Recover a Word document that was not saved

A document that closed without saving is not always gone. Word keeps interim copies, and Microsoft 365 also keeps versions in the cloud.

AutoSave in Microsoft 365

If the file is in OneDrive, the AutoSave switch at the top of the window saves every change. A new file has to be saved once to OneDrive, and then the switch turns on.

Recover unsaved documents

1. Open Word.
2. File, then Info, then Manage Document.
3. Choose Recover Unsaved Documents.
4. Open the latest file, and save it at once under a new name.

Search for .asd and .wbk files

An automatic copy is sometimes a .asd file. A backup of an earlier save is sometimes a .wbk file.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. In the search box, type *.asd, then *.wbk.
3. Sort by date modified, and open the newest file in Word.
4. Save it as a normal document, with a docx extension.

Version history in OneDrive

For a file already stored in OneDrive: in Word, File, then Info, then Version History. Pick an earlier version, and save a copy. You can also open the file on the OneDrive website and choose version history.

AutoSave every minute

1. File, then Options, then Save.
2. Turn on saving AutoRecover information.
3. Set the minutes to 1.
4. Leave on the option to keep the last AutoRecovered version if you close without saving, when it is shown.

One minute shortens what you lose if Word closes suddenly. It does not replace a normal save for a file that lives only on the computer.

Stuck? Bring it to the lab in Rekhasim.