My document disappeared

The document can often be recovered using Word’s built‑in recovery features and temporary/backup files. Try these steps in order on the same PC and account where the file was last open:

1. Check Document Recovery in Word

• Open Word.
• If Word finds an AutoRecover copy, the Document Recovery pane or a Recovered Unsaved File bar will appear.
• In the Document Recovery pane, look for the document name marked as [Original] or [Recovered].
• Double‑click the file to open it, then select File > Save As and save it as a .docx file.
• If a yellow bar appears saying Recovered Unsaved File, click Save and save it as a .docx file.

2. Look for AutoRecover/unsaved files If the document does not appear automatically:

• Open Word.
• Go to File > Open > Browse.
• In the files of type dropdown next to File name, select All Files.
• Browse to the typical AutoRecover/UnsavedFiles locations if known, and open any candidate file, then save it as .docx.

3. Search for backup (.wbk) files If backup copies were enabled:

• In Word, go to File > Options > Advanced.
• Scroll to Save and confirm Always create backup copy is (or was) enabled.
• In Windows, select Start, type *.wbk, and press Enter.
• If any file named Backup of yourfilename appears, double‑click to open it in Word and then save it.

4. Search for temporary (.asd / .tmp / ~) files

• Select Start, type *.asd, and press Enter to search for AutoRecover files.
• If nothing useful appears, search again with *.tmp.
• If still nothing, search again with ~ (tilde), which may find temporary Word files.
• For any file that matches the time you were working:
  • Open Word, go to File > Open > Browse.
  • In files of type, choose All Files.
  • Navigate to the folder where the temp file is stored, open it, then save as .docx.

5. Check the Recycle Bin If the document might have been deleted:

• Open the Recycle Bin on the Desktop.
• Look for files with extensions .doc or .docx.
• If found, right‑click the file and select Restore.

6. If the file was on OneDrive or SharePoint If the document was stored in OneDrive or SharePoint (for example, if AutoSave was on):

• Use the OneDrive or SharePoint recycle bin or version history to restore the file or an earlier version, following the guidance in the referenced article below.

If none of these methods locate the file, it is likely that Word did not have a chance to create an AutoRecover, backup, or temporary copy before the subscription lock/update, and the content may not be recoverable.

References:

• Recover your Microsoft 365 files
• Recover your Word files and documents
• How to recover unsaved Word documents
• I can't edit my word doc. - Microsoft Q&A
• When opening Word or Excel, getting a 'subscription canceled' message but I have renewed my Office subscription - Microsoft Q&A