AutoSave is a feature in Excel that automatically saves your workbook periodically while you work. It's a good idea to use AutoSave if you're working on a large or complex workbook, or if you want to be sure that your work is saved in case of a power outage or other unexpected interruption. Here's how to use AutoSave in Excel:
Note: If you make changes to your workbook and then switch to another application, Excel will wait until the next AutoSave interval before it saves your workbook again. For example, if you set AutoSave to save every 10 minutes and you make changes to your workbook at 9:55 A.M., Excel won't save again until 10:05 A.M.
You can still manually save your workbook at any time by clicking File, and then clicking Save, or by pressing CTRL+S on your keyboard.
The frequency with which you AutoSave is up to you, but we recommend saving every 5-10 minutes. If you're working on a large or complex workbook, or if you have limited access to power or other resources, consider saving more frequently.
By default, AutoSaved files are stored in the same location as the original file. For example, if you're working on a file named "MyWorkbook.xlsx" that's stored in the "My Documents" folder, the AutoSaved version of that file will also be stored in "My Documents".
You can change the location where AutoSaved files are stored by clicking File, clicking Options, clicking Save, and then entering the new location in the "Default file location" field.
Yes - if you don't want to use AutoSave, simply uncheck the "AutoSave every _ minutes" box in the Save options (click "File" > "Options" > "Save"). Once this option is unchecked, Excel will no longer automatically save your files while you're working.