Retrieve Excel doc that was saved to Google drive

Slattery, Kim 0 Reputation points
2026-03-06T15:48:33.2066667+00:00

I created an excel sheet and thought I saved it. I also put it in my work google folder. Now I cannot access either. Is there a way to get one of them back?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | Other | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-03-06T15:48:47.34+00:00

    Try the following paths, starting with where the file was last edited and saved.

    1. Check Excel’s recovery options
      • Open Excel on the same computer where the file was created.
      • If Excel previously crashed or was closed unexpectedly, the Document Recovery pane may open automatically and list recovered files. Open anything that looks like the missing workbook and then save it.
      • If the file was saved at least once before it went missing and AutoRecover was on:
        1. Open Excel.
        2. Select File > Info.
        3. Under Manage Workbook, look for a version labeled (when I closed without saving) and select it.
        4. Use Restore (or Save As if needed) to keep that version.
      • If the file was never saved:
        1. Open Excel.
        2. Go to File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
        3. Open any candidate file and then use Save As.
    2. Check Google Drive
      • Sign in to the Google account used for the “work Google folder.”
      • Look in My Drive and the specific folder where the file was placed.
      • Check Trash in Google Drive in case the file or folder was deleted and restore it if present.
    3. If the file was stored in OneDrive or SharePoint
      • If the workbook was saved to OneDrive or SharePoint from Excel, AutoSave may have created cloud versions:
        • Open the workbook (if any copy exists) and go to File > Info > Version History to see and restore earlier versions.
      • If the file was deleted from OneDrive or SharePoint, restore it from the service’s recycle bin using the guidance in the linked recovery article.

    If none of these locations (Excel recovery, Google Drive, OneDrive/SharePoint recycle bins or version history) show the file, there is no supported way in the provided documentation to recover it.

    References:

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