Step-By-Step Guide on How-To Enable Auto Recover and Fix Corrupt Files in Microsoft Excel

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

Enabling Auto Recover and Fixing Corrupt Files in Microsoft Excel

Enabling the AutoRecover feature in Microsoft Excel can help you automatically recover your work in case of unexpected crashes or system failures. While Excel's AutoRecover doesn't specifically fix corrupt files, it can help recover your data up to the last saved version. 

If your file is already corrupt, you might need to rely on other methods, such as opening the file in Protected View or using built-in repair options. Here's a step-by-step guide on enabling AutoRecover and dealing with corrupt files:

Enabling AutoRecover

Open Microsoft Excel:

Launch Microsoft Excel on your computer.

Open Excel Options:

For Excel 2016 and later: Click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner, then select "Options" at the bottom of the left-hand menu.

For Excel 2010: Click on the "File" tab, and then click on "Options."

Access Save options:

In the Excel Options window, a new window will appear. Click on the "Save" tab on the left-hand side.

Adjust AutoRecover settings:

Check the box labeled "Save AutoRecover information every X minutes." Set the desired time interval for AutoRecover to save your work. The default is 10 minutes.

Optionally, you can adjust the location where AutoRecover files are saved by clicking on the "Browse" button next to "AutoRecover file location."

Set AutoRecover folder:

In the "Browse For Folder" window, choose a destination folder for storing AutoRecover files. Click "OK" to confirm.

Confirm and save changes:

After setting up the AutoRecover options, click the "OK" button at the bottom of the Excel Options window to save your changes.

Dealing with Corrupt Files

Open Excel in Protected View:

If you suspect that an Excel file is corrupt, try opening it in "Protected View." This mode can help isolate any potential issues and prevent them from affecting your system.

Go to the "File" tab and click "Open."

Locate the corrupt Excel file and select it.

Instead of directly clicking "Open," click the drop-down arrow next to the "Open" button and choose "Open in Protected View."

Use Open and Repair:

If the file doesn't open properly, Excel provides a built-in repair option.

Close any open Excel instances.

Open Excel and go to the "File" tab.

Click on "Open."

Navigate to the location of the corrupt file, select it.

Click on the drop-down arrow next to the "Open" button.

Choose "Open and Repair." Follow the prompts to attempt repairing the file.

Remember that while AutoRecover can help protect against data loss due to unexpected crashes, it doesn't always guarantee complete recovery, and it's not specifically designed to fix corrupt files. Regularly saving your work and maintaining backup copies of important files is essential to ensure data integrity.

Contact Support.Com:

If you are still having trouble consider seeking personalized assistance from Support.Com.