How to recover unsaved xls file

Losing an unsaved Excel (.xls) file can be deeply frustrating, especially when hours of data entry or analysis disappear in a flash due to a crash, accidental closure, or power outage. However, Microsoft Excel has evolved to include robust recovery mechanisms, and there are also third-party tools and manual techniques to help you retrieve your work. 

1. The Pain of Losing Unsaved Excel Files

Imagine you’re wrapping up a detailed budget spreadsheet or sales report, only to realize that Excel crashed just before you hit “Save.” The feeling of helplessness can be intense. Fortunately, Excel and a number of third-party utilities offer recovery options that can bring your unsaved work back to life.

2. Common Scenarios Where .XLS Files Are Lost

Excel or computer crash

Accidental closure without saving

Power failure

File overwritten or replaced

Mistaken deletion

Software updates or system restart

These issues affect users regardless of whether they’re using Excel 2003 or newer versions capable of opening .xls files.

3. Understanding Excel’s Autosave and Autorecover

Autosave and Autorecover are Excel features that automatically save versions of your file in case of unexpected closure.

AutoRecover: Temporarily saves copies of open files.

Autosave (for Microsoft 365): Real-time saving to OneDrive or SharePoint.

To configure AutoRecover:

Go to File > Options > Save

Ensure “Save AutoRecover information every X minutes” is checked

Note the file path under “AutoRecover file location”

4. Method 1: Recover from Document Recovery Pane

When Excel restarts after a crash, the Document Recovery pane often appears automatically.

Steps:

Open Excel

If the Document Recovery pane appears, click on the available files

Save the file with a new name

If this pane doesn’t appear, try the next method.

5. Method 2: Check Excel’s AutoRecover File Location

You can manually access AutoRecover files:

Steps:

Open Excel and go to File > Options > Save

Copy the AutoRecover path

Open File Explorer and paste the path

Look for files with names like ~Excel[Number].xls or .asd

Open these files and save them normally

6. Method 3: Restore Previous Versions on Windows

Windows often stores previous versions of files and folders.

Steps:

Navigate to the folder where your file was saved

Right-click the folder > Restore previous versions

Select a version dated before the file was lost

Restore the folder or copy out the needed .xls file

7. Method 4: Recover from Temp Files

Temporary files can sometimes act as backups.

Steps:

Press Windows + R and type %temp%

Press Enter to open the Temp folder

Look for files named ~Excel.xls, .tmp, or *.bak

Rename them to .xls and try opening with Excel

8. Method 5: Use File History or Time Machine (macOS)

Windows File History:

Go to the folder where the file was saved

Right-click > Restore previous versions

macOS Time Machine:

Open Time Machine

Navigate to the location of the file

Look through past backups to find the correct version

9. Method 6: Recover Using Panda Assistant

If none of the above methods work, use a professional recovery tool like Panda Assistant.

Features:

Recovers unsaved, deleted, or overwritten .xls files

Deep scan mode for formatted drives

Supports preview before recovery

Steps:

Download Panda Assistant

Choose the location where the .xls file was lost

Run a scan

Preview and select the file for recovery

Save to a new location

10. Method 7: Retrieve from OneDrive or SharePoint

If you saved your Excel file to the cloud, older versions might still be recoverable.

Steps:

Open OneDrive/SharePoint in a browser

Navigate to the file or folder

Right-click the file > Version History

Restore a prior version

11. What to Do If Your File is Corrupted

Options:

Open Excel > File > Open > select the corrupted file > use Open and Repair

Open the file in Google Sheets or LibreOffice Calc

Use Panda Assistant to recover a clean version

12. Preventative Tips to Avoid Losing Unsaved Work

Save immediately after starting a file

Use “Save As” frequently

Enable AutoRecover and set it to save every 2-5 minutes

Store files in OneDrive or another cloud service

Regularly back up your data