Recover a document

Use the built-in recovery features in Word and Microsoft 365 step by step:

1. Reopen Word to trigger Document Recovery
   1. Start Word for Microsoft 365.
   2. If Word or your PC ever crashed while that document was open, the Document Recovery pane should appear automatically on the left.
   3. In the Available Files list, look for your document name or something similar.
2. Choose the right recovered version
   1. In the Document Recovery or Available Files list, check the date and time shown under each file name.
   2. If there are multiple versions of the same file, open the one with the most recent time, as it will have the latest changes.
   3. You can click each file to open and review it before deciding.
3. Save the recovered document
   1. Once the correct version is open, immediately use File > Save As (or press F12) and save it with a clear name in a known folder (for example, Documents or a OneDrive folder).
   2. After saving all the versions you need, close the Document Recovery pane.
   3. If prompted:
      • Choose Yes, I want to view these files later (safest option) if unsure whether more recovered versions are needed.
      • Choose No, remove the files. I have saved the files I need only when certain everything important is saved.
4. If the Document Recovery pane does not appear
   1. Open Word and check File > Open > Recent to see if the document is listed.
   2. If you usually save to OneDrive or SharePoint, sign in and check those locations from File > Open.
5. Prevent future loss
   • Store documents on OneDrive or SharePoint and turn on AutoSave so changes are saved automatically as you work. See What is AutoSave? and How do I turn on AutoSave?.

If the document does not appear in Document Recovery, in Recent files, or in your OneDrive/SharePoint locations, there is no additional built-in recovery method in the provided material.

References:

• Recover your Word files and documents
• Recover your Microsoft 365 files
• Save, back up, and recover a file in Microsoft Office