Microsoft Excel file reverted to much older version despite dates matching and no Version History option

If you don't want to use OneDrive, you should have a backup copy saved somewhere else. If you lose your one and only file, we can't help you recover it.

I tried to keep saving a different named version each time, but that got excessive.

It's certainly better to have these backup files, but you should also save copies on a backup drive.

OneDrive "autosave" keeps these backup temporary files stored in OneDrive for quite a while.

I have an Excel budget file that is updated weekly. The last "saved date" opens correctly but the file is months old (in fact, from last year). There is no "Version History" showing when I go to File > Options. I save to my desktop, not One Drive, although OneDrive messages sometimes pop up on the header.

Many PCs synchronize with the OneDrive cloud. That is a common way to maintain a version history, unless you are using a separate backup facility for locally saved files. (If an individual file is opened directly from OneDrive, without being synchronized, there will be a version history for that file as well.)

You can see which folders synchronize if you look in the OneDrive app on your PC.

If nothing synchronizes, you won't have a Version History (because it only works with OneDrive).

If you do have synchronization set up, see if signing in to OneDrive online at https://onedrive.live.com will let you find a version history for the affected file.

Hello SF2,

The OneDrive backup explanation is possible, but it is worth confirming the workbook’s actual location before changing any backup settings.

Please open the workbook and check File > Info for its full path:

• If the path includes OneDrive\Desktop, check the file on OneDrive.com and look for Version history.
• If the path is only under the local Desktop folder, check File > Info > Manage Workbook for any recoverable version.
• Search Windows for the workbook’s filename to see whether another copy exists in OneDrive or a different folder.

I would not turn off Desktop backup yet, as that will not recover the missing version and could make the file locations more confusing. Unfortunately, if no newer copy, recoverable workbook, OneDrive version, or previous backup exists, the newer contents may no longer be recoverable.

OneDrive cloud files at onedrive.com may take precedence over files on your computer, overwriting files with similar names. This can happen when folder backup becomes enabled. Check whether that is the case in the Manage Backup settings. You can turn off folder backup there.

Manage Backup

Hopefully these articles will help you recover your most recent document:

Recover an earlier version of an Office file

Restore a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive

Backup and restore with File History