How to Recover an Unsaved Excel File on Windows or Mac

Excel froze, the laptop died, or you clicked Don't Save by mistake. Before you start rebuilding that spreadsheet from memory, take a breath. Excel keeps backup copies in the background, and there's a good chance your work is still there.

The single most important thing: don't keep opening and closing Excel or start a fresh copy of the file straight away. Go through the steps below in order, starting with the one that recovers the most. I'll cover Windows, Mac and files saved to OneDrive.

Recovering an Excel file from the Document Recovery pane

If Excel crashed or your computer shut down, this is where to start. Microsoft says that when an app closes unexpectedly before you save, Document Recovery opens automatically the next time you open the app.

1. Open Excel again. Don't open the file from your folders yet.
2. Look for the Document Recovery pane on the left.
3. If you see several versions, check the date and time of each and pick the most recent.
4. Select the arrow next to the file and choose Open or View.
5. Check it's the right version, then use Save As straight away to save it with a new name.

When you close the pane, Excel asks what to do with the recovered files. Microsoft calls Yes, I want to view these files later the safest option. Pick that unless you're certain you've saved everything you need.

Tip from Microsoft: if the file names are cut off, hover over the right edge of the pane until you see a two-way arrow, then drag it wider.

Finding an unsaved Excel workbook from the File tab

If the pane doesn't appear, or you closed a brand-new workbook without saving it, open Excel and look on the File tab under Info for an option to manage the workbook and recover unsaved files. Menus vary by app version, so if you can't find it, move on to the next steps.

Whether a copy exists depends on your AutoRecover settings, which is why the next section matters so much.

Checking Excel AutoRecover is switched on

AutoRecover is what makes recovery possible in the first place. On Windows, Microsoft's steps are:

1. Go to File, then Options, then Save.
2. Tick Save AutoRecover information every x minutes.
3. Tick Keep the last autorecovered version if I close without saving.
4. Select OK.

That second box is the one that rescues you after a Don't Save click. Microsoft suggests putting a small number in the minutes box, like 5 or 10, so that if something goes wrong you lose very little work.

Restoring an earlier version from OneDrive

If your workbook lives on OneDrive or SharePoint, you've got another safety net: version history. This is brilliant when the file was saved, but saved with the wrong changes.

1. Open the file and click its title at the top of the window.
2. Choose Version history.
3. Open an earlier version. It appears in a separate window.
4. Select Restore if it's the one you want.

Microsoft says version history only works for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365, and that personal accounts can get back the last 25 versions.

Recovering an unsaved Excel file on a Mac

Microsoft says Excel for Mac normally recovers your work automatically the next time you open it after a crash or power cut. If it does, save the recovered file straight away before you edit or close it.

If nothing appears, you can look in the hidden AutoRecover folder:

1. Open Finder.
2. From the Go menu, choose Go To Folder.
3. Type /Users/, then your Mac username, then /Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft and press Return.
4. Look for recent files and open them in Excel.

Microsoft points out that the folder is hidden, so you need to type the full path rather than browse to it. Two Mac details worth knowing: saving manually clears out the previous AutoRecover files, and choosing Don't Save when you close a file deletes its AutoRecover file. Excel for Mac also doesn't let you set the AutoRecover timing.

How AutoSave changes Excel recovery

AutoSave is different from AutoRecover. Microsoft says AutoSave saves your file every few seconds while you work, for Microsoft 365 subscribers, but only when the file is stored on OneDrive, OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online.

Feature	What it does	Works when
AutoSave	Saves every few seconds	File is on OneDrive or SharePoint Online
AutoRecover	Keeps backup copies for crashes	Switched on in File, Options, Save
Version history	Lets you restore older saves	File is on OneDrive or SharePoint

Microsoft notes that AutoSave doesn't apply to a file that's never been saved, so a brand-new workbook is at most risk. My habit is to give every new workbook a name and save it to OneDrive in the first minute. After that, AutoSave keeps it safe.

Protecting business spreadsheets from lost work

• Save new workbooks to OneDrive straight away so AutoSave and version history kick in.
• Check AutoRecover is on, with a short interval, on every computer you use.
• Keep master templates, such as booking or client trackers, in one cloud folder rather than on the desktop.

If your team prefers working in the browser, Google's spreadsheet app is another option for shared files. My guides to the SUM formula in Google Sheets and Google Sheets checkboxes help you rebuild simple trackers there.

Frequently asked questions

How do I recover an unsaved Excel file after a crash?

Open Excel again and look for the Document Recovery pane. Microsoft says it opens automatically after an unexpected close. Open the most recent version and use Save As.

Can I recover an Excel file I closed without saving?

Possibly, if AutoRecover was on with Keep the last autorecovered version if I close without saving ticked. Look on the File tab under Info; menus vary by version.

Where are Excel AutoRecover files on a Mac?

Microsoft says they're in a hidden folder under your user Library in Containers, com.microsoft.Excel. Use Finder, Go, Go To Folder and type the full path.

Does AutoSave work on every Excel file?

No. Microsoft says AutoSave only works for files on OneDrive, OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online, and not for files that haven't been saved yet.

How many old versions can I restore from OneDrive?

Microsoft says personal accounts can retrieve the last 25 versions through version history.