[Fixed] How to Recover Previous Version of Excel File

Can you recover a previous version of an Excel file?

While creating and editing Excel files, many users often encounter unexpected data loss. One of the most common scenarios involves the loss of previous content after making changes to the file.

Can you recover a previous version of an Excel file? Fortunately, there are several practical recovery solutions that can help you restore your Excel file to an earlier version. If you are troubled with this painful issue, keep reading this post to learn how to recover previous versions of Excel files.

How to recover previous version of Excel file?

How to recover previous versions of Excel files depends on whether your files are saved or not. In this section, four effective recovery solutions will be presented. No matter if your file has been saved or unexpectedly lost, you can revert it to a previous version.

Fix 1. Recover Previous Versions Using AutoRecover

If your Excel file is unsaved and lost suddenly, the AutoRecover feature provided by Microsoft Office can help you restore previous versions of Excel files. While you're working on an Excel file, this feature automatically backs up your unsaved files or changes every 10 minutes by default in case of unexpected interruptions. Alternatively, you are also allowed to set the intervals as needed by clicking the File > Options > Save options.

If you have enabled this feature before losing your file, its earlier versions may have been backed up. Follow these steps to restore previous versions of Excel files:

Step 1: Open Microsoft Excel, and click the File > Open > Recent options in turn.

Step 2: Select Recover Unsaved Documents at the interface bottom.

Step 3: Locate the Excel file you lost, open it, and save it to the specified location.

Fix 2. Recover Previous Versions from Temp Folder

Besides that, you can also recover files from the temp folder if your files disappeared before being saved. In Windows, temporary files are generated by the operating system or applications to store short-term data. These files can be found in the Temp folder on the C drive. Unfortunately, locating a desired file can be challenging as all files have been renamed and their filenames bear no connection to the original ones. It is suggested to filter your file according to the modifying date.

Here’s how to recover previous versions of Excel files from the Temp folder on Windows 10:

Step 1: Locate the Temp folder via the path: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Temp

Step 2: Here you can see all temporary files on your device. Try to find the desired Excel file according to its modifying date, and then change its extension from .tmp to .xls or .xlsx as you like.

Step 3: Open this file and save it properly to the specified location.

Fix 3. Recover Previous Versions from Version History

How to recover previous versions of Excel files after saving? If your Excel file has been saved, consider recovering its previous versions from Version History. Microsoft Office 365 facilitates this feature that allows you to recover files to their earlier versions, provided they have been saved to your OneDrive or SharePonint. Every time you save a file, MS Office automatically tracks and saves its version. When you regret making modifications to your Excel files, you can easily revert them to a previous version with this feature.

Here’s how to recover previous versions of Excel files from Version History:

Step 1: Open Excel Office 365, and click File > Info > Version History. Here you can see a list of different versions of your files.

Step 2: Choose the version you want to recover and double-click it.

Step 3: The selected version will be displayed, and you can recover your file to this version by clicking the Restore option on the top bar.

Fix 4. Recover Previous Versions via File History

Is it possible to restore previous versions of Excel files after saving without using Microsoft Office 365? Sure! Windows provides a feature called File History, allowing you to regularly back up personal files and store multiple versions. If you have enabled this feature while editing your Excel file, you may revert it to an earlier version via the created copies.

Here’s how to recover previous versions of Excel files via backups:

Step 1: Go to the Control Panel, and select System and Security > File History in turn.

Step 2: Click Restore personal files.

Step 3: Choose the files you want to recover, and then click the Recover button.

What if your Excel file gets lost?

Since you have known how to recover previous versions of Excel files, let’s move on to how to recover deleted Excel files. If the file you want to restore has been entirely deleted, consider recovering it using reliable third-party recovery software. 

AOMEI FastRecovery, serving as a professional data recovery expert, can guide you through a smooth recovery process on Windows PCs and servers. With its advanced technology, you can effortlessly find all deleted and lost files, and recover the desired file to a specified destination without any loss.

Using Tips:

Files can be immediately recovered once they appear on the interface, even during an active scan.

It is advisable to preview your files prior to recovery, guaranteeing the correct file is restored.

Select a new destination for saving recovered files to avoid overwriting existing data.

Simply follow its user-friendly instructions to start your recovery experience with the following steps:

Step 1: Download and install AOMEI FastRecovery, and then choose the exact partition or disk where your files are located.

Step 2: Scan your disk thoroughly to find the deleted Excel files. 

Step 3: After scanning, all missing files will be displayed. Kindly choose the specific files and then click Recover.

Step 4: Specify a path for the file and wait for the process to complete.

Common Issues on Restoring Previous Versions of Excel Files

Q1: Can I recover unsaved changes to an Excel file?

Definitely! If you have enabled the AutoRecover feature while editing, your changes might have been backed up even though your file is unsaved. For more details, please check Fix 1.

Q2: How do I enable the AutoRecover feature in Excel?

AutoRecover is a built-in feature in Excel, designed to create file copies and provide recovery service when needed. By default, this feature automatically backs up your files every 10 minutes, but you can change the intervals when setting this feature:

► Go to File > Options > Save in turn.

► Ensure that Save AutoRecover information every x minutes and Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving boxes are selected.

► Customize the time intervals according to your needs.

Q3: What are the differences between AutoRecover and Version History in Excel?

AutoRecover is ideal for recovering unsaved changes when encountering sudden interruptions. However, Version History aims to track and store different file versions, mainly used with OneDrive or SharePoint. If you want to restore previous versions of Excel files after saving, it is recommended to use Version History.

Summary

In daily editing and handling of Excel files, it is easy to lose important content due to improper operations. How to recover previous versions of Excel files without any loss? This post offers four useful strategies for recovering a previous version of an Excel file. Whether or not you have saved the Excel file, you can restore it to a previous version. Additionally, if you are unable to find the desired file, it may have been accidentally deleted. In this case, it is recommended to use specialized software to recover the specific document.