How to View Version History in Excel

To view version history in Excel, open a workbook that is saved in OneDrive or SharePoint, select the file name at the top of the window, and choose Version history. Pick a date and time to open that copy in a separate window, then select Restore if you want it to become the current version. You can reach the same list through File > Info > Version History.

Applies to: Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, plus workbooks stored in OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.

What version history is (and what it is not)

Version history is a list of saved snapshots of a whole workbook. Each entry shows when that copy was saved, so you can open an older copy, compare it with the current file, and roll the file back if something went wrong, such as a deleted sheet, a pasted-over table or an unwanted edit by a coworker.

It is different from Show Changes, which lists individual cell edits and who made them. If you need to find out who changed a specific cell, see our guide on how to view edit history in Excel. If you need to get back an entire earlier copy of the file, version history is the right tool.

Before you start

• The workbook must be stored in OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365. Microsoft states that version history only works for files saved there. A workbook that lives only on your PC’s hard drive or a USB stick has no version list in Excel.
• AutoSave helps build the history. AutoSave is on by default for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint Online. According to Microsoft, the first change in an editing session creates a version, and new versions are then added about every 10 minutes while you work.
• How far back you can go depends on your account. With a personal Microsoft account you can retrieve the last 25 versions. With a work or school account, the number depends on how the library’s versioning is configured by its owner or administrator.

How to view and restore an earlier version in Excel for Microsoft 365

1. Open the workbook. Open the file from OneDrive or SharePoint in the Excel desktop app. If the AutoSave switch in the upper-left corner is on, the file is saved to the cloud and has a version list.
2. Select the file name. Click the workbook’s title at the top of the Excel window.
3. Choose Version history. Select Version history. A Version History pane opens on the right side of the window and lists earlier versions by date and time.
4. Open the version you want. Select a version (or select Open version under it). That copy opens in a separate window, so your current workbook stays untouched while you look.
5. Check the contents. Scroll through the sheets in the older copy and confirm it contains the data you need. You can place the two windows side by side to compare them.
6. Restore it, or close it. To make the opened copy the current version, select Restore. If you only wanted to look, close the window and nothing changes.

Alternative: open version history from File > Info

If clicking the file name does not show the menu, use the Backstage view instead:

1. With the workbook open, select File.
2. Select Info.
3. Select Version History. This button appears only when the file has previous versions.
4. In the Version History pane, select a version to view it, then select Restore if you want to roll back.

Restore a version without opening Excel (OneDrive website or File Explorer)

If the workbook will not open, for example because Excel reports that it is damaged, you can roll it back from OneDrive itself. Microsoft notes that you can restore only one file at a time this way.

On the OneDrive website

1. Sign in to onedrive.com with your personal Microsoft account or your work or school account.
2. Find the workbook, right-click it, and select Version history.
3. In the Version History pane, select the three dots (…) next to the version you want, then select Restore.

In File Explorer on Windows

1. Make sure the OneDrive sync app is installed and signed in on your PC.
2. Open your OneDrive folder in File Explorer, right-click the workbook, and select Version history.
3. Select the three dots (…) next to the version you want, then select Restore.

After a restore, the version you picked becomes the current one, and the copy you replaced moves into the list as an earlier version. That means a restore can itself be undone by restoring the newer entry.

In a SharePoint document library

1. Open the library that contains the workbook.
2. Select the three dots (…) next to the file, then select Version history. If you do not see it, select More first.
3. Point to the date of the earlier version, select the down arrow, and choose Restore.
4. Select OK to make that version current, then close the dialog.

SharePoint keeps the version you restored from and adds a new current version, so nothing is deleted.

How to keep the current file and still get old data back

Restoring replaces what is in the current workbook, so any changes made after the version you pick will no longer be in the current copy (they remain available as an earlier version). When you only need part of an old version, such as one sheet or a few rows, open the older version, copy the data you need, and paste it into the current workbook instead of restoring the whole file.

If you want to experiment on a workbook without creating new versions of the original, use File > Save a Copy before editing. Microsoft points out that Save As is replaced by Save a Copy for files opened from OneDrive or SharePoint, and that AutoSave would otherwise write your changes to the original.

If the workbook was never saved to OneDrive or SharePoint

Local files do not have version history, but Excel’s AutoRecover feature may still help on Windows.

• You saved the file, then closed it and lost recent work: open the workbook, select File > Info, and under Manage Workbook select the entry labeled (when I closed without saving). Then select Restore in the bar at the top of the file. This overwrites the previously saved version.
• You never saved the file: select File > Info, select the Manage Workbook button, and then select Recover Unsaved Workbooks. Pick the file, select Open, and then use Save As in the bar at the top to keep it.

These options only work if AutoRecover was turned on. To check, go to File > Options > Save and make sure Save AutoRecover information every x minutes and Keep the last autorecovered version if I close without saving are both selected. Microsoft suggests a short interval such as 5 or 10 minutes, and stresses that AutoRecover does not replace saving your work.

Troubleshooting

Version history is missing or greyed out

The most common cause is that the workbook is stored on your PC rather than in OneDrive or SharePoint. Move it there (for example, by saving it to your OneDrive folder) and versions will be recorded from then on. In SharePoint, a missing Version history command can also mean versioning is turned off for the library, which the library owner or an administrator can change.

The AutoSave switch is off or unavailable

Microsoft lists several reasons AutoSave can be off: the file is not yet saved, it is stored outside OneDrive or SharePoint Online, it uses an older format such as .xls, OneDrive sync is paused, or the OneDrive sync app is out of date. In Excel, the legacy Shared Workbook feature and password encryption can also turn AutoSave off. Save the file as an .xlsx workbook in OneDrive and check that sync is running.

The version you need is not in the list

Personal accounts keep a limited number of versions, and Microsoft’s OneDrive help notes that file version history is retained for 30 days. Work or school libraries follow the limits their administrator sets, and an administrator can turn versioning off. If you need a longer history for an important workbook, ask your IT team about the library’s versioning settings.

The whole file was deleted

Version history only covers files that still exist. If the workbook itself was deleted, look in the OneDrive recycle bin first (Microsoft covers this in its help on restoring deleted files or folders in OneDrive), then use version history on the restored file if you also need an older copy.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see version history for an Excel file saved on my computer?

No. Excel’s version history only works for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365. For local files, try the AutoRecover options under File > Info > Manage Workbook.

How many versions does Excel keep?

With a personal Microsoft account you can get back the last 25 versions. For work or school accounts the number depends on the library configuration set by the site owner or administrator.

Does restoring an old version delete the newer one?

No. The version you replace stays in the list as a previous version, so you can switch back if you restored the wrong copy.

Can I see who made each change?

Version history shows when each copy was saved. To see individual cell edits and the person who made them, use Show Changes on the Review tab, which Microsoft says covers the past 365 days.

Do the steps differ on a Mac, in Excel for the web or in Office 2021?

The menus are arranged differently in those versions. Microsoft’s View previous versions of Office files page has separate tabs for Office 2016 to 2021, macOS and the web, so pick the tab that matches your app. Word and PowerPoint work in a similar way; see how to see previous versions of a Word document.

Next step: if your important workbooks still live only on your PC, save them to OneDrive now so the next mistake can be undone in a few clicks. Microsoft’s guide to restoring a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive covers the same process for other file types.