How to Recover a Microsoft Word Document

It can be very frustrating to lose an MS Word document. There are a number of ways this could happens such when Microsoft Word suddenly stops working, accidentally closing a document without saving or due to a power blackout.

If it happens, we recommend the following ways to try and recover your Microsoft Word document.

Method 1: Search for the Document

Steps for Windows 10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 8

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key + E, this opens Windows Explorer.
2. A Search This PC box will appear, type the document name, and then press ENTER.
3. If the document is listed among the options, double click/Right click on it to open, if it is not listed then proceed to step 4
4. When in the Search This PC box, type .docx only, and then continue to press ENTER.
5. If the resultant search list doesn’t contain your document, then continue to Method 2 below.

Method 2: Restart Word

1. Close all word documents on your computer
2. Then, restart the Microsoft Word application and see whether the auto-recovered files are displayed on the left panel of the word document
3.  If there is a list of auto-recovered files click on them to see whether the file you are looking for is there, if you find it save it.

Method 3: Search for Lost Files in Word

Steps for MS Word 2013

1. Go to File menu, then select Open, and then go to Recent Documents.
2. Scroll down the list of all the recent documents, and select the Recover Unsaved Documents.
3. If the Word document you are searching for is there, double-click on it to open it.
4. Save it immediately.

Steps for MS Word 2010

1. On the File menu, click Recent.
2. Select Recover Unsaved Documents.
3. If the Word document you are searching for is there, double-click on it to open it.
4. Then save it immediately.

Steps for MS Word 2007

1. Open the Microsoft Office Button, and select Word Options on the menu.
2. When in the Navigation menu, select the Save option.
3. Locate the AutoRecover file location box, take note of the path indicated, and then click on the Cancel option.
4. Then close Microsoft Word.
5. Look for the folder that you had noted in step 3 and open it.
6. Search through the files whose names end in .asd (AutoRecover files).
7. If the Word document you are searching for is there, double-click on it to open it.
8. Then save it immediately.

Tips

For more tips on how to find and recover lost word documents visit the Microsoft support site.

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