Accidently Deleted a Google Sheet? Here’s How to Recover It

Google makes it so easy to delete a sheet, just click the “Move to Trash” button and it won’t even give you a warning.

Luckily, you can recover your sheet easily.

To recover deleted Google Sheets files, open Google Drive, click ‘Trash’ on the left panel, find the desired file, right-click it, and select ‘Restore’. If the file isn’t in Trash, try searching for it in Drive or request the owner to restore the file from their Trash.

How To Recover a Deleted Google Sheets File

  1. Open your web browser and navigate to https://drive.google.com.
  2. Sign in to your Google account, if you haven’t already.
  3. On the left side of the Google Drive interface, click on “Trash” (or “Bin” in some regions). This will display all the files and folders that have been deleted from your Drive.
  4. Scroll through the list or use the search bar at the top to find the Google Sheets file you want to recover.
  5. Once you locate the desired file, click on it to select it. If you want to recover multiple files, hold the ‘Ctrl’ key (or ‘Cmd’ key on Mac) while clicking on each file.
  6. Right-click on the selected file(s) and choose “Restore” from the context menu. The file(s) will be restored to their original location in Google Drive.

If you can’t find the file in the Trash or the file was shared with you:

  1. Go back to the main Google Drive page by clicking “My Drive” on the left panel.
  2. Use the search bar at the top to search for the deleted file by its name, keywords, or owner’s email address.
  3. If you still can’t find the file, contact the file owner and ask them to check their Google Drive Trash and restore the file if it’s there.
  4. Once the owner restores the file, you should regain access to it in the shared location or through the link provided initially.

Remember that files in the Trash will be permanently deleted after 30 days, so it’s essential to act promptly to recover any deleted Google Sheets files.

Related Issues You May Have:

  1. Restoring earlier versions of a Google Sheets file: Open the file, click ‘File’ > ‘Version history’ > ‘See version history’, then select the desired version to restore.
  2. Recovering deleted files from a shared folder: Check your Google Drive Trash, or ask the folder owner to restore the file from their Trash.
  3. Finding lost files in Google Drive: Use the search bar in Google Drive, check your ‘Shared with me’ folder, or contact the file owner.
  4. Managing permissions and access to shared files: Right-click the file, select ‘Share’, and adjust sharing settings or add/remove collaborators as needed.
  5. Understanding file retention policies of Google Drive: Deleted files are stored in Trash for 30 days before being permanently deleted. File versions are stored indefinitely, but Google Workspace users may have specific retention policies set by their organization.

Google Sheets Trash Bin Recovery FAQs

Q: How long are deleted files stored in the Google Drive Trash?

A: Deleted files are stored in the Google Drive Trash for 30 days. After that period, they are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Q: Can I recover a Google Sheets file if I’m not the owner?

A: If you are not the owner, you can search for the file in your Google Drive or ask the file owner to check their Trash and restore the file. Once restored, you will regain access to the file.

Q: Can I restore a specific version of a Google Sheets file from the Trash?

A: No, the Trash only stores deleted files. To restore a specific version of a file, open the file, click on ‘File’ > ‘Version history’ > ‘See version history’, and choose the version you want to restore.

Q: Is there a way to recover a permanently deleted Google Sheets file?

A: Once a file is permanently deleted (after 30 days in the Trash or manual removal), it cannot be recovered through standard means. In rare cases, you can contact Google Support to inquire about possible recovery options.

Q: Can I empty the Trash in Google Drive manually?

A: Yes, you can empty the Trash manually. In the Trash folder, click on the ‘Empty Trash’ or ‘Empty Bin’ button at the top-right corner. Be cautious, as this action will permanently delete all files in the Trash.


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