How to Recover Unsaved Word Document (Step by Step Guide)

Recovering unsaved Word documents can be a lifesaver when unexpected computer crashes or power outages occur. Follow this step-by-step guide to recover your unsaved Word document:

Here are the steps on how to recover an unsaved Word document:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Click the File tab.
3. In the Info section, click Manage Documents.
4. Click Recover Unsaved Documents.
5. In the Recover Unsaved Documents dialog box, select the document you want to recover and click Open.
6. Save the document to a safe location.

Here are some additional tips for recovering unsaved Word documents:

• By default, Microsoft Word saves AutoRecover information every 10 minutes. This means that if you close Word without saving, it will create a backup copy of the document in the background. The AutoRecover file is saved in a temporary folder on your computer.
• You can change the AutoRecover interval in Word’s Options dialog box. To do this, click the File tab, click Options, and then click Save. In the Save section, set the Save AutoRecover information every option to the desired interval.
• If you don’t see the Recover Unsaved Documents option in the Manage Documents dialog box, it means that AutoRecover is not enabled. To enable AutoRecover, follow the steps above and make sure that the Save AutoRecover information checkbox is selected.
• If you can’t find the unsaved Word document in the Recover Unsaved Documents dialog box, you can try searching for it in the temporary folder where AutoRecover files are stored. The default location of the temporary folder is:
  • Windows 11: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
  • Windows 10: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp
  • Windows 8 and 7: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Temp
• Restart Microsoft Word: If Word crashed and you didn’t save your document, the AutoRecover feature might open a recovery pane when you relaunch Word. Look for the “Document Recovery” pane on the left side of the window and click on your unsaved document to open it.
• Check Temporary Files: Sometimes, Word creates temporary files as backups. Navigate to the temporary folder to locate these files. You can usually find this folder by typing “%temp%” in the Run dialog box (Windows + R). Look for files starting with “WRL” followed by a series of numbers.
• Search for AutoRecover Files: Word’s AutoRecover feature saves temporary copies of your document at regular intervals. To locate these files, open Word, go to the “File” tab, and click on “Open.” Then, click on “Recent Documents” at the bottom left and look for the “Recover Unsaved Documents” option.
• Search the Recycle Bin: If you accidentally deleted the file, it might be in the Recycle Bin. Open the Recycle Bin and search for your document. If you find it, right-click and choose “Restore.”
• Search Cloud Storage: If you’re using cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive, check the respective cloud storage folder for any recent changes or unsaved versions of your document.
• Use Windows Search: Use the Windows search feature to look for specific file names related to your document. Enter relevant keywords in the search bar and include file extensions like “.docx” or “.tmp.”
• Check Autosave Location: Word’s AutoSave feature might have saved a version of your document. Check the default AutoSave location by going to Word’s options: “File” > “Options” > “Save.” Look for the “AutoRecover file location” to see where temporary copies are stored.
• Try Previous Versions: If you’re using Windows, right-click on the folder where your document was saved, select “Properties,” and go to the “Previous Versions” tab. You might find a snapshot of your document from an earlier time.
• Use Data Recovery Software: If none of the above methods work, consider using data recovery software like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, or similar tools. These programs can sometimes recover deleted or lost files.
• Enable AutoSave and AutoRecover: To prevent future loss of work, enable Word’s AutoSave and AutoRecover features. You can adjust the settings by going to “File” > “Options” > “Save” in Microsoft Word.

If you’ve tried all of the above and you still can’t recover your unsaved Word document, you may need to use a third-party file recovery tool. There are many different file recovery tools available, so be sure to choose one that has a good reputation and that is compatible with your computer’s operating system.

I hope this helps!