How to recover a corrupted or unsaved Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to recover a corrupted or unsaved Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Microsoft 365 includes several built-in recovery features that can help you retrieve unsaved, corrupted, or accidentally deleted Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. This guide walks you through each recovery method, from the quickest AutoRecover option through to manually locating temporary backup files on your computer. Try the steps in order, and you should be able to restore most documents without needing third-party software.

Method 1: Recover an Unsaved Document Using AutoRecover

AutoRecover automatically saves a copy of your document at regular intervals while you work. If Word, Excel, or PowerPoint closed unexpectedly or your computer crashed, you can use this feature to restore the most recent backup.

Word

1. Open Word and click File.
2. Select Info.
3. Click Manage Document and choose Recover Unsaved Documents.
4. A folder will open showing any recovered files. Select the file you need and click Open.
5. Save the recovered file to a safe location immediately.

Excel

1. Open Excel and click File.
2. Select Info.
3. Click Manage Workbook and choose Recover Unsaved Workbooks.
4. Select the workbook you need and click Open.
5. Save the recovered workbook straight away.

PowerPoint

1. Open PowerPoint and click File.
2. Select Info.
3. Click Manage Presentation and choose Recover Unsaved Presentations.
4. Select the presentation you need and click Open.
5. Save the file immediately.

Method 2: Open a Recent File or Previous Version

If AutoRecover does not find the document, check the recent files list and any saved backup copies.

1. Open the Office application (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
2. Click File then Open.
3. Select Recent from the left-hand pane.
4. Scroll through the list to find the missing document.

To check for a previous version of a file that still exists:

1. Right-click the file in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
2. On Windows, select Properties then click the Previous Versions tab.
3. On Mac, open the file and choose File > Revert To > Browse All Versions.
4. Select a version from before the corruption occurred and click Restore.

Method 3: Locate Temporary Files Manually

If the document was never properly saved, AutoRecover files may still exist in your temporary folders. These files typically have an .asd extension (Word) or similar temporary extensions for Excel and PowerPoint.

Windows

1. Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
2. Click File > Options > Save.
3. Note the AutoRecover file location path.
4. Open File Explorer, paste the path into the address bar, and press Enter.
5. Look for files ending in .asd (Word) or similar temporary extensions.
6. Sort by Date Modified to find the most recent files.
7. Copy any promising files to your Documents folder and rename them with the correct extension (.docx, .xlsx, or .pptx).
8. Try opening the renamed file in the relevant Office application.

Mac

1. Open Finder and click Go > Go to Folder.
2. Type ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery for Word, or the equivalent path for Excel or PowerPoint.
3. Look for files with the .asd extension (Word) or similar temporary files.
4. Copy any matching files to your Desktop and rename them with the correct extension.
5. Open the file in the relevant Office application.

Method 4: Repair a Corrupted Document

If the document opens but behaves strangely, displays unreadable characters, or will not open at all, try the built-in repair tool.

Word

1. Open Word and click File > Open.
2. Browse to the location of the corrupted document.
3. Click the file once to select it (do not double-click).
4. Click the arrow next to the Open button and choose Open and Repair.
5. If Word recovers the file, save it immediately with a new name.

Excel

1. Open Excel and click File > Open.
2. Select the corrupted workbook.
3. Click the arrow next to Open and choose Open and Repair.
4. Select Repair to recover as much data and formatting as possible, or Extract Data to retrieve values and formulas only.
5. Save the recovered workbook with a new name.

PowerPoint

1. Open PowerPoint and click File > Open.
2. Select the corrupted presentation.
3. Click the arrow next to Open and choose Open and Repair.
4. Save the recovered presentation with a new name.

Method 5: Recover from OneDrive or SharePoint

If your document was stored in OneDrive or a SharePoint document library, Microsoft keeps a version history that allows you to restore earlier copies.

1. Sign in to OneDrive or open your SharePoint site in a browser.
2. Navigate to the folder containing the document.
3. Right-click the file and select Version history.
4. Review the list of saved versions, including the date and the person who saved each one.
5. Click Restore next to the version you want to recover, or click Download to save a copy locally.

Method 6: Recover from the Recycle Bin or Trash

If the document was deleted rather than corrupted, check your system's recycle bin before assuming it is gone for good.

Windows

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin on your desktop.
2. Locate the deleted document in the list.
3. Right-click the file and select Restore to send it back to its original location.

Mac

1. Click the Trash icon in your Dock.
2. Locate the deleted document in the list.
3. Right-click the file and select Put Back to restore it to its original location.

Tips to Prevent Future Document Loss

• Enable AutoSave for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint so changes are saved automatically every few seconds.
• Check that AutoRecover is turned on by going to File > Options > Save in any Office application.
• Save your work regularly using Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac).
• Keep regular backups of important documents using OneDrive, an external drive, or a corporate backup solution.

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