lost work, now a blank page

Tiffany T Tyler 0 Reputation points
2026-09-14T00:49:32.88+00:00

I was typing my work on word 365, when it went blank , I have 3 blank pages and can't seem to get up anything I have done in the past 2 hours.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Windows

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-14T00:49:44.8833333+00:00

    Try recovery first, then fix the blank pages.

    1. Reopen Word and look for the Document Recovery pane.
      • If it appears, open the recovered version and save it immediately before editing or closing it.
    2. Check AutoRecover settings for future protection.
      • Go to File > Options > Save.
      • Make sure Save AutoRecover information every x minutes is selected.
      • Make sure Keep the last autorecovered version if I close without saving is selected.
      • Using a smaller interval such as 5 or 10 minutes reduces how much work can be lost.
    3. If the document is only showing blank pages at the end, remove the blank pages.
      • Press Ctrl+Shift+8 to show paragraph marks.
      • If the blank page is caused by the final paragraph mark, select that paragraph mark.
      • In the Font size box, type 01 and press Enter.
      • Press Ctrl+Shift+8 again to hide paragraph marks.
    4. If a manual page break is causing the blank pages:
      • With paragraph marks visible, select the page break and delete it.
    5. If a section break is causing the blank pages:
      • Double-select the section break.
      • Go to Layout > Breaks and choose Continuous.
      • If the blank page is at the end of the document, place the cursor directly before the section break and press Delete.
    6. If Word keeps opening blank documents by itself, update Word.
      • This issue was fixed in Version 2509 (19231) and newer.

    To avoid losing work again, save files in OneDrive or SharePoint and use AutoSave. If AutoSave is not being used, press Ctrl+S often.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Kai-H 26,760 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-14T09:16:04.2433333+00:00

    Hi, Tiffany T Tyler

    It sounds like you are using Word in a web browser, where changes are saved automatically and the usual Save options are not shown. The blank pages may now be the latest saved copy, but an earlier copy could still be available.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Keep the current browser tab open. Press Ctrl+Z several times to see whether the missing text returns.

    Select the document name at the top of Word, then choose Version history. Open versions from before the pages became blank. When you find your work, choose Restore. You can also access this through File > Version history. View previous versions of Office files

    If that option is not visible, open OneDrive separately with the same Microsoft account. Find the document, select the three dots beside it, and choose Version history.

    Check Recent in OneDrive for another document created today, possibly named “Document” or “Document 1.” It is recommended that you also check the file’s Details > Activity for earlier edits or duplicate copies.

    If no earlier version appears, avoid making further changes and contact Microsoft Support promptly, as browser-only unsynced text may not be recoverable.

    Please be advised that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, are not allowed to directly interfere with Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited solely to providing technical guidance on reported incidents, requests, or ideas.   

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment."    

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    1 person found this answer helpful.

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