Data loss of Number spreadsheets can happen anytime due to various reasons, like shutting down the app or machine before saving, deleting the files by a quick hand, system crashes, virus attacks, device power failure, etc.
Luckily, you always have approaches to rescue the lost Numbers documents with the right software and the local function on your Mac workstation. If you suffer from the data loss of Numbers, you've come to the right place, as this post concentrates on how to recover unsaved Numbers spreadsheets on Mac with handy utilities.
Recover the unsaved Numbers spreadsheet via data recovery
Compared to the manual data recovery method, professional data recovery excels in scanning the drive bit by bit and sector by sector for all traces of the lost files automatically. No matter whether the file disappears due to unsaving, unintentional deletion, or device/app collapse, there is a chance to rescue them back by using a professional data recovery software -- iBoysoft Data Recovery Software for Mac.
iBoysoft Data Recovery Software is configured with impressive disk scanning skills and data recovery algorithms, which search for the lost data in Numbers on the hard drive thoroughly, even if you forget to save it -- as long as you have made any modifications to the lost target.
With an intuitive interface, you can perform the unsaved numbers data recovery with ease, even if you're a newbie to Mac and to this utility:
Step 1: Download and install iBoysoft Data Recovery Software on your Mac. Do not place this utility on the partition/volume/drive where you lost the numbers, as it will overwrite their traces.
Step 2: Launch iBoysoft Data Recovery Software and select the drive where you are suffering from data loss.
Step 3: Tap on Search for Lost Data to begin the drive scanning. This process depends on how many files are accumulated on your Mac. The more files are stored on your Mac, the longer the process lasts.
Step 4: Once the disk scanning ends, check the scanned results. You can highlight the scanned files and click Preview to check if they are the files you desire.
Step 5: After checking, choose the lost numbers spreadsheets you want and click Recover to bring them back. Select a health drive to save the files if you have lost the numbers due to system crashes or drive failure, or you might suffer from data loss again.
Share this post if you successfully recover your precious numbers data!
Recover the unsaved Numbers spreadsheet with the AutoSave function
If you are familiar with Mac, you probably know there is an AutoSave function built into the Mac lineup. Auto-save is a macOS feature that automatically saves documents on your Mac as long as you have saved the Numbers at least once.
If so, you can recover the unsaved Numbers documents with the help of the Auto-save feature. You needn't worry that you haven't enabled this feature before, since it is activated by default.
Here, let's see how to recover the unsaved Numbers spreadsheets by using the AutoSave function:
- Launch Numbers on your Mac by pressing the Command + Space keys and entering Numbers. Spotlight Search will suggest the Numbers app immediately for quick access.
- Randomly open a numbers file and click File on the upper left menu bar of the Mac desktop.
- Then click Open Recent from the dropdown menu, where you can view the numbers you opened or modified recently.
- Or, you can click Revert to > Browse All Versions from the File tab to check if there is any traces of the numbers spreadsheet you want.
- Choose the numbers file you want to recover and open it, then save it well by File > Save.
Check if all modifications you have made are saved by this feature. If not, you presumably have to update the edit of the spreadsheets one more time.
Recover unsaved Numbers spreadsheets via the temp folder
You can also visit the temp folder to recover the unsaved Numbers spreadsheets on your Mac, a folder that stores the temporary files created by macOS and applications to hold data while a process or installation is ongoing.
Although the files may be removed after the app quits or the device shuts down, it still deserves a try and might help in the Numbers recovery if you're lucky enough. Here is how to access the temp folder for the lost Numbers spreadsheets:
Command lines will be executed in this approach. Please make sure you follow the tutorial strictly, since any misoperation may put your Mac at risk.
- Open Terminal from Finder > Applications > Utilities.
- Type the following command and press Enter to open the temp folder on your Mac: open $TMPDIR
- A Finder window of the Temporary folder pops up.
- In the temp folder window, locate the Numbers document you want to recover and try to open it with Numbers.
- Once it opens, click File on the upper left top menu bar > Save.
Restore an earlier version of a spreadsheet in Numbers on iPhone
If you have enabled iCloud Drive to back up your iPhone device, there is still a chance to return a previous version of a Numbers spreadsheet since it saves versions of files periodically. Here is how to restore the numbers to a previous version:
1. Open Numbers. If a spreadsheet is already open, tap the Back button in the top-left corner to see all the spreadsheets.
2. With the document manager in browse view, tap Select at the top of the screen, then tap the spreadsheet you want to recall.
3. Tap the Versions button at the top of the screen.
4. Tap a previous version to select it and tap Preview.
5. You can carry on based on your need:
- Save a copy of the version shown in the preview: Tap Save a Copy. Then Numbers opens the copy as a new spreadsheet for you to edit.
- Replace the current version with the preview one: Tap Restore.
- Close the preview and return to the current version: Tap Close.
6. Once you have finished the restoration, tap Done.
Final words
No matter you want to recover the unsaved or deleted Numbers spreadsheets on Mac or need to return the Numbers to a previous version on iPhone, you can always find an answer in this post. If you run into data loss, try the steps in this tutorial right now!