Excel Repair Tool to Repair Corrupt Excel files (.XLS/.XLSX)

When to Use Stellar Excel File Repair Tool?

Unable to Open an Excel File Due to Invalid Extension?

You may face an error - “Excel cannot open the file .xlsx” in Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, etc., leading to data loss. This error occurs when you try to open corrupt Excel file or an invalid file format. Using the correct extension can resolve the issue, if there is no corruption. However, you need an Excel repair tool if the file is corrupt. Stellar Repair for Excel can repair the corrupt file and recover all objects in intact form.

Learn More

Excel File Not Opening Due to Corruption?

You cannot open an Excel file if it is corrupted. For example, opening an Excel file created in a lower version like Excel 2007 in Excel 2010 or later version can throw a corruption error message. Or, the file may open in a ‘protected view,’ not allowing any write operations. The Excel repair tool from Stellar provides a comprehensive solution to fix corrupt Excel files across all versions, including Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and older.

Learn More

Excel Found Unreadable Content?

You may encounter an error message – “Excel found unreadable content in filename.xls”, with a message to recover the contents of the workbook. Clicking ‘Yes’ to recover the contents may lead to loss of formatting, replacement of formulas, and inconsistencies. Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair software now Stellar Repair for Excel can scan the workbook and recover its contents.

Learn More

KEY FEATURES FOR REPAIR FOR EXCEL

Software Important Capabilities

Repair Large-sized Excel Files

Stellar Repair for Excel software previously known as Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair can repair & fix corrupt Excel files of any size. It removes corruption from individual objects, fixes the damage, and restores the Excel file back to its original state. The Excel repair tool can repair multiple Excel files in a batch.
Learn More

Resolves All Excel Corruption Errors

This Excel file repair tool fixes all types of Excel corruption errors, such as unrecognizable format, Excel found unreadable content in name.xls, Excel cannot open the file filename.xlsx, file name is not valid, the Excel file is corrupt and cannot be opened, etc. It provides a comprehensive solution for fixing Excel file issues.
Learn More

Preview the Repaired Excel File

The software shows a preview of the repaired Excel file and its recoverable contents in the main interface. This functionality allows you to verify the data in your repaired Excel file, including all of its objects, before saving the file. The Excel File Recovery software helps in determining the final state of data you will receive after repairing the corrupted Excel file.
Learn More

Recovers All Excel file Objects

The software repairs the corrupt Excel file and recovers all objects, including tables, charts, series trendline, conditional formatting rules, and properties of the worksheet. The software also recovers embedded functions, group & subtotal, engineering formulas, numbers, texts, rules, etc. It recovers Excel file data in its intact form.

Reviews & Feedback

Recommendation by Microsoft MVPs

OTHER IMPORTANT FEATURES

Know your Product Better

Option to Find Excel Files

Stellar Excel repair software helps users unaware of the Excel file location to search for all the Excel files on the computer. It provides ‘Find’ option to quickly locate and list all the Excel files for repair. You can select single or multiple files from the list that you want to repair.

Stellar Toolkit for File Repair

Stellar Toolkit for File Repair provides essential tools to repair corrupt Office files via a single interface. It comprises tools like MS Excel Repair, MS Word Repair, MS PowerPoint Repair, and PDF Repair to fix corrupt documents while maintaining the original file format.
Learn More

HOW TO USE STELLAR REPAIR FOR EXCEL

Screenshots & Video

PRICING

Choose The Best Plan

Excel Repair

Repairs corrupted Excel files with 100% integrity.

Repairs XLS, XLSX, XLTM, XLTX, and XLSM files
Repairs multiple Excel files
Previews the repaired file
Supports Excel 2021 & older versions

File Repair Toolkit

Repairs corrupted Excel, Word, PowerPoint, & PDF files.

Repairs XLS, XLSX, XLTM, XLTX, and XLSM files
Repairs multiple files
Previews the repaired file
Supports Excel 2021 & older versions
Repairs .DOC & .DOCX files
Repairs .PPT, .PPTX, & .PPTM files
Repairs corrupted PDF file

Best Seller

File Repair Toolkit Technician

Repairs corrupted Excel, Word, PowerPoint, & PDF files up to 3 systems.

Repairs XLS, XLSX, XLTM, XLTX, and XLSM files
Repairs multiple files
Previews the repaired file
Supports Excel 2021 & older versions
Repairs .DOC & .DOCX files
Repairs .PPT, .PPTX, & .PPTM files
Repairs corrupted PDF file

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

You’re in Good Hands

AWARDS & REVIEWS

Most tested. Most awarded

DATA SHEET

Technical Specifications

About Product

Stellar Repair for Excel

Version:	6.0.0.7
License:	Single System
Edition:	Standard, Technician, & Toolkit
Language Supported:	English
Release Date:	February, 2024

Processor:	Intel compatible (x64-based processor)
Memory:	4 GB minimum (8 GB recommended)
Hard Disk:	250 MB of Free Space
Operating System: (64 Bit only)	Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7

USEFUL ARTICLES

How do I repair multiple Excel files by using Stellar Repair for Excel software?

After launching the software, click Select File button in the Home tab. Next, click Browse and select the checkbox against all the Excel files you need to repair. Then, click the Repair button to start repairing all the Excel files.

Learn More

How do I see the Preview of repaired Excel file using the Demo version of the software?

Browse and select the file(s) to repair. The software will start scanning the Excel files once you click the Repair button. Next, it will display the files in the left pane. You can preview their contents in the right pane.

Learn More

How do I find the recovered Excel file?

The software saves the repaired file with the prefix “Recovered” at the user-specified location. You can find the recovered file using the Search box utility in the taskbar.

Learn More

Start Using Stellar Repair for Excel Today

Trusted by Millions of Users
Awarded by Top Tech Media
100% Safe & Secure to Use

Free download to scan and preview all recoverable Excel data.

Repair Files using Stellar Toolkit for File Repair

Stellar Toolkit for File Repair Technician

The main interface of Stellar Toolkit for File Repair comprises four modules to repair MS Office and PDF files. These modules are:

Repair Document
Repair Spreadsheet
Repair PowerPoint
Repair PDF

Click on the desired tab to repair that file format.

Figure 1 - Illustrates Homepage of the Stellar Toolkit for File Repair

Steps to Repair MS Word – .doc/.docx file

Click Select File to select a single corrupt Word (.doc/.docx) file that you want to repair. Alternately, click Select Folder for selecting all Word files in a single folder.

Note: Click Find file(s) to search for the Word file, if the location is not known.

Figure 2 - Illustrates Selection of single doc/.docx file or multiple files

Once the file is selected, click the Scan button to scan and repair the file.
A preview of the repaired Word file is displayed on the screen. Verify the file contents from the right pane of the preview window.

Figure 3 - Preview of Repaired Word Document

Note: If you’re unable to repair a corrupt .doc file, select ‘Advance Repair’ option from the File menu for repairing the .doc files.

Click the Save icon on the File menu to save the repaired file.

Figure 4 - File Menu

In Save Document dialog box that appears, do the following:
Select default location or a new folder to save the repaired file.
Save the file in any of these formats: ‘Full Document’, ‘Filtered Text’ or ‘Raw Text’.
Click OK.

Figure 5 - Word Document Saving Options

The repaired file will be saved at your preferred location.

Steps to Repair Excel – .xls/.xlsx files

In Select File window, click Browse to select the corrupt Excel file from the desired location. If you do not know the file location, click Search to find and select the corrupted spreadsheet.
Once the Excel file is selected, start repairing the file by clicking the Repair button.

Select xls/xlsx file

Figure 6 - Illustrates selection of one xls/xlsx file or multiple files in a folder

After completion of the repair process, the software displays the repaired Excel file and its recoverable data in a preview window.

Figure 7 - Preview of Excel File

Click on Save File icon on Home menu to save the repaired file.
In Save File dialog box, choose Default location or Select New Folder for saving the file.

Figure 8 - Select Destination to Save Repaired Excel File

Click OK to proceed with the saving process.

The repaired file gets saved at the preferred location.

Note: To recover the Engineering formulae, include ‘Analysis ToolPak’ Add-in.

Steps to Repair PowerPoint – ppt/pptx/pptm file

Click Browse to select the corrupt PowerPoint file. Alternately, click on Search to search for the file, if the location is not known.

Figure 9 - Illustrates Selection of Single PowerPoint Presentation

Once the corrupt PowerPoint file is selected, click Scan for scanning and repairing the file.
A preview of scanned file gets displayed. Verify the file contents from the preview window.
Click Save on Home menu to save the repaired PPT file.
From the Save File dialog box, click Default location or Other location under Save As for saving the file.

Figure 10 - Select Location to Save PPT File

Click on the OK button and the repaired file is saved at preferred location.

Steps to Repair PDF file

From the Stellar Repair for PDF main interface window, click Add File to select a single or multiple PDF files you want to repair.

Figure 11 - Illustrates adding of corrupt PDF Files

A screen with recently added PDF file is displayed. Select the file and click Repair to start repairing it.

Figure 12 - Repair the Selected PDF File

A screen showing the progress of the repair process appears.
When the ‘Repair Complete’ window pops-up, click OK.
Preview the repaired PDF file.
Click the Save Repaired Files button to save the repaired file.

Figure 13 - Save Repaired File

In Browse for Folder dialog box, select a folder for saving the file.
From the Saving Complete dialog box, click the hyperlink to the folder containing the repaired PDF file.

Figure 14 - Saving Complete Window

Click OK.

Excel Stuck at Opening File 0% - Resolve Performance Issues

Summary: If an Excel workbook is stuck at opening file 0%, it usually indicates a problem with the Excel file and its objects. This may happen due to Excel file corruption and a few other reasons. In this post, we have discussed these reasons along with the methods to fix and prevent ‘Excel stuck at opening file 0%’ issue.

When you open an Excel file (XLS/XLSX) in MS Excel, the program reads and then loads the file data along with all its objects and properties. While opening and loading an Excel file, MS Excel displays an “Opening percentage.” You won’t usually notice or see this Excel file opening progress percentage while accessing smaller worksheets.

It’s more noticeable when you open a large Excel file or workbook with multiple objects, formulae, formatting, etc. However, after opening an Excel file with double-click, if it is stuck at Splash Screen with a message “Opening: FileName.xlsx (0%)” for a while (say 15-30 minutes) and does not progress, it indicates a problem with the Excel file, MS Excel program, or the system.

Why Excel is Stuck at Opening File 0%?

If you have encountered this error, it may happen due to one of the following issues,

Damaged or corrupt Excel file
Incompatible or faulty Excel add-ins
Problem with the system’s display driver
Damaged MS Office (Excel) application

Methods to Fix ‘Excel Stuck at Opening File 0%’ Issue

Before fixing and troubleshooting the problem, check and confirm if the Excel file is working and not corrupt. For this, you can try opening it on another PC. Now there could be two scenarios,

Scenario 1: Excel File Does Not Open

If the Excel file doesn’t open on another PC also, it indicates Excel file corruption. In such cases, look for the backup copy of the file, if you have downloaded it from an email or a website.

However, if there’s no backup, then you need an Excel file repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel to repair the corrupt file. This software preserves Excel file properties, such as cell formatting, formula bar, freeze panes, gridlines, etc. and helps you restore the damaged or corrupt worksheets to its original state with 100% integrity.

To repair Excel file, download and launch Stellar Repair for Excel software on your PC, choose the corrupt Excel (XLS/XLSX) file and click ‘Repair’. You can see the preview of your Excel file with all data and then save the repaired file at your desired location on the system as a new Excel file.

Scenario 2: Excel File Is Accessible on Another PC

If the Excel file opens successfully on another PC, then follow the troubleshooting methods below to resolve the Excel file stuck opening at 0%.

Method 1: Open MS Excel in Safe Mode

To check if an incompatible or faulty add-in or setting is causing the error, restart MS Excel in safe mode and then open the worksheet from the MS Excel ‘File’ options. The steps are as follows,

Press Windows+R and type excel.exe /safe
Hit Enter or press ‘OK’ to open MS Excel in safe mode

Go to File > Open and then choose the Excel file to open it
If it opens, the problem is probably caused by the add-ins. Go to File > Options > Add-ins > Manage > COM Add-ins and disable all the third-party add-ins

Restart MS Excel normally and then go to File > Open and open the same Excel file. If it opens, the problem is solved.

However, if you want to keep the add-ins, enable one add-in at a time and open the same file to find which add-in is causing the problem. When found, remove the faulty add-in.

If it doesn’t work, head to the next solution.

Method 2. Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration

If you’re using hardware graphics acceleration adapter to run an external monitor, you may encounter problems with the Excel application. If the adapter is plugged in but doesn’t work correctly, Excel will usually hang on the loading screen. To resolve this problem, you will need to disable the hardware graphics acceleration adapter by following these steps,

Quit all running instances of Excel from Task Manager

Launch MS Excel directly, don’t double-click on the faulty workbook file to open MS Excel as it won’t open
Click on File > Options > Advanced

Under the ‘Display’ options, check the box ‘Disable hardware graphics acceleration’
Click on ‘OK’

Try to open the Excel file now. If it still doesn’t work, move to the next solution.

Method 3. Repair MS Excel Application and Install the Latest Updates

Problems within MS Excel installation could also be a source of many unknown issues. Messed up registry settings, bugged updates, and even wrong user ‘Preferences’ can cause your Excel application to behave unusually. The fix for all such issues is to repair the Excel installation. To do so, follow these steps,

Open Control Panel
From Category view, under Programs, select Uninstall a program
Click on the MS Office and then click ‘Change’

When prompted, click on ‘Repair’ and then follow the instructions to complete the repair process

To update the MS Excel,

Go to File > Account and click on Update options

Then click ‘Update’

MS Excel will start downloading the latest updates and then apply it, which might fix this Excel error

Still, Excel stuck on processing file at 0%? That means the Excel file you’re trying to open is severely corrupted. Thus, as mentioned earlier, use Stellar Repair for Excel software to repair corrupt or damaged Excel (XLS/XLSX) files and restore everything to a new Excel file. With the help of some best-in-class repair algorithms, this software enables you to fix problems within Excel files and recover tables, charts, cell comments, images, formulae, sorts, and filters. It is compatible with MS Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, and 2003.

Conclusion

Hopefully, one of the above-mentioned solutions has helped you overcome the “Excel stuck at Opening file 0%” error and Excel hangs on opening file issues. Also, you are able to access your MS Excel worksheet now. If you face any problems with your Excel workbooks in future, remember to get to the root of the issue first. Also, inculcate the habit of backing up your critical files regularly (if possible) and keep products like Stellar Repair for Excel in mind to save the day, when nothing else works.

How to Fix the Unable to Record Macro Error in Excel?

Summary: You may encounter the “Unable to record macro” error in MS Excel when using Personal Macro Workbooks. In this post, we’ll discuss the possible causes behind this error and the ways to fix it. We’ll also mention a professional Excel repair tool that can help fix the error if it occurs due to corrupted workbook.

A personal macro workbook (Personal.xlsb file) is a hidden workbook in Excel that stores all macros in a single workbook. This allows you to automate processes while working in Excel. Sometimes, when recording macro codes in the personal macro workbook, you may get the message “Personal Macro Workbook in a startup folder must stay open for recording”. When you click on the OK button, it will show the “unable to record” error. This prevents you from recording the macros. Below, we’ll see the causes behind this error and discuss how to resolve this error.

Causes of Unable to Record Macro Error

You may be unable to record macros in Excel due to several reasons. Let’s take a look at the possible causes that can lead to this issue.

The location of personal.xlsb file is changed.
Personal.xlsb file is corrupted.
Macros are disabled.

Methods to Fix the “Unable to Record Macro” Error in Excel

Here are some possible solutions that can help you resolve the unable to record macro error in Excel.

Method 1: Check the Path of XLStart Folder

You may be unable to record macros if the path of XLStart folder is incorrect. It is a folder where the Personal.xlsb file is stored by default. Follow these steps to find out the path of this folder:

Open MS Excel. Go to File > Options.
Click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.

In the Trust Center Settings window, click on Trusted Locations.

Verify the path of the XLSTART folder and modify it if there is an issue.
Once you are done, click on OK.

Method 2: Change Macro Security

The “Unable to record macro” error can occur if macros are disabled in the Macro Security settings. You can try changing the macro settings using the below steps:

In MS Excel, go to File > Options > Trust Center.

Under Trust Center, click on Trust Center Settings.

Select “Enable all macros” and then click OK.

Method 3: Check Add-ins for Disabled Items

If there are any items in add-ins that are disabled, they may prevent Excel from functioning properly. You can check and enable the items in MS Excel using the below steps:

Click File > Options.

In Excel Options, click on the Add-ins option.
Select Disabled Items from the Manage section and click on Go.

The Disabled Items window is displayed.
Click on the disabled item and then click Enable.
Restart Excel for the changes to take place.

Method 4: Repair your Excel File

You may fail to record macros if there is corruption in the workbook. In such a case, you can use the “Open and Repair” utility in MS Excel to repair the corrupt workbook. To use this tool, follow these steps:

Open your Excel application.
Click File > Open.
Browse to the location where the corrupted file is stored.
In the Open dialog box, choose the corrupted workbook.

From the Open dropdown list, click Open and Repair.

Excel will prompt you to repair the file or extract data from it. Click Repair to retrieve maximum data. If the Repair option fails, then click on the Extract Data option to recover the data without formulas and values.

If the Microsoft utility “Open and Repair” fails to repair the corrupted Excel workbook, then try a professional Excel repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It is an advanced tool that can easily repair severely corrupted Excel (XLSX and XLS) files. It can recover all the file items, including chart sheets, cell comments, tables, macros, formulas, etc. without impacting the properties and cell format of the Excel file.

Closure

You may receive the “unable to record” error in Excel while creating or storing macros in Personal Macro Workbooks. There are several reasons that can lead to this error. You can try the methods covered in this post to resolve the error. If the error appears due to corruption in workbook, then try to repair it using the Open and Repair utility. Alternatively, you can use Stellar Repair for Excel – a professional tool that can help you repair an Excel file with problematic macros. Also, it allows recovery of all the file components with complete integrity. The tool is compatible with Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, and older versions.

[Fix] Excel formula not showing result

Summary: Is your Excel spreadsheet showing text of a formula you’ve entered and not its result? This blog explains the possible reasons behind such an issue. Also, it describes solutions to fix the ‘Excel formula not showing result’ error. You can try Stellar Repair for Excel software to recover engineering and shared formulas.

Sometimes, when you type a formula in a cell of worksheet and press Enter, instead of showing the calculated result, it returns the formula as text. For instance, Excel cell shows:

But you should get the result as:

Why Does Excel Show or Display the Formula Not the Result?

Following are the possible reasons that may lead to the ‘Excel showing formula not result’ issue:

You accidentally enabled “Show Formulas” in Excel.
The cell format in a spreadsheet is set to text.
‘Automatic calculation’ feature in Excel is set to manual.
Excel thinks your formula is text (Syntax are not followed).
You type numbers in a cell with unnecessary formatting.

How to Fix ‘Excel Showing Formula Not Result’ Issue?

Solution 1 – Disable Show Formulas

If only the formula shows in Excel not result, check if you have accidentally or intentionally enabled ‘show formula’ feature of Excel. Instead of applying calculations and then showing results, this feature displays the actual text written by you.

You can use the ‘Show Formulas’ feature to quickly view all formulas, but if you are not aware of this feature, and enabled it accidentally, it can be a headache. To disable this mode, go to ‘Formulas’ and click on ‘Show formula enabled.’ If it’s previously enabled, it will be disabled by just clicking on it.

Solution 2 – Cell Format Set to Text

Another possible reason that only formula shows in Excel not result could be that the cell format is set to text. This means that anything written in any format in that cell will be treated as regular text. If so, change the format to General or any other. To get Excel to recognize the change in the format, you may need to enter cell edit mode by clicking into the formula bar or just press F2.

Solution 3 – Change Calculation Options from ‘Manual’ to ‘Automatic’

There is an “automatic calculation” feature in Excel, which tells Excel to do calculations automatically or manually. If ‘Excel formula is not showing results’, it may be because the automatic calculations feature is set to manual. This issue is not easily detected because it results in calculating formula in one cell but if you copy it to some other cell, it will retain the first calculation and will not recalculate on the base of the new location. To fix this, follow these steps:

In Excel, click on the ‘File’ tab on the top left corner of the screen.
In the window that opens, click on ‘Options’ from the left menu bar.
From ‘Excel Options’ dialog box, select ‘Formulas’ from the left side menu and then change the ‘Calculation options’ to ‘Automatic’ if it’s currently set as ‘Manual’.

Click on ‘OK’. This will redirect you to your sheet.

Solution 4 – Type Formula in the Right Format

There is a proper way to tell Excel that your text is a formula. If you don’t write the formula in a particular format, Excel considers it as simple text and hence no calculations are performed according to it. For this reason, keep the following in mind when typing a formula:

Equal sign: Every formula in Excel should start with an equal sign (=). If you miss it, Excel will mistake your formula as regular text.
Space before equal sign: You are not supposed to enter any space before equal sign. Maybe a single space will be hard for us to detect, but it breaks the rule of writing formulas for Excel.
Formula wrapped in quotes: You need to make sure that your formula is not wrapped in quotes. People usually make this mistake of writing a formula in quotes, but in Excel, quotes are used to signify text. So your formula won’t be evaluated. But you can add quotes inside formula if required, for example: =SUMIFS(F5:F9,G5:G9,”>30″).
Match all parentheses in a formula: Arguments of Excel functions are entered in parenthesis. In complex cases, you may need to enter more sets of parenthesis. If those parentheses are not paired/closed properly, Excel may not be able to evaluate the entered formula.
Nesting limit: If you are nesting two or more Excel functions into each other, for example using nested IF loop, remember the following rules:
- Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007 versions only allow to use up to 64 nested functions.
- Excel 2003 and lower versions only allow up to 7 nested functions.

Solution 5 – Enter Numbers without any Formatting

When you use a number in the formula, make sure you don’t enter any decimal separator or currency sign, e.g. $, etc. In an Excel formula, a comma is used to separate arguments of a function and a dollar sign makes an absolute cell reference. Most of these special characters have built-in functions so avoid using them unnecessarily.

What to Do If the Manual Solutions Don’t Work?

If you’ve tried out the manual solutions mentioned above but still unable to resolve the ‘Excel formula not showing result’ issue, you can try repairing your Excel file with the help of an automated Excel repair software , such as Stellar Repair for Excel.

This reliable and competent software scans and repairs Excel files (.XLSX and .XLS). It also helps recover all the file components, like formulas, cell formatting, etc. Armed with an interactive GUI, this software is extremely easy to work with, and its advanced algorithms allow it to fend off Excel errors with ease.

Conclusion

This blog outlined the possible reasons that may cause ‘Excel not showing formula results’ issue. Check out these reasons and implement the manual fixes, depending on what resulted in the problem in the first place. If none of these fixes help resolve the issue, corruption in the Excel file might be preventing the formulas from showing the actual results. In that case, using Stellar Repair for Excel tool might help.

Solutions to Repair Corrupt Excel File

Summary: MS Excel can throw various errors due to corrupted Excel files. This blog discusses the error messages that indicate Excel file corruption and the methods to prevent data loss due to a corrupt file. It also discusses the reasons behind the corruption in Excel file and their solutions. It also mentions a “Stellar repair for Excel” tool that can help to repair the corrupt or damaged Excel file.

Is your Excel file corrupted? And you don’t have backup of your data? There is no need to worry. There are some simple solutions to repair Excel file 2019. But before heading towards the solutions, let’s discuss the possible reasons for Excel file corruption and how you can prevent losing your data.

Error Messages that Indicate Excel File Corruption

When an Excel file gets corrupted, different error messages appear. For example:

“Excel found unreadable content in . Do you want to recover the content of this workbook, click Yes.”
“Can’t find project and library.”
“The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupted.”
“Microsoft Excel has stopped working.”

Reasons Behind Excel File Corruption

The reasons for corruption in Excel file could be any of the following:

Improper system shutdown
Computer virus/malware attack/Hacker attack
Outdated anti-virus definition
Hardware failure
Unintentional deletion of files
Large Excel files
Bad sectors on storage media

How to Avoid Data Loss Due to Excel File Corruption?

Excel users should follow the below precautionary measures to prevent data loss due to Excel file corruption:

1. Create an Automatic Backup Copy

When you create an Excel spreadsheet, it is advised to Save As your document, as follows:

In Save As window, click Tools next to Save option.
Select General Options from the drop-down menu.
Then check the dialogue box Always create back up and click OK.

This will always create a backup of your Excel. If it’s deleted or corrupted at any time, it can be recovered.

2. Create Recovery File at Different Time Periods

Steps are as follows:

Go to File and then click Excel Options.
Click Save and then select the Save Auto Recover information every checkbox
Add the required minutes and location. Ensure that Disable AutoRecover for this workbook only box is unchecked.

Methods to Repair Corrupted Excel 2019 File

Try using these 5 methods to restore your Excel file and recover data:

Method 1: ‘Open and Repair’ Excel Files

Excel automatically opens the corrupted file in Recovery Mode. If not, you can repair Excel file manually through the following steps:

Click on the File and select Open.

Go to the location where the corrupt workbook is stored. In the Open window, select the corrupt file.
Click Open and then select Open and Repair.
In the window that opens, click Repair.

If the Repair option doesn’t work, you can select Extract Data and try to extract the values and formulae safely from the corrupt file.

Method 2: Recover Data from Open Workbook

If you face issues while working in an Excel file, you can choose to return to the last saved version of the Excel file. For this:

Click File. Then select Open.
Double click on the name of the workbook (the one that is open in your Excel).
Click Yes to reopen it.

The workbook will now appear.

Please note that it will show the last saved version and changes made after that won’t be recovered.

Method 3: Set Calculation Option as Manual

You can also recover data from Excel workbooks that you’re unable to open. For this, you need to configure the calculation option as manual in Excel. You can do this through the following steps:

Click on File. Select New and open a Blank workbook.
From File, select Excel Options.

From the Formulas category, under the section Calculation options, select Manual. Now click OK.

Then click File, and select Open to open the corrupted or damaged Excel file.

Method 4: Recover Content by Using External Links

You can also recover specifically the content (leaving formulas/calculated values) from the workbook by using external references (to link Excel workbook). For this:

Click on File, Select Open.
Navigate to the folder that contains the corrupted workbook.
Now, right-click on the file name of the corrupted workbook and click Copy.
Click File button. Then, select New and create another blank workbook.
In the first cell (A1), type =!A1 and press Enter.
- Select the corrupted workbook in the Update Values dialogue (if it appears). Then click OK.
- Select the relevant sheet in the Select Sheet dialogue (if it appears). Then click OK.

Again, select the cell A1, go to Home and select Copy.
Now select (start from the cell A1) an area equal to that of the data in the original workbook.
Go to Home now and select Paste.
Again, go to Home, and Copy the data (the same selection of cells).
Go to Home, and then click on the arrow below Paste. Then click on Values.

By pasting values, you removed the links to the corrupted workbook and only the data is left behind.

Method 5: Excel Repair Software

If the above-mentioned methods do not help in repairing the corrupt Excel file, try an Excel repair software.

One of the most commonly used Excel repair tools is Stellar Repair for Excel. Its trial version is available for free download, which lets you scan and preview the repaired Excel files. Once you’ve ascertained the effectiveness of the software, you can save the file after activating the software.

Here’s the complete repairing process of the corrupt Excel file

Conclusion

This post shared the reasons behind Excel file corruption and precautionary measures to prevent data loss. It also outlined different methods to repair corrupt Excel file 2019. There are several in-built utilities in Microsoft Excel to repair corrupt workbooks and recover data from it. In case these methods didn’t work, you can use Stellar Repair for Excel – an easy-to-use DIY tool that can fix all Excel corruption errors and restore data with all original properties.

Best Excel Repair Software till Date - Try Now

Summary: In this blog, we overview and conclude Stellar Repair for Excel as Best Excel Repair software till date – based on its distinctive features and capabilities. Also, you’ll get to know what makes it the top Excel repair software from the perspective of recognized review websites, tech community forums, and users. In addition, you’ll find the simple and step-wise process of repairing Excel by using the software.

Corruption in Excel files can hamper workflow, bringing productivity to a halt. And what can be more concerning is that you may lose sensitive data if the corrupt or damaged file is not repaired on time. An Excel file may get corrupted due to various reasons.

Common Reasons Behind Excel File Corruption

Abrupt system shutdown
Human errors such as accidental deletion, formatting, or overwriting an Excel workbook
Damaged Excel installation
Hardware failure
Virus infection or malware attack
Bad sectors on the hard drive on which Excel files reside
Large-sized Excel file

Regardless of the reason, manually troubleshooting corruption errors in an Excel file can drain time, resources and may even cause data loss. However, using a third-party professional tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel can save you the manual efforts and time in repairing Excel files, keeping the original data intact.

What Makes Stellar Repair for Excel the Best Software?

While there is no dearth of Excel file repair tools, Stellar Repair for Excel software has garnered considerable interest and positive reviews by MVPs . The software has remarkable features that make it the Excel file repair specialist.

Key Features of Stellar Repair for Excel Software

Though the software encompasses several great features and a simple-to-use and intuitive user interface, some of the key features that make it the best Excel repair software are:

Restores Excel (XLS / XLSX) File in Original, Intact State

The software repairs corrupt Excel files and restores all the data in the original format. Also, it helps restore the original properties of cell formatting of the workbook.

Capability to Resolve all Excel Related Errors

Most errors that crop up unexpectedly while working with Excel files are the result of damages caused due to human errors, virus infection, power surges, etc. The software can help you easily fix corrupted Excel files to get rid of errors such as “Excel is not responding ”, “Excel found unreadable content in name.xls ”, “Excel cannot open the file filename.xlsx”, etc.

Real-Time Pre-Recovery Preview

It provides users with the opportunity to preview recoverable Excel file items before saving them. This helps users estimate how much data they will be able to salvage by using the tool, thus helping them make an informed decision about investing in the software.

Besides these features, some other aspects that make the software a recommended choice for Excel repair are as follows:

100% Secure****: Downloading and installing this software is 100% safe and secure, since Norton antivirus security comes installed with it.
Tested by MVPs****: Stellar Repair for Excel software is tried and tested by credible MVPs.
Allows Testing before Purchase: The software’s demo version lets you understand the tool and its advantages before buying it.
Stellar is Microsoft Gold Partner****: The software’s vendor, Stellar Data Recovery, is a certified Gold partner for Microsoft.

Stellar Repair for Excel – The Most Recommended Software

Check out the user ratings and reviews to understand why Stellar Repair for Excel ranks as the top Excel file repair software, and why you should choose it over its competitors:

Capterra – 4/5

A user has shared how effectively the Stellar Repair for Excel software repaired and restored the corrupted Excel file.

g2.com – 4.5/5

The Excel Repair software got a rating of 4.5/5 on g2.com based on the positive reviews of the users.

Softpedia – 3.5/5

Softpedia gave the product a rating of 3.5/5 and reported it as 100% clean (meaning without malware).

Support and Compatibility
Stellar Repair for Excel software supports the latest MS Excel versions 2019, 2016, 2013, and lower versions. It can operate smoothly on Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, and earlier operating systems.
System Requirements
Stellar Repair for Excel requires a minimum Pentium Class Processor with 2 GB minimum memory and 250 MB of free storage drive space.

How to Use Stellar Repair for Excel Software to Repair Excel Files?

Follow these steps for repairing damaged or corrupt Excel files:

Run the software and from the main software screen, select the corrupt Excel files you want to repair by clicking Browse or Search.

Once the file is selected, click Repair to begin repairing the corrupt file.

When the scanning finishes, all recoverable data is displayed in the left-pane of the preview window. Click on any item to preview its content in the right-pane.

For saving the file, click the Save File button on the Home menu.
When prompted, select a target location to save the repaired file and click OK.

The repaired Excel file will now get saved in the selected target location.

Concluding Lines

Stellar Repair for Excel software empowers users to repair Excel (.XLS/.XLSX) files and restore worksheet data in the event of file corruption and data loss. More importantly, the software performs granular-level recovery to restore the complete file items while preserving worksheet properties and visual representation.

Phone Solutions

Excel Repair Tool to Repair Corrupt Excel files (.XLS/.XLSX) | Stellar