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How to Recover Excel Files After Changing Accounts on iPhone or iPad
Question details
The user needs to recover Excel files that disappeared from the app interface after switching or adding a different account on an iOS device.
- Product
- Excel for iOS
- Device & OS
- iOS (iPhone or iPad)
- Scenario
- Adding a business account or switching between different Microsoft accounts in the Excel iOS app.
- Observed behavior
- The displayed OneDrive and local file locations change, making previously accessible Excel files appear to be lost or deleted.
Ensure you know the login credentials for your original personal or business Microsoft account. Do not uninstall the Excel app or delete any local files until you have verified your documents are safely backed up in the cloud.
Sign In with the Original Account and Check Cloud Sync
Switch back to the original Microsoft account to access the files linked to that specific OneDrive cloud storage.
Excel for iOS associates your recent files and cloud storage views with the currently active account. If you switched accounts, your files are not deleted; they are simply tied to the previous profile's OneDrive.
Launch the Excel app on your iPhone or iPad and tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
Scroll down and select 'Sign Out' to remove the newly added business or secondary account from the active session.
Tap 'Sign In' and enter the credentials for the original personal or business account where your files were previously saved.
Navigate to the 'Open' tab and tap on your connected OneDrive account to verify that your files are synchronizing properly and are available to open.
Locate Missing Files Using the iOS Files App
Use the native Apple Files app to find files that might be saved locally on your device rather than in the cloud.
Manage All Your Spreadsheets Seamlessly with WPS Office
Avoid account-switching confusion by using WPS Office. It provides a unified, lightweight platform to manage your spreadsheets and cloud drives simultaneously, offering high compatibility for Microsoft Excel formats on your iPhone and iPad.
- 1. Install the App: Download WPS Office for free from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
- 2. Access Cloud Storage: Open the app, go to the 'Files' tab, and tap 'Cloud' to link your preferred cloud storage accounts.
- 3. Edit Spreadsheets: Navigate to your Excel files and tap to open, edit, and save them with full format retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Excel files disappear after adding a business account?
When you switch or add accounts in Excel for iOS, the application updates its directory view to display only the files and OneDrive folders associated with the currently active account. Your previous files are not deleted; they are just hidden until you log back into the original account.
Is it safe to reinstall the Excel app to fix missing file issues?
You should only reinstall the app after confirming your files are safely backed up to OneDrive, iCloud, or another secure location. Uninstalling the app without a backup can permanently delete any files that were only saved locally on your iPhone or iPad.
Can I access my Excel files without logging into the app?
Yes, if your files were saved locally to your device storage or iCloud, you can navigate to them using the native iOS Files app without needing to log into Excel. However, files stored strictly in OneDrive will require you to sign into the associated Microsoft account.
