How to Open Corrupt Excel File without Backup

Summary: The blog describes simple ways to open corrupt Excel file without any backup. It explains some manual workarounds that you can try to open the file. Also, it mentions about an Excel file repair tool that can quickly fix the corrupt file and recover data from it.

Do you have an Excel file that won’t open due to corruption? Are you repeatedly encountering the same error message “the file is corrupt and cannot be opened” when trying to open it?

Excel File Corruption Message

Also, you don’t have a healthy backup of the Excel file to restore the data? If so, you can try repairing the corrupt file by using a few simple yet effective manual methods mentioned below.

TIP: Performing the manual workarounds can take time and increases data loss risk. But, you can easily and quickly fix a corrupt Excel file by using professional Excel repair software.

Manual Methods to Open a Corrupt Excel File?

Following are some manual methods that can help you open a corrupt Excel file:

Method 1: Repair Corrupt Excel File

When attempting to open a corrupt file, Excel automatically starts ‘File Recovery’ mode to repair the file. But, if the recovery mode doesn’t start, try Microsoft Excel’s built-in ‘Open and Repair’ feature to manually repair the file.

To use this feature, perform the following steps:

Step 1: Open a Blank workbook in Excel, and then click File > Open.

Step 2: In the Open window, browse and select the corrupt file.

Step 3: Click the arrow that is beside the Open tab, and select Open and Repair.

Open and Repair Option

Step 4: Implement one of the following:

Excel Built-in Repair Options

If using Open and Repair does not work, move to the next method.

Method 2: Disable the Protected View Feature

Some Excel users have reported that turning off the ‘protected view’ feature in Excel helped them open the corrupt file. You can also try to disable this feature and open the file. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open a blank Excel file, click on File > Options.

Step 2: In the Excel Options window, select Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.

Excel Trust Center Settings

Step 3: Click OK.

Now check if you can open the corrupt file. If not, try implementing the next method.

Method 3: Look For Automatically Recovered Excel File 

If you have Excel’s AutoRecover feature enabled, you’ll have access to a copy of the Excel file corrupted or lost due to application crash, power outage, or accidental deletion.

The ‘AutoRecover’ feature saves Excel worksheets at a temporary location after a certain time interval. It saves the worksheets automatically and is turned on by default to reduce the chance of data loss.

Check if you can recover corrupted Excel file by following these steps:

Step 1: In Excel, open a Blank workbook.

Step 2: Go to File and click Options.

Figure 5 – Excel Options

Step 3: In the Excel Options dialog box, click Save, and then copy the ‘AutoRecover file location’.

Excel Options Window

Step 4: Open File Explorer window and paste the copied AutoRecover file location, and press Enter.

Step 5: A list of saved Excel files will be displayed. Choose the file you want to recover.

Also read: Excel AutoRecover not working, what is next?

TIP: Use Excel’s AutoBackup feature to reduce chances of data loss, by saving a previous version of your spreadsheet automatically.

Use an Excel File Repair Software

If the above manual methods fail, you can repair the corrupt Excel file by using our Stellar Repair for Excel software. It helps to repair corrupt Excel (XLS and XLSX) files easily and effectively.

Read this: How to repair corrupt Excel file using Stellar Repair for Excel?

Some key features of Excel Repair software are as follows:

Conclusion

You can try the methods discussed in the blog to open a corrupt Excel file without a backup. Disabling the protected view feature can help you open the file. If the issue persists then try repairing the corrupted Excel file using the Open and Repair utility. Although, it may not be able to fix a severely corrupted workbook. In such a case you can use Stellar Repair for Excel. It is an advanced tool that can help you repair a corrupt Excel file with 100% integrity.

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