Help recovering an unsaved word document

Dear @Madison

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. I understand how frustrating it is to lose work, especially when moving between devices. Let's see if we can recover your document. 

The "AutoRecover" feature is your best bet. Since you were using the Word app on your iPad, the unsaved file might be in a temporary location. The recovery process depends on whether you were signed in with a Microsoft account. 

Option 1: Check for AutoRecovered Files in the App  

1. Open the Word app. 
2. Ensure you are signed in with the same Microsoft account you used originally. (Tap your profile picture in the top left corner to check). 
3. Go to the Open tab. 
4. Tap Recover Unsaved Documents at the bottom of the screen. 

This will open a list of any recently unsaved files. If you see your document, tap on it to open, and then save it immediately. 

For the most detailed, please visit this link: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253441767?sortBy=rank

I hope you can understand that I currently don't have access to a suitable testing environment. However, I've provided a link to a user experiencing a similar issue on an iPad, which I hope will be helpful.

Option 2: Check Your Cloud Storage Since you were working across devices, the file might have been autosaved to the cloud. 

• OneDrive: Log into your OneDrive account (via app or browser) and check the root folder and the "Documents" folder. 
• iCloud Drive: Check the iCloud Drive folder on your iPad or via iCloud.com. 

Option 3: Look for AutoRecover Files:  

While on your iPad, if you have access to another computer (Windows or Mac), you might be able to check AutoRecover files if you ever saved the document there. These files are usually stored in:  

• On Windows:  

C:\Users<YourUserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\ 

• On Mac:  

Open Finder. In the top menu bar, click Go > Go to Folder. 

Paste the following path and press Enter: 

 /Users/<YourUserName>/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/ 

Option 4: Recover Word Files from The Manage Versions Option. 

• Return to the file you were working on and open it. 
• Select File > Info from the File menu. 
• Select the file labeled "Manage Workbook" or "Manage Presentation" under Manage Workbook or Manage Presentation (when I closed without saving). 
• Select Restore from the menu bar at the top of the file to overwrite any previously saved versions. 

**
If these steps don’t help, could you answer a few questions to narrow it down further?** 

• Do you have AutoRecover enabled in the Word app? 
• Was the document ever saved before it was lost? 
• Were you connected to the internet, in case it autosaved to a cloud service? 

To prevent this from happening again, always try to save your new document to OneDrive as soon as you create it. This automatically turns on the AutoSave feature, which saves your changes every few seconds. 

For the most detailed, step-by-step guide from our official documentation, please visit this link: How to recover unsaved Word documents - Microsoft 365 Apps | Microsoft Learn 

I sincerely hope one of these methods helps you recover your file. Please let us know if you have any other questions

I sincerely hope one of these methods helps you recover your file. Please let us know if you have any other questions. 

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

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