Can I recover an unsaved Excel file after I closed Excel and reopened it?

Yes, if AutoRecover was enabled and the option to keep the last autosaved version was on. Go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks to see any drafts.

Where are AutoRecover files stored on my computer?

On Windows, they are stored in %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles. You can copy this path into File Explorer to browse the folder.

What should I do if I cannot find any unsaved drafts?

Check that the AutoRecover option was turned on, look in the UnsavedFiles folder manually, and check version history for cloud stored files. If nothing works, the draft may have been deleted.

Recover an Unsaved or Overwritten Excel Workbook

Q: Does Windows Previous Versions work for all files?

No, it only works if Windows File History or restore points were enabled before the file was overwritten. If they were not enabled, no previous versions will be available.

Close Excel without saving, or save over a workbook you meant to keep, and you can still pull the data back. Excel and the operating system include several recovery tools, among them AutoRecover drafts, the UnsavedFiles folder, stored revisions in OneDrive, and previous file copies captured by Windows. These techniques address work that was never committed to disk or was accidentally overwritten. A corrupted file is a separate problem.

How AutoRecover Works in Excel

Excel's AutoRecover feature quietly saves a draft of your workbook at a set interval. The default is every 10 minutes. You can shorten it in File > Options > Save. For unsaved drafts to survive, the option Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving must be switched on. If it is off, no draft is kept when you close without saving.

AutoRecover drafts live in a dedicated folder. On a PC, the path is %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles. You can browse there directly. But AutoRecover is not a substitute for saving. Drafts can disappear when Excel closes normally, so hit Ctrl+S often.

How to Recover Unsaved Workbooks

Closed Excel without saving? Do this:

Open Excel.
Go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks. A list of autosaved drafts that were never saved appears.
Alternatively, go to File > Open. At the bottom of the Recent list, click Recover Unsaved Workbooks. The same list appears.
Select the draft you want, open it, then save the file to a permanent location.

No drafts? Confirm that the AutoRecover option was enabled before you closed the file. Also check the UnsavedFiles folder directly by typing %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles into the File Explorer address bar.

Recovering an Overwritten Excel File

Saved changes over an existing file and need an earlier copy? Two paths.

Stored Revisions for Files in OneDrive or SharePoint

If your file lives in OneDrive or SharePoint, use Excel's stored revisions. Go to File > Info > Version History. This shows earlier snapshots saved automatically. Open an earlier snapshot, then save it as a separate file to restore the overwritten data.

Windows Previous Versions

Right-click a file and select Properties > Previous Versions. This shows copies saved by Windows File History or restore points. It only works if File History or restore points were enabled before the file was overwritten. If they were, you can restore an earlier copy from this list.

Understanding the UnsavedFiles Folder

The UnsavedFiles folder holds AutoRecover drafts for workbooks that were never saved. The location on a PC is %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles. Browse there directly to find draft files. They carry a .xlsx or .xls extension and open in Excel. Found one? Open it and save it somewhere permanent. These drafts are temporary. They may be deleted when Excel closes normally, so check this folder the moment you realise work is missing.

What to Do If AutoRecover is Not Working

If no unsaved drafts appear, work through this list:

Verify that Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving was enabled in File > Options > Save before you closed the file.
Check the UnsavedFiles folder manually by entering %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles in File Explorer.
If the file was stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, look in File > Info > Version History for earlier snapshots.
Right-click the folder where the file was stored and check Properties > Previous Versions if File History or restore points were enabled.

None of these work? The draft was likely deleted when Excel closed normally. Recreate the workbook from memory or any backups you have.

Preventing Future Loss of Unsaved Work

Stop losing work. Do this:

Save frequently with Ctrl+S or File > Save.
Ensure Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving is enabled in File > Options > Save.
Set the AutoRecover interval to every 5 minutes in File > Options > Save.
Enable Windows File History or restore points so Previous Versions are available.
Store important workbooks in OneDrive or SharePoint to get stored revisions.

If you do lose a file and the built-in methods fail, try a recovery service like xls.repair as a last resort.