Whether Word crashed, you closed a document without saving, or you deleted a file by mistake, there’s a good chance you can get it back. Word saves AutoRecover copies in the background, OneDrive keeps version history, and Windows has its own Recycle Bin and backups. This guide goes through each recovery option in order, from the quickest to the last resort, based on Microsoft’s guide to recovering Word files. On a Mac, see how to recover an unsaved Word document on Mac.
First: Stop and Don’t Save Over Anything
If the file was deleted, avoid installing new programs or copying large files to the same drive until you’ve tried the steps below. New data can overwrite the space where the deleted file still sits.
Option 1: Use the Document Recovery Pane
If Word or Windows closed unexpectedly, reopen Word. A Document Recovery pane should appear on the left with the files Word saved automatically. Check the date and time under each name, open the most recent one, and save it right away with File > Save As.
Option 2: Recover Unsaved Documents
If you closed a new document without saving it, Word may still have a copy:
- Open Word and go to File > Info.
- Click Manage Document (Manage Versions in some versions).
- Choose Recover Unsaved Documents.
- Pick the file from the list, open it, and click Save As in the yellow bar.
You can also go to File > Open and click Recover Unsaved Documents at the bottom of the Recent list. These drafts are stored in the UnsavedFiles folder and are kept only for a limited time, so act quickly.
Option 3: Search for AutoRecover Files
Find the AutoRecover location in File > Options > Save, next to AutoRecover file location. It’s usually C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word. Copy that path into File Explorer’s address bar and look for files ending in .asd. To open one, go to File > Open > Browse in Word, change the file type to All Files, and select the .asd file.
Option 4: Check OneDrive Version History
If the document is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, AutoSave keeps earlier versions. Open the document and go to File > Info > Version History, or click the file name at the top of the window. Open an older version and click Restore. This also works if you saved over good content. For more, see how to see previous versions of a Word document or Microsoft’s guide to recovering an earlier version of a Word file.
Option 5: Look in the Recycle Bin
Open the Recycle Bin on the desktop, search for the file name, right-click the document, and choose Restore. It goes back to its original folder. If the file was in OneDrive, also check the OneDrive recycle bin on the OneDrive website.
Option 6: Search for the File
Sometimes the document isn’t lost, just saved somewhere unexpected. In File Explorer, search This PC for part of the file name or *.docx, and sort by Date modified. In Word, File > Open > Recent also lists recently used files. For more tips, see how to find all Word documents on your computer.
Option 7: Restore a Previous Version or Backup
If File History or a backup is turned on, right-click the folder that held the document, choose Properties > Previous Versions (or Restore previous versions), pick a version from before the file disappeared, and click Restore or open it to copy the file out.
Option 8: Look for Backup and Temporary Files
If Always create backup copy was turned on in File > Options > Advanced, look for a file named “Backup of [name]” with the .wbk extension in the same folder. Word also creates temporary files that start with a tilde (~) or ~WRL and end in .tmp. Search for them, copy one to your desktop, and rename it with a .docx extension to try opening it.
Option 9: Use File Recovery Software
As a last resort, a recovery tool can scan the drive for deleted files. Microsoft offers the free command-line Windows File Recovery app in the Microsoft Store. Third-party tools are also available. Install the tool on a different drive from the one the file was on, if possible.
Prevent Losing Word Documents in the Future
- Save to OneDrive and turn on AutoSave in the top-left corner of Word. See how to turn on AutoSave in Word.
- In File > Options > Save, set AutoRecover to save every 5 minutes or less, and keep Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving checked.
- Turn on File History or another backup.
- Press Ctrl + S often.
Troubleshooting
The Recovered Document Won’t Open or Is Garbled
In Word, go to File > Open > Browse, select the file, click the arrow next to Open, and choose Open and Repair.
Recover Unsaved Documents Shows Nothing
AutoRecover may have been turned off, or Word closed normally and you chose Don’t Save on a document that had never been saved long enough to create a draft. Try the .asd search and temporary files.
Version History Is Grayed Out
The file is saved locally, not in OneDrive or SharePoint. Version History only works for files stored in the cloud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a Word document I didn’t save?
Often, yes. Use Recover Unsaved Documents or search for .asd AutoRecover files. The sooner you look, the better.
What if the recovered document is corrupted?
Use Open and Repair. If that fails, try opening the file in WordPad or Word for the web to rescue the text.
Can I recover a Word document from a crashed computer?
If the drive still works, connect it to another PC and copy the files, or check OneDrive if the document was synced.
Will System Restore bring back my document?
No. System Restore changes system files and settings, not personal files like documents. Use Previous Versions, File History, or OneDrive instead.
Related: How to unlock a document in Word.
Related: delete Word documents in Microsoft 365.
Related: how to create a corrupted Word file for testing and recover it.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.