Word Document Disappeared During Copy/Paste

OAllan 0 Reputation points
2026-09-15T18:31:25.2966667+00:00

I experienced an unusual data-loss issue in Windows File Explorer. While copying and pasting a Microsoft Word document within the same folder on my D: drive, the original document suddenly disappeared and was not available in the Recycle Bin. A related Word temporary file (~wrl2248.tmp, 178 KB) was initially visible but subsequently disappeared as well.

I restarted the computer, enabled hidden/system files, searched the drive, and checked Word recovery locations without success. I then used Microsoft Windows File Recovery in both Regular and Extensive modes. The document was recovered, but Word reported unreadable content and could not repair or open it. I would appreciate guidance on the cause and any further Microsoft-supported recovery options.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Windows

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Kai-H 26,860 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-16T10:03:23.33+00:00

    Hi, OAllan

    This looks more like a file-system interruption or storage problem than a normal Word deletion. The recovered file may contain only part of the original DOCX package, which explains why Word cannot read it.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Right-click the folder that originally contained the document, select Properties > Previous Versions, and check for an earlier folder copy. This is available only if File History or another Windows backup had already been enabled. File History can restore earlier copies of files and folders after accidental loss or damage.

    Create a blank Word document, then select Insert > Object > Text from File and choose the damaged document. This can sometimes retrieve the main text while leaving corrupted document structure behind.

    Make a separate copy of the recovered file, rename the copy from .docx to .zip, and try opening it. If it opens, look under word\media for pictures and word\document.xml for text. This is a manual salvage method, not a guaranteed repair.

    After protecting any remaining files on D:, open Command Prompt as administrator and run chkdsk D: /scan. This checks the file system without repairing it. If errors appear, back up the drive before using any repair option.

    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."    

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. AI answer

    2026-09-15T18:31:44.1166667+00:00

    The most likely Microsoft-supported recovery paths left are limited to Word recovery features and file-level recovery.

    1. Check whether Word opens a recovery pane
    • If Word or another Microsoft 365 app closed unexpectedly, Document Recovery can open automatically the next time the app starts.
    • If multiple recovered versions appear, open the most recent one first based on the date and time shown.
    • Save any recovered copy immediately before editing or closing it.
    1. Try Word’s built-in damaged-file text recovery
    • In Word, go to File > Open.
    • In the file type/open format selector, choose Recover Text.
    • Open the recovered document.
    • This is the Microsoft-supported method for extracting text from a damaged Word file when the document itself will not open normally.
    1. If the file was stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, check version-based recovery
    • If the document had been saved to OneDrive or SharePoint, Version History can let earlier versions be viewed and restored.
    • If the app closed unexpectedly while using Microsoft 365 with OneDrive or SharePoint, Document Recovery may also show the most recent AutoSaved version.
    • If the file was only on the local D: drive, this path does not apply.
    1. Use Windows File Recovery carefully for any additional attempts
    • Windows File Recovery is the Microsoft command-line tool for deleted files from local storage devices.
    • Recovery on cloud storage and network file shares is not supported.
    • The source and destination must be different drives.
    • To improve recovery chances, minimize use of the computer because new activity can overwrite deleted data.
    • For Word documents, Microsoft’s examples include filtering for .docx files, for example: winfr D: E: /regular /n *.docx
    • If Regular mode does not produce a usable file, Extensive mode is the other basic option.
    1. What the current result indicates
    • If Windows File Recovery returned a file but Word reports unreadable content and cannot repair it, the recovered file is likely incomplete or corrupted.
    • The disappearing ~wrl2248.tmp file does not provide a supported recovery path by itself in the available guidance.
    • The available Microsoft guidance does not document the root cause of a same-folder copy/paste operation making the original file disappear, so only the supported recovery methods above can be confirmed.
    1. Best remaining Microsoft-supported options in this case
    • Retry opening the recovered file with Recover Text in Word.
    • Check again for any Document Recovery entries when Word starts.
    • If the file ever existed in OneDrive or SharePoint, check Version History there.
    • If no usable version exists and Windows File Recovery only returns unreadable content, the provided Microsoft guidance does not list another supported repair method for reconstructing the document.

    References:

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

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.