How to Recover an Excel Spreadsheet

Microsoft Excel simplifies the process of creating spreadsheets with complex built-in formulas and colorful, descriptive charts. These spreadsheets can act as small databases or work to illustrate important data, such as budgets and sales figures. However, if a spreadsheet will no longer open or if it does open but displays garbled data, it will not be worth the paper on which it is printed. Fortunately, Excel offers incorporated tools that make it possible to recover data from a corrupted spreadsheet.

Instructions

1. 

   Start Excel with a new, blank spreadsheet. Click the "Office Button" in Excel 2007 or "File" in Excel 2003 or earlier. Select "Open." The "Open" dialog box will open.

2. 

   Click on the name of the corrupted spreadsheet. Click the drop-down arrow next to the "Open" button. Click on "Open and Repair." The "Excel Repair" dialog box will open.

3. 

   Click the "Repair" button. Excel will attempt to recover the spreadsheet. If it is successful, the spreadsheet will open correctly.

4. 

   Go back to the "Excel Repair" dialog box if the "Repair" option does not recover the spreadsheet. Click the "Extract Data" button.

5. 

   Select "Recover Formulas." Excel will attempt to recover the spreadsheet as completely as possible. If it does not recover it, go back and select "Convert to Values." Excel will recover the data from the spreadsheet without any formulas or formatting.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to save the recovered spreadsheet with a new name.

References

• Repairing corrupted files in Excel