RECOVERY
File Recovery errors and fixes
Document corruption, unsaved-file recovery, drive and media recovery, and decision trees for choosing the right tool.
Flagship articles
Highest-priority pieces in this category — the ones we're most confident solve the problem.
Excel File Is Corrupted and Cannot Be Opened: What It Means and How to Fix It
Excel says your file is corrupted? An honest, ordered guide to recovering an .xlsx file — what works, what's a waste of time, and when to stop.
excel file is corrupted and cannot be opened
Word Found Unreadable Content: What It Means and How to Recover Your Document
'Word found unreadable content in this document'? An honest, ordered guide to recovering a .docx file — what works, what doesn't, and when to stop trying.
word found unreadable content
Premium fixes
High-value troubleshooting for file recovery — written and verified by our editors.
How to Recover a Deleted OneDrive File (Personal and Business)
Recover a deleted OneDrive file before the clock runs out. Personal vs Business retention windows, both recycle bin stages, and the Files Restore feature most users miss.
recover deleted onedrive file
How to Restore a Previous Version of a Word, Excel or OneDrive Document
Restore an earlier version of a Word, Excel or OneDrive document. Where Version History actually works, why File Explorer's Previous Versions tab usually doesn't, and what to do for local-only files.
restore previous version word document
OneDrive Sync Conflict: Which Version Should You Keep? (2026)
OneDrive or SharePoint left you with two versions of the same file. Here's how to decide which is right — and when you should keep both.
onedrive sync conflict which version
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