How to Get Previous Version of Excel File

Learn how to recover and get previous versions of Excel files to get valuable information. Whether you have saved files by mistake or have not saved a list at all, there are various methods that will help you recover the desired version. Follow this article for expert and step-by-step directions.

Does the saved Excel file have a previous version?

“I saved an important Excel file by mistake, which lost valuable information.” No idea how it happened without it. Can I retrieve the file before it’s overwritten? If so, please help.” 

Recovering saved Excel files is a common problem that many users face. How to recover an earlier version depends on whether you have saved the file. If the Excel file is still open, you can use Ctrl+Z or Cancel options to restore it to its previous state.

However, if edited Excel files were saved and closed, the recovery process would be harder. In this article, we’ll talk about two cases: Recovering previous versions of Excel files (2016, 2013, 2010, or 2007) when files are saved, and recovering when files aren’t saved. Also, we recommend using WinfrGUI. An easy-to-use tool to recover lost Excel files easily.

Recovering previous version of Excel files after saving

You can get back to an older Excel file using Windows’ backup feature and Excel’s workbook control tools. 

Recovering previous version Excel file from previous version

Windows will save your file to an older version if you enable file history and backup and restore.

• Step 1: Start File Explorer and Find Excel/Word Files
• Step 2: Right-click the file and choose “Properties.”
• Step 3: Choose the version to recover from the “Previous Version” menu. Click “Restore” to proceed. 

Recover Excel files to previous versions using the Excel Integration Tool

It is possible to recover earlier versions of Excel files by utilizing the workbook management options, which are made available to you.

• Step 1: Open the file that you are now working on.
• Step 2: Navigate to the “Files” section of the “Manage Documents” menu, and then click on the “Information” button. Make sure you choose “When I close without saving.”
• Step 3: To rewrite the version that was previously saved, click the “Restore” button located in the toolbar. 

Recover Excel file previous version not saved

If you haven’t saved the file yet, try the following two ways to browse the previous version of the Excel file.

Recover unsaved Excel files from AutoRecover

When the AutoRecover option is enabled, Windows will automatically save the version of your file while you are working with it.

• Step 1: Click “Files” > “Information” >”Manage Workspace >Recover unsaved workspaces”
• Step 2: Select the file and click “Open.”
• Step 3: In the toolbar, click “Save as” to save the file.

Recovering older Excel files from files.TMP

Microsoft Office will automatically save the temporary file for the file you are editing. You can find the file.  TMP to retrieve an earlier version of an Excel or Word file.

• Step 1: Depending on the location of the temp file folder on your PC:

For Windows 7 users: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\

For Windows 8/10 users: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\

• Step 2: Find a temporary Excel or Word file that starts with “$” or “~” and ends with “.TMP” Select the appropriate version of the TEMP file and copy it to a secure location by changing the extension from.TMP’s going to be .XLSX or.DOC.DOCX

Conclusion

To conclude, if your Excel file was accidently overwritten and lost data, you can recover prior versions using the four recovery methods. When a mistaken deletion occurs, a storage device is formatted, the operating system malfunctions, a virus attacks, or recycling tanks are emptied, these methods may not work. In these cases, WinfrGUI, a reliable data recovery software, may recover deleted Excel files. 

How to Recover Deleted / Failed Excel Files with Data Recovery Software

If you have deleted an earlier version of an Excel file, or if the saved file is lost due to deletion or formatting, you can use WinfrGUI to restore it in three simple steps.

• Select a disk with missing files in WinfrGUI. Start scanning. The software recovers data from HDD, SSD, USB, SD cards, cameras, etc.
• Scan the results and filter file kinds with WinfrGUI. It supports over 1000 file kinds, including photos, documents, and audio.
• Select the file to preview and click “Recover”. Save recoverable data by specifying a location. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I recover the Excel file I saved?

Yes, you can easily restore saved Excel files using the following methods:

• Restore Excel to a previous version from the previous version under Properties
• Restoring Excel to an earlier version through Workbook Manager

How can I recover my saved files?

You can recover saved files using the previous version of the application or the workbook management features available in all of the Office apps.

Why is there no previous version of my Excel file?

If you could not find the previous version of the file, it may be because you did not enable the file history property.

How do I get back to the latest Excel file?

There are several ways to restore your Excel file to the latest version:

• Restore Excel to a previous version from the previous version under Properties
• Restoring Excel to an earlier version through Workbook Manager
• Restoring Excel to an earlier version from a file.  TMP
• How to recover previous versions of Excel files on Mac

If you are using a Mac and want to return to an older Excel file, open the file, then go to File > Back to > Show all versions. Select the desired version, then click OK.

>>Read Also: 3 Ways to Recover Deleted Excel Files Not in Recycle Bin