my Excel 2011 for Mac files don't appear in AutoRecovery

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Level 1

17 points

my Excel 2011 for Mac files don't appear in AutoRecovery

Hi,

I'm running Mac OX Sierra 10.12.6. I tried to retrieved in the Office 2011 AutoRecovery folder the latest version of a file I was working on when my computer crashed, but when I went to the folder, I found only one Excel file from 2016!

This despite the fact that I had on the automatic recovery in excel. With the case of Word is ever worse: I also have the automatic recovery in Word, but the AutoRecovery folder the last word file is from 2011!

I don't remember ever changing the folder where the auto recovered files should go, but if I did, is there any way to find it? Otherwise, any fix to this problem?

I've already asked the question in Microsoft community and didn't get any response, so I hope the Apple community is more helpful.

Thank you very much,

Bioy

Question Info

Last updated September 20, 2018Views 0Applies to:

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), macOS Sierra (10.12.3)

Posted on Sep 20, 2018 9:56 AM

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Answer 1

Bioy8 Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 20, 2018 11:15 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks Eric for your response. Using EasiFind I was able to see that many autorecovery word docs are in my 'document' folder. Under the category of 'Microsoft excel' there are in that folder many '.asd' files that are called "Word Work File xxx". But I tried to open some to find the one I need to retrieve and it doesn't let me open them:

Any suggestion on how I can open those '.asd' files?

I also tried using EasyFind to search for other Office 2011 AutoRecovery folders in which the autosaved excel files may be going, but it only found the one I showed you in my previous message, which as I said have only one excel file from 2016.

Thanks,

Bioy

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Answer 2

Bioy8 Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 20, 2018 11:36 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks. Well, I did as you said and then I was able to open the file, but it turned out that it was a Word file and not an excel file, although when I ordered the files in that folder by application, that file (and all the others called 'word work file xxx' with an '.asd' were under the heading of "Microsoft Excel'. So I'm still missing all the autosaved Excel files (despite the fact that I had autorecovery mode every 10 minutes) and I really need to recover one important file. Any further suggestion?

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Answer 3

Bioy8 Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 20, 2018 1:16 PM in response to Eric Root

Thanks Eric! With 'Find any file" I was able to retrieve my lost file!

Since you've been so helpful, one follow-up related question. When looking for solutions for the problem I have with 'autosave' in Office 2011 for Mac, I read that someone said:

"Office 2011. Autosave is broken and has been broken ever since Microsoft deployed Office 2011. Do not depend on autosave for Word, Excel, or Powerpoint. Save your documents often and make sure that you choose "Always make a backup" in Office 2011 preferences.

I tried to find "office 2011 preferences' to choose 'Always make a backup" but the only thing I found was preferences for specific Office 2011 programs (e.g. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, etc) and none of them had the option of "Always make a backup". Do you know where I could find it?

Thanks again for your help! It's been great!

Best

Bioy

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