How to recover unsaved or lost documents in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to recover unsaved or lost documents in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Lost an important document after a crash, accidental close, or unexpected shutdown? Microsoft Office includes several recovery features that can help you restore unsaved, deleted, or earlier versions of your files. This guide walks you through AutoRecover, Recent Files, and OneDrive version history across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on both Windows and macOS.

Quick Fix Steps

• Open the affected Office app and check File > Open > Recent to see if your document is listed there.
• Look for the Document Recovery pane, which appears automatically after an unexpected shutdown.
• Check the AutoRecover folder on your computer for saved backup copies.
• If the file is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, use Version History to restore an earlier version.
• If none of the above works, search your computer for *.tmp, *.wbk, or ~$ files that may be recoverable.

Detailed Instructions

Recover an Unsaved Document Using AutoRecover

AutoRecover runs in the background and saves copies of open files at regular intervals. After a crash or unexpected shutdown, Office usually displays the Document Recovery pane the next time you open the app.

1. Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
2. Look at the left pane for Document Recovery. If it appears, click on the file you want to recover.
3. Review the recovered file and click Save As to store it in a safe location.
4. If the pane does not appear, continue to the next method.

Recover an Unsaved Document Using Manage Document (Word)

Word also provides a dedicated option to recover unsaved documents at any time.

1. Open Word.
2. Click File > Info > Manage Document.
3. Select Recover Unsaved Documents.
4. Choose the file from the list and click Open.
5. Review the document and click Save As to store it in a safe location.

Find AutoRecover Files Manually

If the recovery pane does not show your file, you can browse to the AutoRecover folder directly.

1. Open the affected Office app.
2. Click File > Options > Save (Windows) or Word > Preferences > File Locations (macOS).
3. Note the path shown next to AutoRecover file location.
4. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and navigate to that folder.
5. Look for files with the .asd (Word) or backup file extensions for Excel and PowerPoint.
6. Open the file, review it, and save it to your normal working folder.

Recover from Recent Files

1. Open the Office app you were working in.
2. Click File > Open > Recent.
3. Scroll through the list to find the missing document.
4. If you see it, click to open it, then use Save As to store it in your preferred location.

Recover a Deleted File from OneDrive or SharePoint

If your document was saved to OneDrive or SharePoint, Microsoft keeps deleted files in the recycle bin for up to 93 days.

1. Sign in to OneDrive in your browser.
2. Navigate to the folder that originally contained the file.
3. Click Recycle bin in the left navigation pane.
4. Locate the deleted document, select it, and click Restore.
5. Open the file from its original location and save a copy locally.

Restore an Earlier Version Using Version History

OneDrive and SharePoint automatically save version history for Office files, allowing you to roll back to a previous copy.

1. Open the document in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
2. Click File > Info > Version History.
3. Select a version from the list on the right.
4. Click Open Version to preview it.
5. If it contains the content you need, click Restore.

Recover from Temporary Files on Windows

Windows may store temporary copies of Office files that can sometimes be salvaged after a crash.

1. Press Windows + R, type %temp%, and press Enter.
2. In the folder that opens, sort files by Date modified.
3. Look for files starting with ~$ or with .tmp extensions.
4. Copy any matching files to your desktop.
5. Attempt to open the file directly in the corresponding Office app. Renaming file extensions is not recommended as it can corrupt the file further.

Recover from Temporary Files on macOS

1. Open Finder and click Go > Go to Folder.
2. Type ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery and press Enter.
3. Look for AutoRecovery files for Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
4. Copy the file to a safe location and attempt to open it in the corresponding app.

Troubleshooting

AutoRecover Is Not Working

• Confirm that AutoRecover is enabled under File > Options > Save.
• Reduce the interval between saves (for example, every 1 or 2 minutes) for better protection.
• Ensure you have enough disk space on your system drive. A full drive can prevent backups from being written.
• Check that the AutoRecover folder is not being blocked by antivirus or endpoint protection software.

Document Opens but Content Is Corrupted

1. Click File > Open and select the file.
2. Click the arrow next to Open and choose Open and Repair.
3. If prompted, select Repair to recover as much content as possible.
4. If Repair fails, try Extract Data to pull out readable text and values.

Version History Is Not Available

• Version History only works for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, not for files saved locally.
• Confirm you are signed in to Office with the same account that owns the file.
• Ask your administrator whether version history has been disabled in your organisation's tenant settings.

File Was Never Saved

If you closed a document without saving and AutoRecover did not create a backup, recovery options are limited. In this case:

• Check your email for any attachment you may have sent yourself.
• Look in your browser's download folder if the file originated from the web.
• Ask any colleagues who may have received a copy.
• Open a ticket with our team and we will investigate whether any server-side backups exist.

If you have tried the steps above and still cannot recover your document, our team can assist with advanced file recovery or check whether your device has any additional backups configured. Open a Ticket and include the file name, approximate date and time of loss, and the app you were working in.

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