Microsoft excel file

Laurie Sybert 0 Reputation points
2026-08-22T20:41:53.14+00:00

I cannot access my Microsoft excel file named "2026 Monthly requests." When I open the file it is empty. How can I restore the file that is in question? Please tell me how to access the file and restore the data that was kept there. Thank you for your help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Other

2 answers

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  1. Kai-H 26,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-26T08:30:47.9133333+00:00

    Hi, Laurie Sybert

    A workbook may appear empty because Excel is not displaying it correctly, or because the file was replaced by a blank copy. Before making further changes, create a duplicate of the file and work only with the copy.

    Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try: 

    Check the file size in File Explorer or Finder. If it shows 0 KB or is much smaller than expected, search the computer for 2026 Monthly requests and sort the results by Date modified. There may be another copy in Downloads, Documents, email attachments, or a different OneDrive folder.

    Try opening the copied file in https://www.microsoft365.com/ or on another computer. If the data appears there, save it immediately under a new name.

    On Windows, press Windows + R, enter excel /safe, and open the file. If it opens correctly, an Excel add-in may be causing the blank display. Disable add-ins under File > Options > Add-ins.

    Open a blank workbook, select File > Options > Formulas, set calculation to Manual, and then open the affected file. This may allow a damaged workbook to load without recalculating it.

    If Windows File History was previously enabled, right-click the file’s folder, select Properties > Previous Versions, and check for an older copy.

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-22T20:42:07.6666667+00:00

    Try these recovery steps in order:

    1. Check whether the workbook is opening with hidden content.
      • In Excel, go to View > Unhide.
      • If the workbook appears in the list, select it and choose OK.
    2. Refresh the Excel window.
      • Select the minimize button in the top-right corner of Excel.
      • From the taskbar, reopen or maximize the workbook window.
      • This can make hidden data appear if the workbook opened to a blank screen.
    3. Repair the workbook.
      • In Excel, select File > Open.
      • Browse to 2026 Monthly requests.
      • Select the file.
      • Select the arrow next to Open, then choose Open and Repair.
      • First choose Repair.
      • If that does not recover the workbook, choose Extract Data to recover values and formulas.
    4. Revert to the last saved version if the workbook became corrupted while it was open.
      • Select File > Open.
      • Double-click the name of the workbook.
      • Select Yes to reopen it.
      • This restores the last saved version and discards unsaved changes that may have caused the problem.
    5. Check for an earlier AutoRecover version.
      • If the file was saved before, open the file and go to File > Info.
      • Under Manage Workbook, select the version labeled (when I closed without saving).
      • Select Restore at the top to overwrite the current version.
    6. If Excel closed unexpectedly and the file was not saved properly, look for unsaved recovery files.
      • Go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
      • Open the recovered file.
      • Select Save As immediately to save a copy.
    7. If a Document Recovery pane appears, review each recovered copy carefully.
      • Use the date and time shown under each file name.
      • Open the most recent version first.
      • Use Save As to keep the recovered copy.
      • If unsure which one to keep, choose Yes, I want to view these files later (safest option) when closing the recovery pane.
    8. If the workbook is stored on a network location or external drive, copy it to a local drive first and then try Open and Repair again.

    To avoid losing additional data, save any recovered version under a new file name before replacing the original workbook.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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