Can I recover a spreadsheet I accidently deleted?

LinsterBee 

If you have accidentally deleted an entire sheet in Excel within Office 365, you might be able to recover it. Here is what you can try:

1. Go to the "File" tab in Excel.
2. Click on "Open."
3. In the "Recent" section on the left side, you should see a list of recently accessed files. Look for your deleted file in this list.
4. If the deleted sheet appears in the recent files, click on it to open and recover it.

If you can't find your deleted sheet in the "Recent" files, you might need to check your "OneDrive" or "SharePoint" recycle bin, if your Excel file was stored there. Here's how:

1. Go to your OneDrive or SharePoint account online.
2. Look for the "Recycle Bin" or "Deleted Items" section.
3. Check if your deleted Excel file is in the recycle bin, select it, and choose to restore it.

If your file was not stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, and you did not have a backup, it might be challenging to recover it. In such cases, it's essential to keep regular backups of your important files to prevent data loss in the future.

Here some additional steps:

1. Check the Recycle Bin (Windows): If you are using Excel on a Windows computer and you deleted the sheet recently, it may be in the Recycle Bin. You can check the Recycle Bin and restore the deleted sheet if it is there.
2. Look for Hidden Sheets: Sometimes, people accidentally hide sheets instead of deleting them. Check if the sheet is hidden. Right-click on any sheet's tab and select "Unhide" to see if the deleted sheet is listed.
3. Recreate the Sheet: If none of the above options work, you may need to recreate the sheet. This is why it is always a good practice to have backups or save versions of your work.

If you cannot recover the deleted sheet using the above methods, unfortunately, it might be lost. It is a good reminder to regularly save backups and be cautious when performing actions like deleting sheets in Excel.The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.

Remember that the ability to recover deleted files may depend on your organization's settings and retention policies.

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LinsterBee Start by navigating to the "File" tab in Excel. From there, click on "Open."

Within the "Open" dialog, head to the "Recent" section on the left. This is where you'll find a list of recently accessed files. Keep an eye out for your deleted file in this list.

If your deleted sheet pops up in the "Recent" files, a simple click will open it, allowing you to recover your work.

However, if the file isn't in the "Recent" section, let's check the "Recycle Bin" or "Deleted Items" on your OneDrive or SharePoint account. Visit your OneDrive or SharePoint account online and locate the "Recycle Bin" or "Deleted Items" section.

In this space, see if your deleted Excel file is present. If so, select it and opt to restore it.

Now, in case your file wasn't stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, and you didn't maintain a backup, recovering it might be a bit challenging. This emphasizes the importance of regular backups to prevent such data loss in the future.

As an additional measure, explore the Windows Recycle Bin, and check if the sheet was inadvertently hidden. Right-click on any sheet's tab, select "Unhide," and look for the deleted sheet.

Should these steps fall short, you may need to recreate the sheet. This underscores the wisdom of regularly saving backups or preserving different versions of your work.

In the event that these efforts prove futile and the sheet seems lost, it's a reminder to incorporate regular backup practices (i use nakivo for it) and exercise caution when performing actions like sheet deletion in Excel.

Remember, the ability to recover deleted files can vary based on your organization's settings and retention policies. Keeping these practices in mind will not only help recover lost data but also prevent such incidents in the future.