Excel AutoSave (AutoRecovery): Configure Up to Save Location

Sometimes when you are in a hurry and there is a work deadline, you forget to save the Excel file, that’s when you need the AutoSave and AutoRecovery features in Excel.

Yes! These two features can’t only help you save Excel files periodically and automatically, Excel also allows you to recover files that you forgot to save, crash issues, or restore previous versions.

How to use it? Let’s get your guide.

AutoSave vs. Autorecovery Feature in Excel

AutoSave and AutoRecover in Excel both have an important role in backing up documents.

Just imagine when you open a new workbook and create a work report for hours. You create a very complex dashboard complete with data and graphs.

Then, what do you think if the power goes out, Excel crashes issue, or you close the workbook without saving it?

Logically, you will be stressed, angry, disappointed, etc. Redoing work from the beginning takes quite a bit of time.

This is where the AutoSave and AutoRecovery features are important.

With the AutoSave feature, Excel will save your Excel files periodically and automatically. Meanwhile, the AutoRecovery feature will allow you to restore files that you forgot to save to the previous version.

How to Configure AutoSave and File Location for AutoRecovery in Excel?

Luckily, by default, Excel enables the AutoSave and AutoRecovery features. So basically, you don’t need to set it back.

However, if you feel that the setting isn’t yet on your computer, let’s learn how to enable it.

1. In the open Workbook, click the File Tab.
   
2. Click Option to open the Excel Options dialog.
   
3. In the Excel Options dialog, click Save.
   
4. Check AutoSave and set the AutoSave period according to your wishes.
   
5. Check “Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving” to automatically save a copy when you forget to save after closing the workbook. Click OK to save it.
   

Note: By default, Excel will automatically save a copy of the document every 10 minutes. You can set the AutoSave and AutoRecovery periods as desired. Use a short interval if you frequently change the contents of the Workbook and don’t want to lose any changes.

Here you can also set the AutoRecovery Excel file storage location as desired. In this example, I saved it in the default location, namely C:\Users\rolan.mardani\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\.

C: is the disk partition used. \Users\rolan.mardani Is the user account that is currently using this device. \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ is the folder location where AutoSave and AutoRecovery files are saved.

Of course, you can also change the storage location of the AutoRecovery Excel file to another partition on your disk.

For example, changing partition C: to D: or E:. You can also determine the storage folder by changing \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ to \Workspace\Project\Backup or any folder you want.

How to Restore an Excel File with AutoSave and AutoRecovery Feature?

In this section, I will explain how to restore an Excel file that you forgot to save using the AutoSave and AutoRecovery features in 3 different conditions.

#1 Recover Excel Files You Have Never Saved

If you create a new Excel File and accidentally click Don’t Save when closing the Workbook, follow these recovery steps:

1. Open a blank Workbook, then Click the File Tab.
2. In the Tab Info, click Manage Versions, then click Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
3. Select your last saved version.
4. Click Open.

#2 Recover Excel Files You Forgot to Save Due to Crashes Issues

The data processing program may crash while operating. Likewise with Excel.

In the middle of the Workbook editing process, there is a possibility that your Excel software will crash and force close all files.

You may also experience power outages when working on a computer without a power supply.

All you need to do is reopen the Excel software. Then Excel will display the Document Recovery Pane as shown below:

Please click Show Recovered Files to see the automatic saving of your Excel File before the Excel software crashes. Sometimes, Excel has many versions of your File.

You can choose to open the desired Recovered File. Each Recovered file has the date and time the file was automatically saved as shown in the following image:

Note: After opening the AutoRecovery file you want, don’t forget to save it manually.

#3 Recover Files That You Have Previously Saved

If the Excel file has been saved before, then you change its contents and forget to save the changes. Please follow the steps below to revert to the latest modified version:

1. Open the previously saved Excel file. Then Click the File Tab.
2. Click Info. In the versions section (in other versions called Manage Workbook), Excel will tell you the version of the last Excel file that you forgot to save. Please click on the version to open it.

Tricks: Always Create Backup Files Excel

When you make changes to a workbook, then save it. You can tell Excel to create and save a copy of the old version (before the change) and the new version (after the change) at once.

There are 2 tricks you can do to achieve this.

#1 Create a Backup Copy of Files Using Save As

In the Save As feature, you can make changes to the contents of the Workbook and save a new version with a new file name.

For example, you create and save an Excel file named Book1.xlsx. Then at another time, you make changes to the contents of the file, then save it as a new file with the name Book2.xlsx.

With this, Workbook Book1.xlsx will be saved as the old version, while Workbook Book2.xlsx will be saved as the new version with the changes you made. You can do this repeatedly. So you have a backup of files before and after changes.

#2 Create Backups of Files Automatically Using The Always Create Backup Feature

You can always tell Excel to make a backup copy of the old version without always saving the new version with a new name.

For example, I reopened the Book1.xlsx file, made the changes, and saved it. Then, Excel can still save the file as Book1.xlsx while making a backup copy of the old version.

You can achieve these goals by using the following Always Backup features:

1. Open your Workbook, make changes, and click the File Tab.
2. Click Save As, then select a storage folder.
3. In the Save As dialog, click Tools, and click General Options.
4. In the General Options dialog, check Always Create Backup.
5. Click OK and Save. If the Confirm Save As pop-up appears to replace the old file, please click Yes. Results

Excel automatically creates a backup file for the old version with the name Backup of Book1 using the .xlk extension.

Note: Backup files are saved using the .xlk extension. So when you open it, Excel will give you a popup to confirm opening the file. Please click Yes to open it.

And… You only need to set Always Create Backup to 1×. Next, when you make changes to the contents of the Workbook, you can use Save (not Save As).

By using this trick, every time you make changes to the contents of a Workbook and then save it, Excel automatically saves the latest changes to the original file.

Meanwhile, the Workbook without any changes will be automatically saved to the backup file.

So you only have 2 files (original and backup) that are constantly updated.