How to recover new unsaved Excel files
If you are not familiar with AutoRecover, click following link to learn What is AutoRecover feature in Excel.
This tutorial lesson explains How to recover a new unsaved Excel file using AutoRecover feature. Means that it is a new Excel file (never saved before) and accidently clicked "Don't Save" button while closing Excel workbook.
Before proceeding to use this feature, make sure that following settings are configured inside "Save" Panel, under "Save workbooks" heading..
1) AutoRecover information save time interval ("Save AutoRecover information every _ minutes"), as shown in below image.
2) Checkbox "Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving" is checked in Excel Options window as shown in below image.
Consider below scenario.
• You were working to make below Excel file for long time.
• You have clicked "Close" button to close the Excel window, as shown in below image.
• You accidently clicked "Don't Save" while trying to save the file before closing the Excel window. After clicking "Don't Save" button, you realized that you did a big mistake.
Tip
Normal Excel File close save prompt is shown below.
If AutoRecover for new unsaved Excel file is configured & working properly, file save prompt text will show the message as shown in below image.
"If you click "Don't Save", a recent copy of this file will be temporarily available."
How to recover new unsaved Excel files via Backstage View "Open" menu
Follow below steps to recover new unsaved Excel file via Backstage View "Open" menu.
Step 1 - Open Excel Backstage View by clicking "File" Tab in Excel Ribbon.
Step 2 - Click "Open" from left green menu and then click "Recover Unsaved Workbooks" button, as shown in below image.
Step 3 - Select the unsaved file which you want to recover. If there are many files available, find your file by comparing date and time in thetime stamp. Click "Open" split button.
Step 4 - AutoRecovered file for new unsaved Excel file is opened as shown in below image. The message bar shows that "This is a recovered file that is temporarily stored on your computer".
Now click "Save As" button to make the AutoRecovered Excel file available for future use.
How to recover new unsaved Excel files via Backstage View "Info" menu
You can achieve the same results explained above via Excel Backstage View's "Info" menu, as explained below.
Step 1 - Open Excel Backstage View by clicking "File" Tab in Excel Ribbon.
Step 2 - Click "Info" from left green menu in Excel Backstage View. Click "Recover Unsaved Worksheets" to recover new unsaved Excel workbooks, as shown in below image.
