How to Tell if an Excel File Is Corrupted? Repair It!

Wondering how to tell if an Excel file is corrupted? Keep reading to learn more about the corruption issue, and the best ways to resolve the corruption in an Excel file. If none of the methods work, installing EaseUS Fixo Document Repair is essential.

How to tell if an Excel file is corrupted? If this is what is bothering you, fret not! The damaged Excel file often fails to show some entries, the file may become inaccessible, or there might be some missing formulas. Despite these signs, several other indications confirm the corruption of the Excel file. If the content inside the Excel spreadsheet goes haywire, this article will give you the best way to resolve Excel file corruption.

How to Tell if an Excel File Is Corrupted

Stop wondering how to tell if an Excel file is corrupted! There are numerous ways to confirm the corruption.

1️⃣Discovered on file open

Most of the damaged files are discovered when Excel tries to launch a file. Excel will demonstrate a corruption & repair caution:

• Excel 2007/2010: "Excel encountered unreadable content in." Would you like to restore the Workbook's content? If you rely on the Workbook's source, hit "Yes."
• Excel 2013: We discovered an issue with some content. Would you want us to attempt restoration as much as we can? If you count on this Workbook, hit "Yes."

Excel cannot be opened, as the file format isn't legit. You must verify that the file has not been damaged and that the file extension corresponds to the file's format.

2️⃣Discovered in an active workbook

Even the workbook you're working with can be damaged, for example, while loaded in RAM. One of the most significant signs would be a warning from AutoRecover when it's turned on. Excel's AutoRecover can't save a legitimate file while trying to generate a copy of your Workbook on disk every few minutes. Unluckily, a damaged Workbook jampacked in memory can't be saved accurately. Excel might alert you:

• An unanticipated error has happened. AutoRecover has been turned off for the Excel session.
• Excel faced errors during save. It can't minimally save your file.
• Issues were witnessed while saving. MS Excel can't save files by eliminating or mending some features. Hit "continue" to complete repairs in a new file.

MS Office will determine if image relationships in the custom XML part have been damaged during the Workbook save. Even though a single picture needs to be blamed, MS Office will eliminate every image from the custom UI and reset relationships to default.

Method 1. Check if an Excel File Can Be Opened

When you try to access your file, and it can't respond appropriately, its corruption is possible. Sometimes, you might obtain the error text "unable to read the file." Another standard error you may encounter anytime is, "Excel cannot open the file because the extension is not valid."

To check if an Excel file can be opened, you may search for compatibility problems with the help of these steps:

Step 1. Opt for "File."

Step 2. Select "Info."

Step 3. Hit "Search for issues" > "Check compatibility."

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Method 2. Check the Corrupted File Display Error Messages

The corrupted Excel file can't respond when you attempt to launch it. You will obtain the error text or corruption alerts.

• Excel can't launch this file.
• Excel is unable to read files.
• This file can't be previewed due to corruption.

The file format and GUI extension Checklist guide lines.xls don't correspond. The file could be damaged or unsafe. Please don't open it unless you trust its source. Would you like to open it anyway?

Bonus Tip: How to Repair an Excel File is Corrupted

If the Excel file corruption happens, if the "Open & Repair" doesn't work, and you need to save time, you may use a professional Excel file repair tool, such as the EaseUS Fixo Document Repair tool. It's a versatile tool that can help repair damaged Excel files effectively and effortlessly.

This powerful document repair tool will help retrieve all types of information, including tables, charts, worksheet properties, etc. EaseUS, a handy tool, can help fix several file corruption errors. You may check the following information to learn more about EaseUS Fixo:

• It's a top-notch Excel repair tool that can assist you in repairing damaged Excel files.
• It's the best tool for fixing PDF issues, for example, opening 0kb PDF files, launching corrupted PDF files, etc.
• It's a great Word repair tool for solving the issues of "Word won't launch" or "open with empty pages."
• It supports every Excel file format, including XLSX/XLSM/XLS.

The tool supports Windows 11/10/8/7 and macOS versions 10.10 to 13.

Download this professional Excel repair tool now!

✨Step 1.  Download, install, and launch EaseUS Fixo Document Repair

You can download this repair tool with the download button we gave you or other official ways. After the installation, you can double-click the Fixo icon to launch it. Click "File Repair" > "Add Files" to select and repair damaged Word, Excel, PDF, and other documents.

✨Step 2. Repair corrupted documents now

After adding the documents, you can click "Repair" to fix a document specifically or select "Repair All" to repair the whole files in the list altogether.

✨Step 3. Preview and save repaired documents

Now, the files are ready to be saved. You can also click the eye icon to preview the documents. After clicking "Save All", select "View Repaired" in the pop-up window to locate these repaired files.

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How Does an Excel File Get Corrupted

Are you contemplating what causes corruption in Excel files? If you would like to repair corrupted Excel files, you must better diagnose what could have caused this problem. Below are some of the reasons that cause corruption:

• Damaged storage: The external storage or partition unit where the Excel file is saved is likely to be corrupted.
• Logical errors: Your Excel file's metadata, header, or other elements might be incorrect, causing several logical errors.
• File mishandling: Shutting down your PC while the file is being processed may cause corruption.
• Malware attack: Your Excel files may get infected by viruses, corrupting their significant components.

How to Tell if an Excel File Is Corrupted FAQs

Below are the best FAQs to comprehend the topic better:

1. How do I know if the Excel file is corrupted?

If the Excel file is corrupted, AutoRecover will alert you to save it. This may occur for several reasons, including a disk write error or corruption.

2. Can you tell if a file has been corrupted?

One of the leading signs of file corruption is displaying error texts. The system might exhibit odd error texts. Another indication is system crashes, where your PC may crash for no solid reason.

3. How do I scan an Excel file for corruption?

To scan an Excel file for corruption, you need to search for formula errors by going to "Formulas" > "Formula Auditing" > "Error checking." If you have overlooked errors previously, you may navigate to "File" > "Options" > "Formulas" to search for them again.

4. Why is an Excel file corrupted and cannot be opened?

The main reason for Excel file corruption is the changes in the MS Office settings after upgrading or reinstallation.

Summary

So, this is it! This brings us to the end of this guide on how to check if an Excel file is corrupted. You can avoid issues with Excel documents by scanning them, handling them adequately, avoiding public connections, and installing genuine add-ins only. Hence, checking the damaged file before treating it as corrupted or troubleshooting is essential.

When you get the Excel file corruption error text while opening or saving an Excel file, it might get corrupted due to sudden power outages, imprecisely closed workbooks, or virus infection. After that, you may try the manual troubleshooting solutions to resolve the corrupted file or use any Excel file repair tool, such as the EaseUS Fixo Document Repair tool, to repair and retrieve the damaged files.