Efficient repair of corrupt MS Excel files

Efficient repair of corrupt MS Excel files

If  the File Recovery mode isn’t starting for a corrupt workbook, there is one manual process you can use to initiate recovery, but first, check if disk errors or network errors are preventing the workbook from opening, by moving it to a different hard disk drive/local disk before trying any of the recovery options mentioned below:

1. Click File and then Open.

2. Browse onto the folder containing the corrupted workbook.

3. On the drop-down arrow next to the Open button, click on Open and Repair.

4. Click Repair, which is the most effective. However, if even this fails to recover data from your worksheet, click on Extract Data. This will help you extract cell-values, numerical, and formulae from the corrupted workbook.

5. You can also try third-party software solutions that are available online along with ready-made tutorials, to try to recovery of corrupt workbook.

Next time onwards, make sure you are saving a backup copy of your workbook or at least keep creating a recovery file for the same, more frequently.

Efficient repair of corrupt MS Excel files

Repairing or attempting to repair a corrupt Microsoft Office Excel file is actually by chance. If the problem is not severe, the possibility of repairing the file is there but most of the time, fixing a corrupt file is not possible.

When you open a file or workbook in Microsoft Office Excel and it detects corruption upon opening, the program automatically starts in File Recovery mode by default and attempts to repair the workbook. But if File Recovery mode does not start automatically, you can do it manually.

To start File Recovery mode manually, start Microsoft Office Excel then click the Office button and select “Open” or press CTRL + O on your keyboard. In Open dialog, navigate to the location of the corrupt file then select it. Next, click the arrow in the “Open” button and select “Open and Repair”.

Next, select “Repair” to recover as much of the workbook data as possible. If this option was not able to recover your data, select “Extract Data” to extract values and formulas from the workbook.