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How to Recover an Excel File Deleted from iCloud on iPad
Question details
The user needs to locate and restore an Excel workbook that was deleted from the Excel app on an iPad but was originally stored in iCloud Drive.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- iPadOS
- Scenario
- Accidentally deleting an iCloud-stored spreadsheet directly from the Excel app on an iPad and trying to locate the recycle bin.
- Observed behavior
- The deleted file does not appear in an Excel-specific recycle bin because the deletion is managed by Apple's iCloud system, not the Excel app itself.
Ensure your iPad is connected to the internet and signed into the same Apple ID used when the file was deleted. Keep in mind that iCloud generally only retains deleted files for up to 30 days.
Restore the Excel File Using the iPad Files App
Since iCloud manages files deleted from the Excel app, you can easily restore them from the Recently Deleted folder within the native iPadOS Files app.
When you delete an iCloud-stored workbook from within the Excel app, Microsoft Excel does not keep its own recycle bin. Instead, the deletion is handled entirely by Apple's system, moving the document to the iCloud Recently Deleted folder.
Locate and tap on the blue folder icon named 'Files' on your iPad home screen or App Library.
Tap on 'Browse' at the bottom of the screen to view your locations sidebar. Under the Locations menu on the left, tap on 'Recently Deleted'.
Locate your deleted Excel file, tap and hold the file icon, and select 'Recover' from the context menu to restore it to its original iCloud Drive location.
Recover the File via iCloud on the Web
If you cannot access the Files app or want to perform the recovery from a computer, you can use a web browser to restore the file directly from iCloud's Data Recovery settings.
Contact Apple Support for Deep Recovery
If the file is missing from the Recently Deleted folder but was deleted less than 30 days ago, you may need to escalate the issue to Apple Support.
Try WPS Office for a Seamless iPad Spreadsheet Experience
Looking for a more intuitive way to manage and edit your spreadsheets on your iPad? WPS Office is a lightweight, free alternative to Microsoft Office that offers excellent compatibility with Excel files and seamless integration with iCloud, Google Drive, and its own robust cloud storage.
- 1. Download the App: Open the App Store on your iPad, search for 'WPS Office', and download the free application.
- 2. Connect Your Cloud: Open WPS Office and integrate your iCloud Drive or enable WPS Cloud for robust automatic backups.
- 3. Edit Seamlessly: Open any existing Excel file and enjoy a rich set of formulas, pivot tables, and formatting tools tailored for iPadOS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't the iPad Excel app have its own recycle bin?
When saving files to iCloud Drive via the Excel app, file management is handed over to Apple's ecosystem. Deletions trigger iCloud's native deletion process, moving files to the Files app's 'Recently Deleted' folder instead of an in-app Microsoft recycle bin.
Can I recover an iCloud file after 30 days?
Generally, files deleted from iCloud are permanently erased after 30 days. Unless you have a manual offline backup or an iPad backup created before the deletion, it is highly unlikely to be recovered after this window.
How do I ensure my iPad spreadsheets are backed up properly?
You can ensure data safety by turning on AutoSave in your spreadsheet app, regularly syncing your device with iCloud, and utilizing secondary cloud services like WPS Cloud or OneDrive to keep version histories of your important files.
