There are a few ways to recover that file back before it is lost for good if you want it back.

In this post, I will show you how to recover unsaved Excel file

Here’s How to Recover Unsaved Excel File:

Method 1. Recover Unsaved Excel File Using AutoRecover

The AutoRecover option in Excel saves a temporary duplicate of your workbook every so often. This is how to use it:

Step 1: Open Excel

Step 2: Then Click on File->Info.

Step 3: Select Manage Workbook (or Manage Versions).

Step 4: Now choose “Recover Unsaved Workbooks.”

Step 5: A window will open that shows all the files that haven’t been saved yet. Choose your file and then click Open. As soon as it opens, choose File > Save As to save it.

Tips: To change how often Excel saves automatically, go to File > Options > Save and change the “Save AutoRecover information every X minutes” setting to a shorter time, like 5 minutes.

ALSO READ: How to Create a Line Chart in Excel

Method 2: Recover from Temporary Files Folder

If the Recover Unsaved Workbooks technique doesn’t work, you can check for temporary copies or backup files of Excel workbooks that you haven’t saved yet.

If you have a Windows 10 or 11 PC, you can find the Excel AutoRecovery temp files in these folders:

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office\Recent

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles

ALSO READ: How to Lock Cells in Excel

Method 3: Using the Excel AutoRecover Feature

The Recover Unsaved Workbooks feature will only work if you leave the unsaved file open for more than 10 minutes.

You won’t be able to get back the lost workbook if you close the unsaved Excel file in 5 to 6 minutes.

So, right after you install Microsoft Excel, you need to set the autosave interval by yourself.

1. Press Alt + F + T on an Excel file to open the Excel Options dialog box.
2. In the left-side navigation panel, click on the Save category.
3. You should see the settings for the Excel AutoRecover feature on the right side.
4. In the box for “Save AutoRecover information every,” type in a custom time, like “1 minute.”
5. To save the changes you’ve made, click OK.
6. The default setting for Excel will now be better at recovering unsaved files.

How to Prevent Losing Excel Files in the Future

1. In Excel Options, turn on AutoSave or AutoRecover.
2. For cloud backup, put your files in OneDrive or SharePoint.
3. While you work, hit Ctrl + S frequently.
4. Set the AutoRecover time to five minutes or less.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can we recover unsaved Excel files?

Ans: Excel always saves a backup copy of the file in the same folder or in the program itself so that you can get it back if something goes wrong. You can recover unsaved files from the Manage Documents section or the Document Recovery window.

What are some easy ways to save an Excel file?

Ans: The easiest way to save an Excel file is to press Ctrl + S. You may also save the file by clicking the Save button in the top left corner of the Excel window’s title bar.

Where can I find the Manage Documents option in Excel?

Ans: To access the Manage Documents option, go to File and click on Info. You can find unsaved files or older versions of the same Excel file in the Manage Documents section.

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But why even bother? There are many of project management tools available, after all. In reality, assuming you already have Excel installed, an Excel Gantt chart is easy to use, flexible, and—best of all—free. It offers the perfect balance between accessibility and structure for a lot of teams and individual professionals.

In this tutorial, we’ll go over how to use a Gantt chart in Excel, its advantages and disadvantages, and where you can find useful free templates.

What Exactly Is a Gantt Chart In Excel?

A Gantt Chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates the project schedule. It can also show dependencies amongst activities and can actually show you the current schedule of those particular activities.

What it is not? It’s not a project plan, and that’s a big mistake a lot of people make. It’s really all there to show you about milestones and the timing of your activities.

ALSO READ: How to Create a Gantt Chart in Excel

Benefits of a Gantt Chart in Excel

Well, it’s an amazing tool to see at a glance all of your high-level milestones and major activities within your project from start to finish, So This is a wonderful tool for that, great planning tool.

A second thing is that it can also show you the dependencies of tasks, and in the planning stage this becomes really important because it’s going to help you have an understanding of resource loading and some other things, and perhaps where there may be some overlap of activities that you may have to put some risk mitigation plan into.

And it’s also a great way to understand the sequencing of events because you can have data organized in an way where you can kind of see how each one is feeding into each other.

Pros and Cons of an Excel Gantt Chart

Excel for Gantt charts has benefits and limitations, just like any other tool.

Where to Get a Free Gantt Chart Template in Excel

If you are not in the mood to build it from the start. Don’t worry. Microsoft and lots of other project management websites provide pre-designed free templates. You have to simply enter your tasks and dates into a well-designed Excel Gantt chart template, which will already have the structure created.

Here are some reliable places to find free Gantt chart templates:

• Microsoft Office’s official template library
• Websites and blogs of Project management
• Some online communities (like GitHub or Template.net)

Conclusion

Overall, project management doesn’t have to be an impossible task. Excel’s Gantt chart shows how even a basic spreadsheet can transform a messy list of tasks into an understandable visual timetable. You may take charge of your projects without the need for complicated or expensive software by learning how to create a Gantt chart in Excel.

You can easily track deadlines, dependencies, and overall progress with the help of an Excel Gantt chart, which provides structure and clarity. Whether you’re a student organizing research, a freelancer managing several clients, or a team overseeing product releases, using an Excel Gantt chart helps you keep focused and organized.

The post What is a Gantt Chart In Excel appeared first on XcelNote.

That’s why the learning how to find duplicate in Excel is more than just a neat trick—it’s an essential part of keeping your data clean and readable.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through a few simple (but powerful) ways to find and deal with duplicates in MS Excel, from easy visual tools to formulas that give you total control.

Why Do Duplicates Happen in the First Place?

Most of the time, duplicates creep in when data gets copied, imported, or manually typed in. It’s super common—especially if you’re working with different team members or pulling info from multiple systems.

The trickiest part is? Not all duplicates are errors. That’s why it’s important to know exactly how to find duplicate in Excel and decide whether to keep or remove them based on context.

ALSO READ: How to Delete Blank Cells in Excel

Method 1: Using Conditional Formatting

The fastest way to find duplicates in Excel—without touching a formula—is with Conditional Formatting, a built-in Excel feature that does the job with just a few clicks.

Try this:

1. Select the cells you want to check.

2. Go to the Home tab.

3. Click Conditional Formating > Highlight Cells Rule > Duplicate Values.

4. Pick a formatting style (red fill usually works well).

5. Hit OK.

Just like that, Excel highlights the repeat entries. It’s a super simple way to get a visual sense of what’s going on in your data.

Want a quick win when figuring out how to find duplicates in Excel without diving into formulas? Start here.

Method 2: Using Formula

Sometimes, you need more than a highlighter—you need logic. That’s when formulas prove to be really useful. And if you’ve ever wondered how to find duplicate values in Excel using formula, here’s a basic one to get started:

=IF(COUNTIF(A:A, A2)>1, "Duplicate", "")

What it does: This formula looks at the value in cell A2 and counts how many times it appears in column A. If it shows up more than once, Excel labels it as “Duplicate.”

Steps:

1. Insert a new column next to your data.
2. Paste the formula into the first row.
3. Drag it down to apply it to the rest of the dataset.

Note: Want to compare two or more columns before calling something a duplicate? Use COUNTIFS instead. It lets you build more specific rules.

So if your question is how to find duplicate values in Excel using formula, this method gives you full flexibility and a clear, customized approach.

Method 3: Actually Removing the Duplicates

Let’s say you don’t just want to see the duplicates—you want them gone. Excel makes that easy too, thanks to the Remove Duplicates tool.

Here’s the step what to do:

1. Highlight your Excel data (don’t forget column headers).
2. Go to the Data tab.
3. Click on Remove Duplicates.
4. Select the column to check.
5. Click OK.

Excel will tell you how many duplicates were deleted and how many unique values are left. Remember— this method is permanent unless you hit Undo right away.

Pro Tip: Always make a backup of your file before deleting anything. To avoid the risk of lose your data.

ALSO READ: How to Create a qbj File From Excel

Method 4: Using Advanced Filter

If you’re more interested in pulling out the unique entries—rather than highlighting or deleting—Excel’s Advanced Filter can help.

Here’s how:

1. Select your data range.

2. Head to the Data tab.

3. Click Advanced under Sort & Filter.

4. Choose Copy to another location.

5. Check Unique records only.

6. Choose where you want the results to appear and click OK.

Note: While this won’t flag or remove duplicates, it gives you a filtered list of unique values, which makes it easy to figure out how to find duplicate cells in Excel by contrast.

Common Mistakes to Avoid Them

• Missing part of your datasets. Always double-check that you’ve selected the full range—especially if your data spans multiple columns.
• Deleting duplicates. Sometimes, repeated entries are valid. Think twice before removing them.
• Not saving a backup Mistake. If you’re using tools like Remove Duplicates, protect yourself by keeping a copy of the original file.

The Bottom Line

Look, learning how to find duplicate in Excel isn’t just for power users or data geeks. It’s something everyone who touches a spreadsheet should know. It’ll save you time, prevent mistakes, and help you work more confidently with data.

And remember—if you mess up a formula or click the wrong button, that’s okay. Excel’s undo button (Ctrl+Z or Command+Z on a Mac) is there for a reason.

So the next time you’re stuck wondering how to find duplicates in Excel, just scroll back to this guide. You’ve got options, tools, and now—the confidence to use them.

The post How to Find Duplicates in Excel: 4 Easy and Quick Methods appeared first on XcelNote.

Microsoft Excel (MS Excel) is a powerful spreadsheet software developed by Microsoft. It is widely used for data management, calculations, visualization, and analysis. Excel is part of the Microsoft Office suite and is available for Windows, macOS, and online as Microsoft 365.

Excel provides a grid-based interface where data is stored in cells, which are arranged in rows and columns. It is extensively used for various purposes such as accounting, business analytics, data science, education, project management, and more.

Why is MS Excel Important?

MS Excel is essential for businesses, students, accountants, analysts, and anyone who needs to organize and analyze data. It helps users perform tasks like:

• Creating tables and spreadsheets
• Performing mathematical calculations
• Data visualization with charts and graphs
• Automating tasks using formulas and functions
• Data analysis and reporting
• Budgeting and financial planning
• Tracking expenses and revenue
• Managing employee or student data
• Generating reports and dashboards

Features of MS Excel

ALSO READ: How to Auto-Adjust Cell Width and Height in Excel

1. Spreadsheets and Cells

Excel consists of workbooks containing multiple worksheets. Each worksheet is made up of cells arranged in rows and columns. A standard worksheet consists of 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns, providing ample space for data entry and management.

Each cell has a unique reference, known as the cell address, which is defined by its row and column number (e.g., A1, B2, C3).

2. Formulas and Functions

Excel has built-in formulas and functions to perform calculations automatically. Some of the most widely used Excel functions include:

• SUM() – Adds numbers
• AVERAGE() – Finds the average of numbers
• IF() – Performs logical tests
• VLOOKUP() – Searches for a value in a table
• HLOOKUP() – Searches for a value in a row
• COUNTIF() – Counts the number of cells based on a condition
• LEN() – Finds the length of text in a cell
• LEFT() and RIGHT() – Extracts specific characters from text
• NOW() and TODAY() – Returns the current date and time

3. Charts and Graphs

Excel provides various chart types to help visualize data and trends. Some commonly used chart types include:

• Column Chart – Best for comparing values across categories.
• Pie Chart—Ideal for showing percentages.
• Line Chart – Useful for trend analysis over time.
• Bar Chart – Similar to column charts but displayed horizontally.
• Scatter Chart—Great for identifying relationships between variables.
• Histogram – Used for frequency distribution analysis.

4. Data Filtering and Sorting

Users can sort data in ascending or descending order and filter it to display only relevant information. Filters allow users to analyze specific subsets of data without modifying the entire dataset.

5. Pivot Tables

A Pivot Table is a powerful data summarization tool that enables users to quickly extract meaningful insights from large datasets. With Pivot Tables, users can:

• Group and categorize data dynamically
• Perform calculations without modifying raw data
• Create interactive reports for better insights

6. Conditional Formatting

Excel allows users to highlight data based on conditions using colors and formatting. For example, conditional formatting can be used to:

• Highlight the top 10% of values
• Change the color of negative numbers
• Identify duplicate values
• Apply data bars, color scales, and icon sets

7. Macros and Automation

Users can automate repetitive tasks using macros and VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). Macros help save time by recording a sequence of actions and executing them with a single click.

8. Data Validation

Excel provides data validation tools to control the type of data entered in cells. This feature helps prevent errors and maintains data integrity. Examples include:

• Restricting a cell to accept only numbers
• Limiting input to a predefined list of options
• Setting a maximum or minimum value for numeric entries

How to Use MS Excel—A Step-by-Step Guide

ALSO READ: How to Create a qbj File From Excel

Step 1: Opening Excel

• Open MS Excel from the Start menu (Windows) or Applications (Mac).
• Click on Blank Workbook to start a new spreadsheet.

Step 2: Entering Data

• Click on a cell and type data.
• Press Enter to move to the next row or Tab to move to the next column.

Step 3: Using Formulas

• Click on a cell and type⁣ = followed by the formula.
• Example: Adds=SUM(A1:A5)The values in cells A1 to A5.

Step 4: Creating Charts

• Select the data.
• Go to Insert > Charts and choose the desired chart type.

Step 5: Saving the File

• Click on File > Save As and choose a location to save the file with an.xlsx extension.

Step 6: Applying Conditional Formatting

• Select the range of cells.
• Go to Home > Conditional Formatting.
• Choose a rule, such as highlighting values greater than a certain number.

Step 7: Creating a Pivot Table

• Select the dataset.
• Go to Insert > PivotTable.
• Choose the fields to analyze.

Conclusion

MS Excel is a must-have tool for anyone dealing with data. Whether you’re a student, business professional, data analyst, or accountant, learning Excel can improve efficiency and productivity. With its powerful features and automation capabilities, Excel remains the most widely used spreadsheet software in the world. Start exploring Excel today to master its powerful capabilities!

FAQs

Q1. What is MS Excel used for?

Ans: MS Excel is used for creating spreadsheets, performing calculations, data analysis, visualization, and automation.

Q2. Is MS Excel free?

Ans: No, MS Excel is a paid software, but Microsoft offers a free version with limited features online through Microsoft 365.

Q3. Can I learn Excel online?

Ans: Yes, there are many free and paid online courses, including Microsoft’s official training.

Q4. What are the best Excel functions?

Ans: Some of the best functions include SUM, AVERAGE, VLOOKUP, COUNTIF, and IF.

Q5. How can I improve my Excel skills?

Ans: Practice regularly, take online courses, and use Excel for real-world tasks.

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