Forum Discussion
Possible to recover excel file if it's accidentally saved over on another computer?
I understand your situation and how frustrating it must be to lose that much work. Recovering the accidentally overwritten Excel file might be possible, but the chances depend on which methods you can try:
Built-in options:
Previous Versions:
- If you're using Windows with File History enabled, right-click the overwritten file and go to "Properties" > "Previous Versions". If available, you can restore an older version from before you saved on computer two.
- Check if OneDrive or your cloud storage has version history enabled. Some services like Google Drive and Dropbox offer similar features.
AutoRecover in Excel:
- Open Excel and go to "File" > "Info" > "Manage Workbook". Click "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" and see if your new work was automatically stored there.
Data Recovery Software:
- If the methods above don't work, you can try data recovery software. However, there's no guarantee they'll succeed, and they can be costly.
Other considerations:
- Did you have any temporary files stored locally on either computer after working on the new page? They might contain fragments of your work.
- Was the file stored on a local server or network drive? If so, there might be backup versions available depending on the system's configuration.
Prevention for future:
- Always save your work with unique names or timestamps while working on different computers.
- Consider enabling version history for your cloud storage.
- Utilize cloud platforms that offer real-time collaboration features to avoid conflicts.
Unfortunately, there's no single definitive answer to recovering your lost work. It depends on the specific circumstances and available options. But hopefully, exploring these avenues might offer a chance to retrieve at least some part of your efforts.
- CyrilscriptJun 27, 2024Copper Contributor
smylbugti222gmailcom It'd be nice if #Microsoft could add a feature to view version history offline as well for any data format (and maybe limit it by space 1GB or time 1 month, e.t.c). I'm having the same problem here, and I'm very pissed.
Data loss is the most annoying thing for anyone working with data.- MiriamNgaregaJul 07, 2024Copper ContributorDid you find a solution? I'm facing the same problem
- Elizamarie1965Jul 11, 2024Copper Contributor
MiriamNgarega Try this: On your Excel sheet select FILE, then INFO, select VERSION HISTORY. This will allow you to view and restore previous versions of your work. You should see a window open and you can select a date/time before the changes you made. Double click and you should be able to restore your work. Hope this helps