Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover Missing Excel Files After Microsoft 365 Upgrade

Guest Writer Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to locate recently saved Excel files from their Recent list after completing an upgrade to Microsoft 365 Family, specifically for files stored on an external hard drive.

How to Recover Missing Excel Files After Upgrading to Microsoft 365

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Accessing previously saved spreadsheets from an external drive immediately following a Microsoft 365 software upgrade.
Observed behavior: Recently accessed Excel files are missing from the application's Recent list, and the files appear to be lost or missing from the external hard drive.

Before you start

Ensure your external hard drive is securely connected to your computer and that you are logged into the correct Windows user profile and Microsoft account.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Recover Unsaved Workbooks Feature in Excel

Use Microsoft Excel's built-in AutoRecover tool to retrieve files that may have been misplaced or left unsaved during the upgrade process.

Upgrading your software can sometimes clear the Recent Files cache, making it seem like files are gone. Excel automatically saves temporary backups of your active files, which can be restored directly from the application.

Open Microsoft Excel

Launch the Microsoft Excel application on your computer and open a blank workbook.

Navigate to Manage Workbook

Click on the 'File' tab in the top left corner, select 'Info' from the left-hand menu, and then click on 'Manage Workbook'.

Recover Unsaved Files

Select 'Recover Unsaved Workbooks' from the dropdown. A dialog box will appear showing any available AutoRecover files. Select your missing file and click 'Open'.

Use the Recover Unsaved Workbooks Feature in Excel

Tip: Once the file is recovered, immediately click 'Save As' and choose a secure location on your local drive or external hard drive to ensure it is permanently saved.

Solution 2

Search the External Drive Using Windows File Explorer

Manually locate the missing files on your external hard drive in case they were simply removed from the Excel Recent list but still exist on the disk.

Solution 3

Check OneDrive and its Recycle Bin

If you had cloud synchronization enabled prior to the upgrade, your files might have been moved or synced to OneDrive instead of the external drive.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office for Reliable and Hassle-Free Spreadsheet Management

Avoid the complications and unexpected settings changes that often accompany subscription upgrades. WPS Office is a powerful, free alternative to Microsoft Office that manages your local and external drive files seamlessly without forcing cloud synchronization.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website, download the free installer, and complete the quick installation process.
2. Open the Spreadsheet Program: Launch WPS Office and click on 'Spreadsheets' to access the highly compatible spreadsheet editor.
3. Access Your Local Files directly: Click 'Open' and navigate to your external hard drive to instantly load and edit your existing .xlsx files with no layout issues.

Completely free and lightweight Office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) formatsNo forced subscription upgrades that disrupt your workflowFamiliar user interface for immediate productivity

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Recent list clear after upgrading to Microsoft 365?

Upgrading or reinstalling Microsoft Office applications often resets application settings and clears the Recent Files cache. Your actual files are not deleted; they simply need to be opened manually from their storage location to appear in the list again.

Are Excel AutoRecover files saved on my external hard drive?

No. By default, Excel saves AutoRecover files locally on your system's main drive (typically inside the hidden AppData folder on your C: drive), regardless of where the original workbook is stored.

Can I recover a file deleted from an external hard drive using the Windows Recycle Bin?

Files deleted directly from a removable external hard drive usually bypass the Windows Recycle Bin and are permanently deleted. If this happens, you will need to utilize specialized file-recovery software to scan the external drive.

Does upgrading Microsoft 365 automatically move files to OneDrive?

While upgrading does not directly move existing files, the installation process heavily prompts users to enable OneDrive folder backup. If activated, default save locations might change, making files appear missing from local external drives.

Migration & Recovery