We do not wish you that, but it could happen that one of your Excel files is corrupted and in this case, know that it is possible to do something, whether you have a Windows PC or a Mac.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Repair Corrupted Excel File
Step 1. Note that this repair is only possible on Windows
This is a feature that does not exist with other operating systems (macOS, Linux, etc.).
If you're working with a Mac computer, try one of the methods discussed later in this article
Step 2. Run Excel
Its icon is a green folder with a white “X” on the cover.
Step 3. Click Open More Workbooks
This option is visible in the left column, at the bottom, and is represented by a half-open white folder.
Step 4. Click Browse
In the middle of the page, on the right, its icon is an orange folder. In doing so, a File Explorer window will appear on the screen.
Step 5. Select your Excel file
Navigate to the different directories in order to view the corrupted Excel file. Select it by clicking once on its icon.
Step 6. Click on the small triangle
from the Open menu.
You will find the latter at the bottom right of the window. As usual, a drop-down menu will appear.
Step 7. Click Open and Repair
This is the last option at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
- If the option Open and repair is grayed out, verify that the file has been selected. If so, then it means that there is no possibility of repair.
Step 8. Click Repair
A pop-up window appears. The Windows system then attempts to repair the damaged file.
- If Excel could not repair the workbook, then click Extract data, then retrieve the values and formulas by following what is displayed on the screen. Only the data that can be recovered will be recovered, there is a great risk that the others will be lost forever.
Step 9. Wait for the file to open
For a large file, allow several minutes, because the operation is complex.
- If the file did not open, go back, the repair failed: try again by clicking on Extract data.
Step 10. Save the restored file
When the restore is complete, save the file using Control + S, double-click This PC, choose a backup folder, enter a meaningful name for your file, and then click Save.
When giving a name to the restored file, do not put the name of the old file, it is more careful
Method 2 of 5: Change the format of a file in Windows
Step 1. Understand the importance of the file format
Often times, Excel documents created on old versions of the software experience reading problems on newer versions. It is possible to change the extension (format) of an Excel document. By changing the format of the Excel file, for example to xlsx (or xls for older versions of Excel), you may solve the problem.
Step 2. Open the Start menu (
).
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Open File Explorer (
).
Click on the folder icon in the lower left part of the start window.
Step 4. Click the View tab
It's at the top of the File Explorer window. A toolbar appears under the tab.
Step 5. Select the File name extensions check box
Find the group Show / Hide in the toolbar, you will find the relevant box there. In doing so, the extensions of all the files will appear, including the one of the file you are having trouble with.
Step 6. Select your Excel file
Navigate to the folder where your corrupted file is located, then click once on its icon.
Step 7. Click Home
This tab is at the top left of the File Explorer window. A toolbar appears under the tab.
Step 8. Click Rename
In the group To organise in the toolbar, you will find this mention. Clicking on Rename, you will highlight the name of the Excel file.
Step 9. Change the file type
Change the existing extension (the part after the period) to xlsx, then press Enter.
- If your file is named Corrupt File.xls, change its extension to Corrupt File.xlsx.
- If a file already has the same name and the same extension, take for example the extension txt or html.
Step 10. Then click Yes
In this way, the change of name, or more exactly of extension, is recorded and confirmed.
Step 11. Attempt to open the corrupted file
Double-click on this file: if it opens in Excel, that's fine for you, as well as if you had an.html extension with an opening in a browser.
- If the file opens in your browser (html extension), then convert the transformed file by dragging its icon onto that of Excel: it will automatically transform into an xlsx file.
- If the file did not open, try restoring a previous temporary backup.
Method 3 of 5: Change the format of a file in macOS
Step 1. Understand the importance of the file format
Often times, Excel documents created on old versions of the software experience reading problems on newer versions. It is possible to change the extension (format) of an Excel document. By changing the format of the Excel file, for example to xlsx (or xls for older versions of Excel), you may solve the problem.
Step 2. Open a Finder window (
).
In the Dock, its icon is square and shows two recessed faces, one blue, the other white.
Step 3. Select the problematic file
Find the location of the Excel file in question, then click once on its icon to select it.
Step 4. Click File
This menu is the second in the general menu bar in the upper left corner of your Mac. Clicking on it brings up a menu.
Step 5. Click Get Info
This feature is accessible from the menu File: an information window is displayed on the screen.
Step 6. Optionally expand the Name and Extension section
If you only see this mention, don't panic! You must expand the section by clicking on the gray triangle located to the left of the section. In an all white field, you will see the name of the file and its extension.
Step 7. Change the file type
Change the existing extension (the part after the period) to xlsx, then press Enter.
- Suppose the document has the name example.xls, call it, for example, example.xlsx.
- If a file already has the same name and the same extension, take the extension txt or html.
Step 8. Click Use.xlsx
It's a warning message, but commit the change to have a chance to recover the contents of the file.
Step 9. Now try to open the file
To do this, double-click on the file icon. If the file opens in Excel, that's great. If it opens in the browser (with the html extension), that's fine too, you won't have lost everything.
- If the file opens in your browser (html extension), then convert the transformed file by dragging its icon onto that of Excel: It will turn into an xlsx file.
- If the file did not open, try restoring a previous temporary backup.
Method 4 of 5: Restore a temporary file in Windows
Step 1. Understand the limitations of the method
All programs in the Microsoft Office suite, including Excel, have an automatic backup feature … provided you have it enabled and configured, especially the backup frequencies. This is how you might have the chance to recover a file that got corrupted at some point.
Step 2. Open the Start menu (
).
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Type this pc
This PC is a special user folder, which contains subfolders.
Step 4. Click This PC
Its icon is a computer at the top of the start window. The content of This PC appears on the screen.
Step 5. Double-click the hard drive icon
In the Peripherals and drives part, rather in the lower part of the window, you will see a hard drive called Local disk (C:).
Step 6. Double-click on the Users folder
In the folder, this one is roughly in the middle, at the letter U.
Step 7. Double-click on your own user folder
This folder has a name that contains all or part of your username.
Step 8. Double-click on the Application Data folder
Since the name begins with the letter A, you'll find it at the top of the window.
- If you can't find this folder, click the tab Display, then check the box Hidden elements in the group Show / Hide.
Step 9. Double-click on the Local folder
He's often at the top of the file.
Step 10. Scroll down, then double-click on the Microsoft folder
You will find it at the letter M.
Step 11. Double-click on the Office folder
You will find it at letter O of the file Microsoft.
Step 12. Double-click on the UnsavedFiles folder
Rather, this folder is at the top of the window.
Step 13. Select the corrupted Excel file
You will find it easily thanks to its name. You must then select it, i.e. click once on its icon.
If you don't see anything that closely or remotely looks like your file, then there is no backup: your attempt stops there
Step 14. Change the extension of the Excel file
For that:
- click on Display;
- Check the box File name extensions;
- click on Home;
- click on Rename;
- replace the tmp extension with xlsx;
- press enter;
- click on Yes at the right time.
Step 15. Open the Excel file
To do this, double-click on the file you have just renamed.
Step 16. Save your file
On the keyboard, do the combination Control + S, double click on This PC, choose a backup folder, enter a meaningful name for your file, and then click Save.
When giving a name to the restored file, do not put the name of the old file, it is more careful
Method 5 of 5: Restore a temporary file in macOS
Step 1. Understand the limitations of this method
All programs in the Microsoft Office suite, and Excel is one of them, have an automatic backup feature … provided you have it enabled and configured, especially the backup frequencies. This is where you might have the chance to recover a file that got corrupted at some point.
Step 2. Click Go
This menu is the fifth in the general menu bar at the top of the screen. A menu then appears on the screen.
- If you don't see a menu Go in the general menu bar, you are not where you need to be: simply click on an empty space on the desktop.
Step 3. Hold down ⌥ Option
This is the condition for making the file appear. Library in the menu Go.
Step 4. Click Library
This item is in the middle of the menu Go. This folder Library is in fact usually hidden because it is seldom used.
Step 5. Open the Containers folder
Double click on the folder Containers, it is at the letter C of the always very full file Library.
Step 6. Click on the search bar
It is at the top and to the right of the window.
Step 7. Find the Microsoft Excel folder
Type
com.microsoft. Excel, then validate with the Enter key.
Step 8. Click the Containers tab
Just above the active window, on the line starting with To research, you will find in the second position the tab in question.
Step 9. Open the correct folder
Double click on the folder com.microsoft.Excel to open it.
Step 10. Open the Data folder
Step 11. Open the Library folder
Step 12. Open the Preferences folder
If it does not appear, it means that it is lower in the window, move the elevator.
Step 13. Open the AutoRecovery folder
In it, you might find saved versions of your damaged Excel file.
Step 14. Find the last saved Excel file
You can easily find it, its name totally or partially evokes that of the file to restore.
If you can't find anything, you don't have an older version
Step 15. Select the Excel file
Click once on the file in question.
Step 16. Click File
This menu is in the upper left corner of your screen. A drop-down menu will then appear.
Step 17. Stop the cursor at Open With
This option is usually at the bottom of the first section of the drop-down menu. A side pop-up menu appears.
Step 18. Click Excel
You should see the mention of this software. If so, click Excel in order to open this temporary file.
As the backup is scheduled from time to time, it is not sure that you have the latest version of your file, now corrupt … but it's better than nothing
Step 19. Save your file
Press Command + S, then choose a backup folder, enter a meaningful name for your file, and click Save.
Advice
- Automatically, any opening of a damaged Excel workbook launches the native Windows repair procedure.
- In case of corrupted file, try restarting your computer (Mac or Windows) in Safe Mode. It could be a virus or a file error after all.
- There are data recovery programs for damaged files on the market. They are chargeable and the result is sometimes partial. Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair (for Windows and macOS) is one of the serious programs, but is it worth it? It will be up to you to decide!
