recover ms office word files

How to Recover Microsoft Word Files – lost/unsaved


This tutorial will help you recover Microsoft Word files, only the unsaved and lost files can be recovered with this method, in some cases, accidentally deleted MS Office files can also be recovered. This is an inbuilt AutoRecover method in Microsoft Office, which available in MS Office 2013 and above. This demonstration will be done on Windows 10 custom built workstation, that I personally use.

Below are the steps to be followed in order to recover the MS Office Word document on Microsoft Windows laptop/desktop/workstation/tablet/surface pro. No matter what version of Windows you have on your system if your MS Office is 2013 and above, you can follow these steps to hopefully recover your Word Docs.

Launch the MS Word Application

Click the Start button/key on your keyboard and type ‘word’ and hit Enter key/button. Otherwise, I assume that you already know how to launch Microsoft Word application from Start Menu, desktop, and taskbar.

Launch MS Word from the Start Menu

Create a Blank Word Document

You can create a blank Word document If you are working on any Word document, keep that open and follow the next step.

Create a blank MS Word document

Click the FILE tab/button on the left top menu

Click the FILE tab/button on the left top and follow the next step.

Click FILE for file options

Click Options from the File Menu

Scroll down and click Options from the File Menu

Click Options from File Menu

‘Word Options’ window Opens

Here comes the Word Options Window

Locate the Save Button/tab from the Left Menu

Find the ‘Save’ button/tab from the left menu and click the ‘Save’ tab/button to follow the next step.

Click the ‘Save’ button/tab from the left menu

Locate Auto Recovery File Location

Underlined AutoRecovery file location

Copy the ‘AutoRecovery file location’ path

Copy the AutoRecovery file location path and paste in a notepad file to make sure you don’t miss it.

Copy the AutoRecovery file location path

Keep your AutoRecovery Location path

Keep your MS Word AutoRecovery Location path on the notepad file on the desktop.

saved the recovery path on a notepad file.
C:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\

Open ‘Windows Explorer’

To open Windows Explorer, you can press shortcut keys/buttons [ Windows key + E ] on your keyboard.

Open Windows Explorer [ win + e ]

Paste in the AutoRecovery Location path

Activate Quick Access URI field

Put your mouse cursor in the > Quick access > URI field to activate it.

Activate Quick access URI field

Paste the AutoRecovery Location path

Now, you just paste the MS Office AutoRecovery Location path in the > Quick access > URI field and hit the Enter Button/key on your keyboard.

paste in the recovery location and hit Enter key on your keyboard.

To Recover Word File

Find your lost/unsaved/deleted file

Locate your lost/unsaved/deleted Word document in these folders, you may have more files and folder than I have.

Save as MS Word .docs file

Once, you have found your lost/unsaved/deleted file/s. Save as them .docs files and open them from the newly .docs saved file location.

Hopefully, you found your lost/unsaved/deleted Word Document and you were able to recover them successfully.

If still lost, watch me recover Microsft Word lost/unsaved files.

Recover Microsoft Word File video

https://youtu.be/o3x8I1vooqg
Watch me recover MS Word Files

4 Ways to Recover MS Word File

This video helps you recover Microsoft Word files in 4 different ways for free, without using any third party software. I am using Microsoft office 2019 but if you’re using office 2016 and above I think the interface is going to be the same.