Recover Deleted Excel Files
Get back .xls and .xlsx spreadsheets after deletion, a crash, or a format.
Written by the Refindo Recovery Team · Updated
Losing a spreadsheet you spent hours on is its own kind of panic, but the file is often still recoverable. Excel AutoRecover keeps snapshots as you work, and a deleted .xlsx stays on the drive until new data overwrites it. Check Excel's recovery options first, then scan the drive — on Windows or Mac — to find spreadsheets lost to deletion, a crash, or a format.
What this covers
- Recover deleted .xls and .xlsx spreadsheets
- Find files after an emptied Recycle Bin or Trash
- Scan NTFS, exFAT, FAT32, and APFS volumes
- Works on Windows 10/11 and macOS 12+
- Preview spreadsheets before recovery
- Quick Scan for recent loss, Deep Scan for formatted drives
Recovery Workflow
- Check Excel AutoRecover and Recover Unsaved Workbooks first.
- Stop writing new files to the drive that held the spreadsheet.
- Open Refindo and select that drive.
- Run Quick Scan, then Deep Scan if the file is not found.
- Preview the spreadsheet, then recover it to a different drive.
Best Practices
- Look in AutoRecover and temp folders before scanning.
- Recover to a separate drive, not the source.
- Act quickly if the file was on an SSD subject to TRIM.
- Avoid installing recovery tools onto the same drive.
- Preview before recovery to confirm the spreadsheet is intact.
Check AutoRecover before you scan
Excel saves AutoRecover snapshots at regular intervals, which is the quickest route back to an unsaved or crashed workbook without any scanning.
- In Excel: File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
- Windows AutoRecover: %AppData%\Microsoft\Excel.
- Mac AutoRecovery: ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel.
- Open and Repair (in the Open dialog) can fix a damaged workbook.
Signature recovery for spreadsheets
When directory records are gone, a deep scan locates spreadsheets by their file signature and rebuilds them from the raw disk.
- A .xlsx file is a ZIP archive with a recognizable PK header.
- Older .xls files use a distinct compound-file signature.
- Contiguous files recover cleanly; fragmented ones may be partial.
- Signature recovery usually loses the original file name.
Excel Recovery Guidance
Unsaved vs deleted spreadsheets
A workbook lost to a crash is usually recovered from AutoRecover inside Excel. A deleted and emptied file is recovered by scanning the drive it was stored on.
Scan the right drive
If the spreadsheet lived on an external drive or USB stick, scan that device. If it was on your system drive, avoid using the PC and run recovery from another drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover an Excel file I closed without saving?
Often, yes. Excel AutoRecover keeps periodic snapshots while you work. In Excel, go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks before assuming the file is lost.
Can deleted .xlsx files be recovered after emptying the Recycle Bin?
Usually, if you act before the space is reused. Emptying the Recycle Bin frees the space but does not erase the data, so a scan can recover the spreadsheet until new writes overwrite it.
How are Excel files recovered when the file name is gone?
A deep scan finds spreadsheets by signature. A modern .xlsx is a ZIP archive with a PK header; an older .xls uses a compound-file signature. The data is rebuilt from the raw disk even without directory records, though the original name is usually lost.
Where does Excel keep AutoRecover files?
On Windows, under %AppData%\Microsoft\Excel; on Mac, under ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel. Checking these folders is the fastest path back to a crashed or unsaved workbook.
My spreadsheet opens but is corrupted — can it be recovered?
Try Excel’s Open and Repair option (File > Open > the dropdown next to Open). If the file on disk is damaged, recovering an earlier copy from AutoRecover or a scan of the drive may return an intact version.
Start with a free scan
Check recoverable files first, then decide whether to proceed with recovery — and save results to a separate drive.