recovering document

Question

i wrote a word document and saved it like ctrl + s then i closed the document but today when i opend it i cannot find the document anywhere , i really need the document how can i get it?

Answer 1

Hello @Mayookha Raj, 

Good day! I hope you are doing well. 

Based on your description, I understand that you created a Microsoft Word document, saved it using Ctrl + S, closed the document, and later were unable to locate the file. You mentioned that you really need this document and are looking for ways to recover it. 

Please let me know if I misunderstood any part of your issue or if there are additional details you’d like to share. 

To help us provide the most accurate and effective solution, could you please share a bit more detail about how you were working on the document: 

• How were you accessing the document: only on Word for desktop app or also on Word online in a browser? 
• Was the file saved locally on your Windows device or stored in OneDrive/SharePoint? 
• Do you remember selecting a file name and save location, or did you only press Ctrl + S? 
• Did you notice the document or its content went missing after a specific action, such as closing the app, syncing, or switching devices? 
• Is only your school/work account signed in to Word, and was your work saved under this account? 
• Do you recall whether the AutoSave feature was enabled at the time? 
• Did the file go missing after a specific action, such as closing Word, restarting the device, or switching accounts or devices? 
• Have you already checked Recent files in Word, File Explorer, OneDrive online, or the Recycle Bin? 

This additional context will help better understand your environment and determine which recovery options are most likely to help. 

I apologize if I could not jump straight to a solution. I want to avoid suggesting steps that might be inaccurate or unhelpful without fully understanding your setup. Once I have the details above, I’ll be able to assist you more effectively and guide you toward the right resolution. 

Looking forward to your response so we can get this sorted out together. 

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Answer 2

Try these steps in order on the Windows PC where the document was created.

1. Search for AutoRecover versions
   1. Open Word.
   2. Select File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.
   3. Look for a file with the right name/date, select it, then choose Open.
   4. If it opens, immediately use Save As and save it to a known folder (for example, Documents).
2. Search common AutoRecover/unsaved locations
   1. In File Explorer, go to:
      • C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word
      • C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles (replace <UserName> with the Windows account name).
   2. Look for recent .asd or .wbk files.
   3. In Word, go to File > Open > Browse, set Files of type to All Files, then open the file you found and save it as .docx.
3. Search by file name or type
   1. Select Start, type part of the document name (or *.docx) and press Enter.
   2. If it appears in Documents, double-click to open it in Word.
4. Search for backup files
   1. Select Start, type *.wbk and press Enter.
   2. If a file named Backup of your file name appears, double-click it to open in Word and then save it.
5. Check the Recycle Bin
   1. Open the Recycle Bin on the desktop.
   2. Look for .doc or .docx files with the right name/date.
   3. If found, right-click the file and select Restore.
6. Search for temporary files
   1. Select Start, type *.tmp and press Enter.
   2. On the Documents tab, look for files with dates/times matching when the document was edited.
   3. If nothing appears, repeat the search using ~ instead of .tmp.
   4. In Word, use File > Open > Browse, set Files of type to All Files, and try opening likely temp files, then save as .docx.
7. If it was on OneDrive or SharePoint
   • If the document was saved in a OneDrive or SharePoint folder, sign in to the web version and check:
     • The document location.
     • The service’s Recycle Bin.

If none of these steps locate the file, built-in recovery options are exhausted and only third-party file recovery tools (with no guarantee of success) remain.

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References:

• How to recover unsaved Word documents
• Recover an earlier version of a Word file
• Recover your Word files and documents