How to See Previous Versions of a Word Document

To see previous versions of a Word document saved in OneDrive or SharePoint, open it, select the file name at the top of the window, and choose Version History. A list of saved versions opens on the right; select one to open it and choose Restore to make it the current version. For a document saved only on your PC, right-click the file in File Explorer and choose Properties > Previous Versions, which works if File History or restore points were turned on.

Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, Word for the web, and Word 2021 and 2024 with files in OneDrive. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.

Method 1: Version History (OneDrive or SharePoint)

1. Open the document in Word.
2. Select the file name at the top of the window and choose Version History. Or go to File > Info > Version History.
3. In the pane on the right, select a version by date and time. It opens in a separate, read-only window.
4. To bring it back, select Restore. Your current version is kept as another entry in the history, so nothing is lost.

Word saves a new version every time AutoSave saves changes, so there are usually many to choose from. If AutoSave is off, see how to turn on AutoSave in Word. Word for the web has the same option: select the file name at the top and choose Version History.

Method 2: Previous Versions in File Explorer (files on your PC)

1. Close the document.
2. In File Explorer, right-click the file and select Properties.
3. Open the Previous Versions tab. If versions are listed, select one and choose Open to check it.
4. Select Restore > Restore To to save it in another folder, so you keep both copies.

If the list says “There are no previous versions available”, File History and restore points weren’t running for that folder. Set up File History in Control Panel > File History to protect future changes.

Method 3: Recover an unsaved version

If Word closed before you saved:

1. Open Word and go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.
2. Open a file from the list and select Save As.

For more ways to get lost work back, see how to recover unsaved or deleted Word documents and how to recover a Word document.

Word for Mac

For files in OneDrive, select the file name in the title bar and choose Browse Version History. For local files, Time Machine backups provide earlier copies.

Compare an old version with the current one

1. Open the old version from Version History and save a copy with File > Save a Copy.
2. Go to Review > Compare > Compare, choose the old copy as Original and the current file as Revised.
3. Word shows every difference as tracked changes.

See how to compare documents in Word. To record changes as you go instead, use Track Changes.

Troubleshooting

Version History is greyed out

The file is saved on your PC or a network drive, or in an old .doc format. Save it to OneDrive as a .docx to start keeping versions.

Older versions are missing

OneDrive keeps versions for a limited number of saves, and organizations can change the limit. Very old versions may have been removed.

Restore made things worse

Open Version History again; the version you replaced is still there. Restore it.

Frequently asked questions

Does Version History work offline?

You need to be online to browse versions stored in OneDrive.

Can other people see previous versions of a shared file?

Anyone with edit access can see and restore versions. People with view-only access usually can’t.

Related: How to View Version History in Excel.

Related: How to Find All Word Documents on Your Computer.

Related: How to Duplicate a Word Document.

Matt Jacobs

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.