set new "autosave" toggle to off by default

Anonymous
2017-09-21T20:22:19+00:00

there is a new feature that has an "autosave"  toggle per document opened. i have 1000s of excel files since the 1990s and do not want to turn off autosave for all of them. how can i disable this by default? id like to turn it off completely if possible, it's something that is not only unwanted, it's actively negatively impacting my workflow. i'm  considering trying to download an earlier version of excel that does not have the 'autosave' toggle. this is not to be confused with autorecover. 

if this is not possible, can this be escalated to the product team to add as a feature?

i cannot express how much i hate the autosave toggle and need it gone.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

63 answers

Sort by: Newest
  1. Anonymous
    2020-01-24T20:39:50+00:00

    I have turn off AutoSave as the default. I then turn it on again in individual workbooks that I am actively working on. With AutoSave turned on by default, merely viewing an old worksheet caused its "Date Modified" to be updated.

    Under Office 365 Version 1912, it is under File/Options:

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2019-11-25T20:39:48+00:00

    I don't see it under Excel options. We need this function.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2019-11-25T20:37:34+00:00

    I agree with Jonathan. It should be under options to be turned off. I don't like auto save function as well. It messes up with big files and slows down dramatically.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2019-09-13T10:47:11+00:00

    MS developers do not "officially" read this forum. Some may lurk, out of personal interest, but that is it.  The only MS staff that do participate in this forum are some support workers. And on very rare occasions a real MS Project Manager may post something here.

    So what is the point of here then?

    The "point of here" is for an "Average user" to ask for help with specific problems. Then someone who finds the subject line intriguing will look at the question and based on their personal experience provide suggestions to fix the problem, or just move on to the next question.

    .

    If "you" identify a repeatable "bug", ie you asked a question and one or more of us were able to recreate it based on your description, they you have the option submitting a "bug report" type "feedback" to MS using one of the 4 possible processes.

    If "you" identify something changed in an application, either a change to an existing feature or a totally new feature (hint: MS has stats that in the past the OVERWHELMING portion of "new" feature requests already existed, they were just "hidden" in the menu/ribbon user interface), you can submit a "new feature" type Feedback. 

    For example, the "new & (dis)improved"  "Autosave" feature in Office. The one that is turned on by default for all files on OneDrive. The one that automagically saves every change as you make them. "A few" people are annoyed at the feature saving without permission. If they are doing "what if" type changes that they normally get rid of by NOT saving the file when exiting it, those changes are now saved to the file, messing up their "good" file, oops. 

    And, "a few" people are annoyed that there is no single setting in Office that you can use to change the default for ALL files, instead of being forced to remember to change it for every file they open.  This "minority" have the option of submitting 2 "new feature" type Feedbacks to MS demanding these changes to the OneDrive AutoSave feature.

    The Feedback process collects all of the bug reports and new feature requests all in one place (if you want to be nit-picky, 4 places: feedback hub, Windows app "smile/frown" buttons, Mac app "smile/frown" buttons, and "uservoice" (about 70 different weblinks ...) for "MS" to be able to easily review them.

    Most of the postings here are questions looking for help, so the "noise to information" ration for bug reports and feature requests is very high. By directing the bug reports to the Feedback process MS makes it easier for developers and manager to ignore them all in one place (ok, that is a tad sarcastic). The reason I say ignore them is that while we do see proof that a small percent of feedbacks are implemented, a year ago many "insiders" submitted feedbacks about the problems caused by the September 2018 Updates. The ones that caused user data file loss.  The feedback for those 2 or 3 specific problems was there, but MS "ignored" them. To their very public shame, having to issue 3 separate "emergency" updates for the defective update.

    To be fair, if you look at the simple numbers, the volume of feedbacks is bound to be overwhelming.  MS claims 800MILLION windows users, and 5-600MILLION Office users. Even if only 0.1% of those users submitted feedbacks for their Windows and Office applications that would still amount to 1-2 MILLION (or more) submissions per year that they would have to read and filter through. That is a lot of eye strain and a lot of time.

    We know there are a few developers and managers "lurking" on these forums because a couple of times a year one of them will pop up with a reply or posting about new features being released.  Frankly I would be very happy to see more participation from MS staff ("real" developers and managers with IN DEPTH knowledge) other than the Support staff assigned here.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2019-09-13T07:33:47+00:00

    Guys, these are good suggestions, but I have to repeat advice already posted on this questions.

    MS developers do not "officially" read this forum. Some may lurk, out of personal interest, but that is it.  The only MS staff that do participate in this forum are some support workers. And on very rare occasions a real MS Project Manager may post something here.

    So what is the point of here then?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments