entire earlier Autosaved versions were deleted when you closed the document. So, if you want to look at the previous version, then create a backup of your data.

Unique FAQs:

Are Overwritten Files Gone Forever?

Yes, overwritten files are gone forever. Until and unless the files are not overwritten, they can be easily recovered.

How to Recover an Unsaved Excel File Without Autosave?

To recover an unsaved Excel file without AutoSave, follow these steps:

  • Open Excel >> go to FILE >> Open.
  • Click on Recent Workbooks >> Recover Unsaved Workbooks option.
  • Once the Open dialog box appears, choose the necessary file >> click Open.

Can I Recover an Excel File I Accidentally Saved Over?

Yes, you can recover an Excel file that you have accidentally saved over. If your Windows File History is enabled, right-click an overwritten file >> click ‘Properties’ >> ‘Previous Versions’ option. If available, restore an older version from before you saved it on PC.

Where Is Excel AutoRecover Files Stored?

Excel Autorecover files are stored in Excel/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery path.

Conclusion:

Hope the given solutions will help you to recover Excel file that was saved over. I tried my best to put together the possible manual solutions that might work in your case. So, make use of them and check if this helps you to restore the Excel file data.

Or else you can also make use of the automatic solution if none of the manual solutions worked in your case.

Also, I love to hear from you, so if you have any additional questions concerning the ones presented or related information or workarounds that I missed out then do let us know via our Facebook & Twitter.

That’s it!!!!



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.