Recover a damaged Excel workbook

A workbook that will not open may have a damaged package or workbook structure. Preserve the original before trying any repair.

Steps to try first

1. Make a copy of the workbook and check for an earlier version in your backup or cloud version history.
2. Try Excel’s built-in Open and Repair option on the copy. Save a repaired result under a new name.
3. Compare important sheets, formulas, charts, and formatting with an earlier version before relying on the result.

Changing a file extension does not repair damaged workbook content. If the underlying data is missing, no tool can guarantee its reconstruction.

What AEDOC checks

AEDOC diagnoses supported workbook packages and attempts the minimum safe changes needed to recover a usable result. It explains what was repaired, what remains uncertain, and any known loss. Diagnosis is free; a recoverable result can be unlocked for $14.99 USD before applicable tax. Unrecoverable results are not charged.

Supported Excel formats are .xlsx, .xlsm, .xltx, .xltm, and .xlsb. Recovery for .xlsb is currently narrower than for the other supported workbooks. Older .xls and encrypted files are not supported. Macro parts can be preserved, but macros are never executed or validated.

Verify the result

Open the recovered workbook in Excel and inspect the sheets and calculations you depend on. AEDOC’s report helps identify changes, but it is not a substitute for checking business-critical values.