How do You Recover an Unsaved Word Document?

You close a Word document without saving and the work disappears. Microsoft has a recovery path and it depends on how Word closed.

This guide follows Microsoft Support pages and lists the settings that protect your next document.

How do You Recover a Document After a Crash?

Microsoft states that Document Recovery opens the next time you launch the Office app after an unexpected close. See recover your Word files and documents.

1. Launch Word again after the crash.
2. Review the Available Files list in the Document Recovery pane.
3. Check the date and time of every file.
4. Start with the newest version.
5. Save the recovered file under a new name.

Microsoft adds that you can open every file to compare versions and close the pane when you have what you need. If you close the pane early Word asks whether to retain the files for later review.

How do You Edit AutoRecover Settings?

Microsoft documents both settings in AutoRecover save frequency and file location.

1. Open File then Options then Save.
2. Enter a number in Save AutoRecover information every.
3. Type or browse to a path in AutoRecover file location if you want a new folder.
4. Select OK.

Microsoft does not state the default interval on that page. Check your own setting.

What About Earlier Versions of a Saved File?

With Version History you view and restore previous versions of files stored on OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365. AutoSave is on by default for those files. See recover a file in Microsoft Office.

How can You Protect Your Next Document?

• Save a copy. Press F12 or select File then Save a Copy before you make large edits.
• Save frequently. Microsoft recommends frequent saves even with AutoRecover on.
• Use OneDrive or SharePoint. Microsoft recommends both with AutoSave for Microsoft 365 users.

For PowerPoint see how to recover a deleted or unsaved PowerPoint file. For deleted files see how to recover deleted data from a desktop computer.