Dealing with a damaged file is challenging, since there are numerous obstacles to overcome along the process. You will undoubtedly suffer greatly if you don't know how to fix an Excel file. Every time you open an Excel file that has been corrupted, you will receive the message "the file is corrupt and cannot be opened."
Sometimes, if you don't have a reliable backup, you can lose the contents of that corrupted file. You will eventually have to deal with this situation, but fear not—there are numerous remedies available for every difficulty.
Let's investigate the primary causes of corrupted files before learning how to fix Excel files.
What Causes Corrupt Excel Files?
An Excel file might be damaged for a variety of reasons. There may be a single cause for a problem, or there may be multiple offenders. The following are some typical causes of this issue:
Malware or viruses
File handling failures;
Corrupted or damaged storage;
App or OS issues;
Logical errors in the file;
Abrupt power outages or system shutdown
Practical Workarounds for Corrupt and Damaged Excel Files
The greatest tricks that enable you to fix a damaged file have been developed by us.
Excel File Repair Using the Built-in Repairing Feature
Thankfully, there is a built-in option in Microsoft Excel for fixing damaged files by Softaken Excel repair Software. This approach is only useful if your XLS or XLSX file has minor damage; in other cases, Excel's built-in function can easily fix it. All you have to do for this process is open the Excel application.
• Select the File option by clicking the Menu button now.
•To open the feature, click on it. It launches and lets you choose the corrupted Excel file that is already on your computer.
•Select the drop-down menu by clicking on it as opposed to loading it normally. The Open feature is directly next to a drop-down menu.
•Select the damaged file you want to have repaired, and MS Excel will take care of the rest.
Fix corrupt Excel files
Excel automatically enters "File Recovery" mode to fix damaged files when you open them. Conversely, you must enable the recovery mode if it isn't already. The built-in Excel function Open and Repair allows you to perform manual file repairs. You can take the actions listed below to enable this feature:
• Select the File option while a blank worksheet is open.
• To choose the corrupted file, pick Open and then browse.
• Press the arrow that is next to the open tab. Select the option labeled Open and Repair.
Any of the following choices can be used:
• Select the Repair tab to maximize data recovery.
• In the event that the Excel file repair process is unsuccessful, select the Extract Data tab to retrieve values and formulas from the Excel file.
Remove Unwanted Excel Temporary Data
Excel files occasionally experience transient problems that could interfere with other files. And removing any undesired temporary files from the system is a simple way to solve this issue. You must first open Windows Explorer in order to do this.
• Go to Users by opening its Windows drive now.
•Click App Data, and select Local from the menu.
•Select Microsoft Office from here.
•To get rid of files from the system, look for files here with the "temp" extension. You can attempt loading corrupted files by relaunching Excel at a later time.
In MS Excel, remove any unnecessary add-ins.
Another fantastic method for handling the issue of recovering corrupted Excel files is provided here. It's probable that you will have undesirable problems if your Microsoft Excel contains any unwanted add-ins. Any problem arising from an application can be readily resolved using Excel file repair.
• To do this, install Microsoft Excel and launch Menu.
•Select the File tab from the menu, then select Options.
•Navigate to the Add-ins area on the sidebar to access Excel Options.
Selecting add-ins that are no longer required allows you to click on the Actions feature located in the bottom panel. By only selecting the Manage Add-ins tab in Excel, you may even uninstall any add-in.
How to Repair a Corrupt Excel File from a Backup Copy
Once the automated backup feature is turned on, you can only restore an Excel file that has been corrupted or accidentally erased from the backup data. Let's take these simple actions now:
• Open the file that needs to be saved as a backup.
• Select Save As by clicking on the File tab.
• Choose Browse after selecting the computer option.
• Select the General Options option from the drop-down menu that appears next to the Tools button in the Save As dialog box.
• Select "Always Create backup" and press "OK."
You'll see an Excel backup file with a.xlk extension as soon as you enable the automatic backup option. You'll find your backup file back where it was saved.
Conclusion
You are now aware of the entire process involved in fixing a damaged Excel file. The fact that the aforementioned techniques don't require the usage of an outside program makes them quite successful. In addition, you have more alternatives to work with Microsoft Excel. Put your problems aside and carry on learning Excel.
