Google Sheets provides numerous features that range from simple to advanced. This may be why people take extra steps (online courses) to make Google Sheets a part of their work environment.
While working with Google Sheets as the main program to store your data, you’ll need to take every measure to ensure you never lose access to your spreadsheet. That includes being able to recover it if it’s deleted. You may wonder if it’s even possible to recover a deleted Google Sheets spreadsheet. Well, yes, you can. There are a few ways to recover your deleted Google Sheet.
Fortunately, all deleted Google Drive files (including Google Sheets files) are stored in the Google Drive Trash for a period of time before being permanently deleted. This provides users with a time frame within which they can restore deleted files. That window is 30 days, but Google may change that in the future.
In this article, we will discuss how to recover a Google Sheet file using the known methods. We will show how to recover deleted files on a phone or tablet and how to recover a deleted Google Sheet on a desktop computer. Read on to learn.
Table of Contents
In Short: How to Recover a Deleted Google Sheet
Firstly, users can try restoring Google Sheets using a web browser, which only works If you’re on a computer, you can directly access Google Drive “Bin” through Google Chrome or some other browsers. This method will not work if you’re using a mobile device, which would require the Google Drive app.
Otherwise, users can also try restoring Google Sheets on a smartphone. On a tablet or mobile device, you can use the Google Drive app to recover a deleted Google Sheets file. You must first install the Drive app on your Android or iOS device. Then you will have to follow a list of steps to recover a deleted Google Sheets file after you’ve installed and launched the Google Drive app on your device.
Below I provide step-by-step guides on how to recover a Google Sheets file on computers and mobile devices.
Step-by-Step Guides for Recovering a Deleted Google Sheet
How to Recover Google Sheets File From Google Drive Using a PC/Laptop.
Step 1. Go to sheets.google.com and navigate to the menu button on the top right of the screen next to your avatar.
Step 2. Select the Google Drive option, and you will be redirected to your Google Drive, where all your saved files are.
Step 3. Click on Bin at the bottom of the left menu. You will be redirected to the bin where all your deleted files stay for up to 30 days, after which they are deleted permanently.
Step 4. Right-click on the file you want to restore. After right-clicking on the file, you want to restore, choose “restore” from the pop-up menu that appears, and you’re done! That will restore Google Sheet that got deleted, and you can start using it again.
How to Retrieve Deleted Google Sheets From a Smartphone
Step 1. Go to the Google Drive App on your smartphone.
Step 2. Click on the menu button on the top left of the screen, an extended menu will appear on the left side of your screen.
Step 3. Click on the ‘bin’ option, you will be redirected to the Google Drive bin.
Step 4. Find the file you want to restore, click on the 3 vertical dots next to it, and a pop-up menu will appear.
Step 5. From the pop-up menu, click on restore.
That’s it, you’ve successfully restored a deleted Google Sheet using your smartphone!
Conclusion
Now that we have explained how to recover a deleted Google Sheet file, you must keep in mind that if you have deleted your file permanently from the trash, there is, unfortunately, no way of recovering it yourself. In that case, you can contact Google to request the deleted file, and there is a chance that you may be able to get that file back.
As a precaution, every user should save their important files and make a copy of them. I hope this article answered your “Can you recover a deleted Google Sheet?” question and provided you with everything you need. If not, let us know in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Recover a Deleted Google Sheet?
If you accidentally deleted a file from the docs, slides, or sheets, don’t worry because, just like your Windows or Mac PC, your Google account includes a trash bin where all deleted files are kept. The files are kept in the trash for a set time before being permanently deleted (30 days). Just open the Bin in the Google Drive app or your browser.
Where Do Permanently Deleted Files Go?
Your Google account has a trash bin where all the deleted files stay for 30 days. The files stay in the trash for a specific period of time and are then deleted permanently. Once they are deleted permanently, you will lose access to them forever. However, you can try contacting Google regarding the matter and have the possibility of recovering it. Otherwise, it’s simply wiped.
Where Is Edit History in Google Sheets?
To access the edit history in Google Sheets, click on the last edit statement at the top of the screen. This statement is typically displayed to the right of the help tab. It includes the date or time the file was last modified and is highlighted. You can open a window with information about previous edits by clicking on this statement. In addition to that, Google Sheets also provides a look into version history and can also help you track changes.
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