Excel guide · 5 min read
Excel AutoSave greyed out or not working: why and how to fix it
Sample data
Every result on this page was calculated from this sheet by the same spreadsheet engine the Cellwise app uses.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Where or what the file is | AutoSave | What to do |
| 2 | Desktop, Documents or a USB stick | Off, asks to upload | Save it to OneDrive or SharePoint |
| 3 | Network drive (S:, \\server\share) | Off | Move it to OneDrive or SharePoint |
| 4 | .xls, .csv or another old format | Greyed out | Save As .xlsx, .xlsm or .xlsb |
| 5 | Opened from an email or a download | Off | That's a local copy: open the cloud file |
| 6 | OneDrive folder, other account in Excel | Off or greyed | File > Account: sign in with the same account |
| 7 | Legacy Shared Workbook turned on | Greyed out | Turn off Share Workbook (Legacy) |
What AutoSave needs before the switch works
The AutoSave switch sits in the top-left corner of the Excel window. It saves the real file every few seconds, which only makes sense when the file lives in the cloud and Microsoft 365 can merge changes. So it needs all of these: Excel for Microsoft 365 (one-off versions such as Excel 2016 and 2019 don't have it), the file stored in OneDrive, OneDrive for work or school, or SharePoint (Teams channel files count, because they're in SharePoint), a modern format, and you signed in.
Hover over the greyed-out switch and Excel often tells you why in a tooltip. The table above lists the common causes and what each one looks like.
1. The file is on your PC or a network drive
A workbook on your desktop, in Documents (unless that folder is backed up to OneDrive), on a USB stick or on a mapped network drive can't use AutoSave. Clicking the switch on such a file asks you to choose a OneDrive or SharePoint location and uploads it there.
That upload creates a second copy. If other people or other files link to the old location, tell them about the move, or the old copy carries on being used. Excel's ordinary AutoRecover still protects local files every few minutes; it just isn't the same thing (see the last section).
2. The file type doesn't support it
Old .xls workbooks, .csv files, text files and other legacy formats can't AutoSave, so the switch is greyed out even in OneDrive. Go to File > Save As, keep the same OneDrive or SharePoint folder, and choose Excel Workbook (*.xlsx), or Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (*.xlsm) if the file has macros.
Before converting a .csv that another system reads, check that the system can take .xlsx instead. Often the better answer is to keep the .csv as the export and build your report in a separate .xlsx workbook.
3. It's a copy, or Excel doesn't recognise the OneDrive folder
An attachment opened from Outlook or Gmail, or a file from your Downloads folder, is a local copy even if the original is in OneDrive. Open the file from OneDrive itself: File > Open in Excel and pick the OneDrive or SharePoint location, or use the Open in Desktop App button from the browser.
Files in your synced OneDrive folder on the PC normally AutoSave. If they don't, check File > Account: Excel must be signed in with the same account OneDrive syncs. Also open the OneDrive app's Settings, go to Sync and back up > Advanced settings, and make sure Use Office applications to sync Office files that I open is on.
4. The legacy Shared Workbook feature, or a setting
A workbook that still has the old Shared Workbook feature switched on can't AutoSave or co-author. That command is hidden in current versions; add Share Workbook (Legacy) to the ribbon through File > Options > Customize Ribbon, open it, and untick the sharing option. The Excel shared workbook co-authoring guide explains the modern way to share.
If AutoSave is simply off for every new cloud file, check File > Options > Save and tick AutoSave files stored in the Cloud by default on Excel. A file open read-only or in Protected View also has AutoSave off until you can edit it. In some organisations, IT turns AutoSave off by policy; then the switch stays grey and only they can change it.
AutoSave vs AutoRecover, and when to switch AutoSave off
AutoSave writes your changes into the real file every few seconds. AutoRecover saves a separate backup every few minutes (10 by default) for any file, and only steps in after a crash. Keep AutoRecover on even if you use AutoSave.
AutoSave has one trap: it saves experiments too. If you want to try a what-if, such as deleting a column or changing every rate, use File > Save a Copy first and work in the copy, or turn the switch off for that session and close without saving. If AutoSave has already saved a mistake, File > Info > Version History lets you open or restore an earlier version.
Common mistakes
Clicking the switch on a local file without noticing it uploads a new copy
Decide where the master file should live, and move it there once, so nobody keeps working on the old copy.
Turning off AutoRecover because AutoSave is on
AutoSave only covers cloud files. AutoRecover protects everything else.
Testing big changes on a file with AutoSave on
Use File > Save a Copy first, or switch AutoSave off for that session. Version History can undo it, but a copy is cleaner.
FAQ
Why is AutoSave greyed out in Excel?
The file isn't in OneDrive or SharePoint, it's an .xls or .csv, it's an emailed or downloaded copy, it's open read-only, or the legacy Shared Workbook feature is on. Hover over the switch to see Excel's reason.
How do I turn on AutoSave in Excel?
Save the workbook to OneDrive or SharePoint as .xlsx, .xlsm or .xlsb while signed in to Microsoft 365, then flip the switch in the top-left corner. To make it the default, tick the AutoSave option under File > Options > Save.
Can AutoSave work without OneDrive?
No. It needs OneDrive or SharePoint. For files on your PC, AutoRecover saves a backup every few minutes instead.
Where is Save As when AutoSave is on?
With AutoSave on, Excel shows Save a Copy in the File menu instead. It does the same job and leaves the original file as it is.
Does Excel 2019 have AutoSave?
No. AutoSave is part of Excel for Microsoft 365. One-off versions such as Excel 2016 and 2019 only have AutoRecover.
Related guides
- How to recover an unsaved Excel file
- How to share an Excel file so multiple users can edit it at once
- Excel file is locked for editing: how to fix it
- How to remove read-only from an Excel file
- Excel Protected View: why you can't edit and how to fix it
- Excel scroll bar too small: how to fix it
- How to enable macros in Excel
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