How to Fix the "Sorry We Couldn't Find Your File" Error [For Excel & Word]

There's an error that you can get in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word that says:

Sorry, we couldn't find your file is it possible it was moved, renamed or deleted?

If you're seeing this error when you try to open a file, there are a few things that could be going wrong.

In this guide, we'll go over a 4 solutions to try to recover your file.

But, sadly there is a chance that your file is corrupted. If that's the case it means your only options are to restore from a backup. If you have a backup, we'll even go over how to restore a file from a backup.

Let's get right into it, with the first, and easiest solution.

Solution 1: Check for Long File Names and Shorten Path

The root of this problem may lie in the length of the file's path and name.

Windows has a limitation on the length of path names (of 260 characters). When the combined length of the file path and the file name exceeds this limit, Excel (and other applications) may fail to open the file, leading to the "Sorry, we couldn't find your file is it possible it was moved, renamed or deleted?" error message.

Shortening the File Path

To resolve this issue, try moving the file to a location with a shorter path, such as C:\Temp. Here's how to do it:

1. Locate the File: Navigate to the original folder where the file is stored.
2. Copy the File: Copy (Ctrl+C) the file and paste (Ctrl+V) it into a directory with a shorter path, like C:\Temp or another directory close to the root of the drive.
3. Try Opening the File Again: After moving the file, attempt to open it from its new location. If the issue was indeed related to the path length, Excel should now open the file without displaying the error message.

Other Ways to Shorten the Path or Allow for Longer Path

• Rename the File: If moving the file doesn't resolve the issue, try shortening the file's name before moving it to a directory with a shorter path.
• Adjust Windows Registry for Long Paths: For users comfortable with making advanced system changes, Windows 10 and later support longer paths. This requires enabling a specific setting in the Group Policy Editor or modifying the registry. However, be cautious, as these changes can affect system stability and application behavior. This should be done only if you've identified that a long file path was the root cause of this issue.

Solution 2: Recover Original File from Temporary or AutoRecover Files

When facing the error message "Sorry, we couldn't find your file. Was it moved, renamed, or deleted?" in Microsoft Excel or Word, and you are certain the file hasn't been moved, renamed, or deleted, it's possible the document you are trying to access has become inaccessible for a number of reasons.

However, despite what caused the error, there's hope for recovering the original file by using temporary files (or the Microsoft Office's AutoRecover feature).

Step 1: Locate the Temporary File

If you can see the file in recent documents or can find it through a search but it's not visible in its expected location, it's likely you're seeing a temporary version of the file. This scenario is common when the application didn't close properly, for instance, if your computer's battery died while the file was open.

• To access the temporary file, navigate to the folder where the file was last saved. Look for files with a similar name but with a temporary file extension, such as .tmp or prefixed with a tilde (~). These files might not always be visible by default, so ensure your folder settings allow you to see hidden files.

Step 2: Use AutoRecover Files

Microsoft Word and Excel have an AutoRecover feature that periodically saves a backup copy of your documents in case of a crash. These files have the .asd extension for Word documents.

• To find AutoRecover files, open Word or Excel and go to File > Options > Save. Check the AutoRecover file location path and navigate to it in your File Explorer. Look for any .asd files that could correspond to your missing document.

Step 3: Convert and Recover

Once you find an AutoRecover or temporary file:

• For temporary files, try to open them directly with Word or Excel. If they don't open as is, you might need to rename the extension to .docx, .xlsx, or similar, depending on your file type.
• For AutoRecover files, simply change the extension of the .asd file to .docx, .doc, or .docm as applicable. Then, try opening the file with Word to see if it recovers your document.

Additional Tips

• Check the Recycle Bin: Sometimes, files can end up in the Recycle Bin. If your file was accidentally deleted, you might be able to restore it from there.
• Repair Office Installation: If you're still facing issues, consider repairing your Office installation. Microsoft provides a guide for repairing Office applications that can resolve issues preventing files from opening correctly.

Solution 3: Open the File in a Different Application

When you encounter issues opening .docx or .xlsx files with Microsoft Word or Excel, or if you suspect file corruption, trying alternative programs can sometimes provide a workaround.

Both Windows and Mac OS offer a range of applications capable of handling these file formats. Exploring these alternatives can also be helpful if you don't have access to Microsoft Office.

Here are some programs you can try opening the file in to double check that the file is the problem, and not Microsoft Excel or Word:

Alternative Programs to Open .docx Files

• LibreOffice Writer (Windows/Mac): A powerful open-source word processor that supports .docx files among many other formats. It offers a wide range of features similar to Microsoft Word and is a part of the LibreOffice suite.
• Google Docs (Web, Windows/Mac via Browser): Accessible through any web browser, Google Docs allows users to upload, view, and edit .docx files directly in the browser. It's a convenient option for quick edits or for collaborating with others online.
• Apple Pages (Mac): Part of Apple's iWork suite, Pages is a sophisticated word processing and page layout application. It can open and edit .docx files and offers a different set of features and templates.

Alternative Programs to Open .xlsx Files

• LibreOffice Calc (Windows/Mac): The spreadsheet component of the LibreOffice suite, Calc, supports .xlsx files. It provides a robust set of tools for data analysis and visualization, similar to Excel.
• Google Sheets (Web, Windows/Mac via Browser): Like Google Docs, Google Sheets operates in your web browser and allows you to open, edit, and collaborate on .xlsx files in real-time.
• Apple Numbers (Mac): Apple's spreadsheet application, Numbers, can open .xlsx files. It emphasizes visual data presentation and comes with many templates designed to make your data look appealing.

For Other File Types (.csv, .pdf)

• Text and CSV Files: For plain text or .csv files, simpler applications like Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (Mac), or more advanced text editors like Sublime Text and Atom (Windows/Mac) can be very useful. These editors can open a wide range of file types and are especially handy for viewing or editing code or data files.
• PDF Files: Adobe Acrobat Reader (Windows/Mac) is the go-to for .pdf files, but alternatives like Foxit Reader (Windows) and Preview (Mac) offer similar functionalities for viewing, editing, and annotating PDF documents.

Solution 4: Identify File Corruption and Restore from Backup

It could be that your file is corrupted. If that's the case, our only solution is to try to restore the file from a backup (if you have one).

Corrupted files can exhibit various symptoms depending on their type and the extent of the damage.

For common file types like CSV (Comma Separated Values), which are widely used for storing spreadsheet data, here are a few methods to diagnose corruption:

Signs of File Corruption

1. Inability to Open: The most obvious sign is if the file does not open in its respective program, such as Excel or another CSV-compatible application. Instead of opening smoothly, the application may freeze, display an error message, or open the file with garbled content.
2. Strange Characters in Content: If the file opens but contains unusual characters, misplaced symbols, or incomprehensible text, it's likely that the file is partially or fully corrupted. This can happen due to improper encoding or if the file was improperly saved.
3. File Size and Modification Date Anomalies: A sudden change in file size, especially a significant reduction without any known reason, or an incorrect modification date, can also suggest that a file has become corrupted.

Verifying File Integrity

• Open with a Text Editor: Sometimes, opening the file in a different program can help identify corruption. Text editors like Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac) can open CSV files and display their raw content. If the file's contents look abnormal here, it's likely corrupted.
• Use File Validation Tools: There are tools and utilities designed to check the integrity of files, including CSVs. For example, CSVLint is an online tool that can validate CSV files against common errors and standards compliance.

Restoring from Backup

If you've determined that your file is indeed corrupted, the most reliable solution is to restore it from a backup. Here's how to do that on both Windows and Mac:

Windows

1. File History: If you've enabled File History, navigate to the folder containing the corrupted file, right-click it, and select "Restore previous versions". You can then choose from the available versions to restore.
2. Backup and Restore: If you've used Windows' Backup and Restore feature, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7), select "Restore my files", and follow the prompts.

Mac

1. Time Machine: Open Time Machine from the menu bar (or from System Preferences), navigate to the location of your file, use the timeline on the edge of the screen to find a previous version of the file, and press "Restore" to recover it.
2. iCloud: If your file was stored in iCloud, log into iCloud.com, open the Settings, and under the Advanced section, you can restore files, contacts, calendars, and bookmarks.

Conclusion

I hope these steps helped you recover your file from that annoying "Sorry, we couldn't find your file is it possible it was moved, renamed or deleted?" error.

If it turns out your file was corrupted, and you have to start all over, while that's a terrible experience, at least it's an opportunity to learn. Because, with proper backups, you should always be able to recover a file.

So, always ensure you have a backup of your important files to prevent data loss in the future.

Using cloud storage options like OneDrive or keeping external backups can save you from massive headaches like this one.

Thanks for reading! If you have any feedback or questions, please send a comment below.