Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Setting the AutoRecover Directory.
Figure 1. The Save options of the Excel Options dialog box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6172) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Setting the AutoRecover Directory.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel 2013 Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
Some formulas require the use of circular references in order to determine a result. If you want to make sure that ...
Discover MoreWant to load a particular add-in for use with a specific worksheet? Here's a quick way to do it using macros.
Discover MoreExcel normally saves workbooks using a default file format that is peculiar to your version of the program. You can ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-02-28 05:10:35
Phil Brannigan
Hi Allen, we work with Excel files containing confidential data supplied to us by clients, and we have to comply with their data security requirements. We have set up a cloud-based service that allows us to open the files in Excel from the cloud store without downloading them. We can set permissions that enforce this practice. The client is happy with this except for one thing. Although the Excel file itself is not stored on the user's local drive, the temporary and auto-recover files are, and the client wants to know how we can ensure these cannot be used to view the confidential data. Is there a safe way to ensure these files are deleted once the Excel work is complete?
2015-07-07 07:37:42
Thomas Roes
I try setting this autorecover folder to a folder in the user home-directory using management software but...... autorevoverfiles are still created in the default folder (in the roaming profile, so this profiles grow's out off proportion).
This bloats the roaming profile.
Because I set this through management software (I can't/won't ask my users to set this all by themselfs) any manual changes will be overwritten.
The folder I specify does exist. What could be wrong.
2014-07-06 09:01:07
Greg
If you have an 'office' setup where the auto-recover file is saved to a Network location you could have a problem if the Network goes down as part of the failure.
2014-07-05 06:58:29
Alien
Interesting tip...but is there some advantage to switching the auto-recover file location? Presumably it will work just the same wherever it's filed.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
Comments