Losing an important Excel file due to corruption can be stressful. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you recover your data step by step.

Step 1: Open Excel in Safe Mode

  1. Close any open Excel files.
  2. Hold down the “Ctrl” key on your keyboard.
  3. Double-click on the Excel shortcut to open it.
  4. A prompt will appear, asking if you want to start Excel in Safe Mode. Click “Yes”.

Step 2: Open the Corrupted File

  1. In Safe Mode, click on “File” in the top menu bar.
  2. Select “Open”.
  3. Navigate to the location of the corrupted Excel file.
  4. Select the file and click on the “Open” button.

Step 3: Open and Repair the File

  1. After selecting the corrupted file, click on the “Open” dropdown arrow.
  2. Choose the “Open and Repair” option.

Step 4: Use the Recovered Version

  1. If Excel successfully repairs the corrupted file, it will open with the recovered version.
  2. Save this recovered version immediately under a different file name.
    • Go to “File” > “Save As”.
    • Choose a new name and save location for the recovered file.

Step 5: Extract Data from a Previously Saved Version

  1. If the “Open and Repair” option wasn’t successful, try extracting data from a previously saved version.
    • Click on “File” > “Open”.
    • Navigate to the location where you save backups or versions of Excel files.
    • Select a suitable past version and click “Open”.
  2. Copy and paste the data from the past version into a new Excel file.
    • Create a new file by clicking on “File” > “New” > “Blank Workbook”.
    • Return to the past version, select the data, and press Ctrl + C to copy.
    • Go to the new file, select a cell, and press Ctrl + V to paste.

Step 6: Use a Third-Party Recovery Tool (if necessary)

  1. If the above steps don’t work, consider using third-party Excel recovery tools.
  2. Explore reputable software options available online.
  3. Follow the instructions provided by the chosen recovery tool to recover your corrupted Excel file.

By following these steps, you can recover your corrupted Excel file and regain access to your valuable data. Remember to save a recovered version immediately and consider creating regular backups to prevent data loss in the future.

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