How to Undo Changes in Excel After Save and Close

Ever wished you could turn back time after accidentally saving unwanted changes in Excel? In 2025, with more people working remotely and collaborating through cloud-based tools like Microsoft 365 and OneDrive, accidental overwrites, deleted data, or closing files too soon is more common than ever. Whether it’s losing key formulas, important reports, or entire worksheets, it happens to the best of us. The good news is — you still have options! In this up-to-date guide, we’ll show you how to undo changes in Excel after save and close using simple, effective methods available in 2025. From improved built-in Excel tools and cloud version histories to smart file recovery software, you’ll learn exactly how to get your data back quickly and safely.

How to Undo Changes in Excel After Saving and Closing

Accidentally saved and closed your Excel file with unwanted changes? Don’t worry—if the file is still accessible, there are a few ways you can try to undo those changes even after closing it. Here are four effective methods to help you recover your previous work.

Method 1: Use the Undo Button (Before Closing)

Excel’s Undo button is a lifesaver, but remember—it only works while your file is still open. Once you save and close the document, the undo history disappears. Steps are as follows:

Step 1: Locate the Undo icon—a curved arrow—on the Quick Access Toolbar at the top left of your Excel window.
Step 2: Click the Undo icon once to reverse your last action, or click the small dropdown arrow beside it to see a list of recent changes.

Step 3: From the dropdown list, select multiple actions you want to undo at once by clicking them in order.

Keep in mind that once you save and close the file, this undo history is wiped clean, so this method won’t work after reopening.

Method 2: Use Ctrl+Z (Before Saving and Closing)

If you’re a fan of keyboard shortcuts, then Ctrl + Z is probably already your go-to for undoing mistakes—and for good reason! It’s quick, easy, and lets you rewind your last actions in Excel step by step. Just keep in mind, this handy trick only works while your file is still open. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Whenever you notice something you want to undo, simply press Ctrl + Z on your keyboard to instantly reverse that last action.
Step 2: If you need to undo more than one change, just keep pressing Ctrl + Z repeatedly, and Excel will walk you back through your recent edits one at a time.
Step 3: When you’re finally satisfied with your changes, make sure to hit Save so you don’t lose your progress.

Method 3: Use Excel’s Version History (After Closing)

If you’ve already saved and closed your file, don’t panic—Excel’s Version History feature can be a real lifesaver, especially when your files are stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. This feature automatically saves past versions of your document, letting you go back in time and restore the exact version you need.

Step 1: Head to OneDrive in your web browser and find the Excel file you want to recover.
Step 2: Right-click on the file and select Version History from the menu.

Step 3: Scroll through the list of previous versions to find the one that has the data or changes you want to restore.
Step 4: Click Download to save a copy, or hit Restore to replace your current file with that earlier version.

To make the most of this feature, save your important Excel files to OneDrive so you can easily access automatic version tracking anytime.

Method 4: Recover From a Backup Copy

If you’ve set up backups or enabled AutoRecover in Excel, you might be able to retrieve an earlier version of your workbook without much hassle.

✅How to Using AutoRecover:
Step 1: Open Excel and go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
Step 2: Browse through the list and select the unsaved file you want to recover.
Step 3: Click Open to preview it, then immediately save it by choosing Save As to avoid losing it again.

✅ Or creating a VBA Backup Copy:
Step 1: Press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.
Step 2: In the editor, click Insert > Module to add a new module.
Step 3: Paste your VBA backup code into the module window.
Step 4: Press F5 to run the code, which will create a backup copy of your workbook automatically.

Quickly Recover Lost Excel Files with WinfrGUI

Accidentally deleted or lost your important Excel file? Don’t stress—WinfrGUI is a free, easy-to-use recovery tool designed to help you get those files back quickly and safely, even if they were permanently deleted.

✅ Here’s how to get your Excel files back step-by-step:

Step 1: Download WinfrGUI and select the drive or folder where your Excel file was lost, then hit the Scan button to start searching for recoverable files.

Step 2: Once the scan finishes, navigate to the Documents tab—this is where WinfrGUI organizes files by type, so look specifically for Excel file extensions like .xls or .xlsx.

Step 3: Preview the files to make sure you’ve found the right one, then select it and click Recover. Make sure to save the recovered file to a different, safe location—never the original spot—to avoid overwriting any other lost data.

Give WinfrGUI a try—it’s free, intuitive, and a great way to recover your lost Excel work without any technical headaches.

How to Recover a Previous Version of an Excel File after Saving It

Accidentally saved over your Excel file? Don’t worry—if you didn’t undo the changes in time, you might still be able to recover an earlier version, especially if AutoRecover is enabled in Excel.

Here’s how you can try to get your unsaved or previous version back:

Step 1: Open Excel and go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks — this is where Excel keeps temporary versions.
Step 2: A list of recently unsaved files will appear. Select the one you want and click Open to review its contents.
Step 3: If it looks good, click Save As from the top menu to save this version in a secure location with a new file name.

Make sure AutoRecover is turned on in Excel’s Options menu to protect your work in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are four additional questions related to undoing changes in Excel after saving and closing.

Q1. How to undo all changes to get back the original data in Excel?

• You can undo all changes in Excel to revert to the original data using the “Undo” function, which can be done by pressing Ctrl + Z on the keyboard or going to the “Edit” menu and selecting “Undo.” If you want to go back to a previous version of the file, you may need to use the “Version History” function if your file is saved in OneDrive or SharePoint.
• You can use the back button and shortcut keys to undo all changes and restore the original data.
• Another option is to reverse any modifications by using a copy of the original data.
• WinfrGUI has the ability to undo all changes and restore the original data.

Q2. Can I recover an Excel file that was accidentally overwritten?

Yes, you can try to recover an overwritten Excel file in Windows 10 by accessing previous versions. If you have enabled File History or Windows backup, you can restore the overwritten file.

Q3. How do you undo changes in Excel after saving?

You can revert changes in Excel after saving by using the “Previous Versions” or “Document Recovery” feature, if you have enabled it. You can go to “File” > “Info” > “Manage Versions” to view previous versions of the file and recover as needed. However, if you haven’t enabled this feature, it may not be possible to revert the changes.

If the Excel document is still open, you can quickly undo changes by clicking the undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar or by using the shortcut Ctrl+Z. Don’t forget to save the document again after you undo the changes!

Q4. Can I restore changes after saving the document?

In some cases, you can go back to the point before making changes if you haven’t closed the document yet. First, use “Save As” to save it under a new name. Then, use the undo function to revert the changes. Finally, save the document using the original name you set.

We hope that these explanations will help you understand and successfully revert changes in Excel after saving and closing the program. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need further assistance.

Conclusion

Accidentally saving over your Excel file or closing it with mistakes can be incredibly frustrating—but it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. In this guide, we’ve walked through several practical ways to undo changes in Excel after saving and closing, including using version history, AutoRecover, backup copies, and trusted recovery tools like WinfrGUI. Each method offers a chance to retrieve your work and get back on track without starting from scratch. Whether you catch the error before closing or realize it later, there’s almost always a way to recover what you lost. To stay one step ahead, consider enabling Excel’s AutoSave and regularly backing up important files. That way, even if something goes wrong, you’ve got a safety net in place. Keep these tips in your toolkit—and the next time Excel throws you a curveball, you’ll be ready to bounce back with confidence.

🔗 Also Read: 7 Fixes to Accidentally Clicked Don’t Save Excel Issue