How to Automatically Backup Word Documents [with Video Tutorial]

Do you frequently worry about losing your work? If so, you're not alone. It's common to inadvertently lose a Word document due to various reasons like computer or program crashes, hardware malfunction, accidental deletion, or human error.

Hence, having a backup plan in place for your crucial files is imperative. This article will delve into how to automatically back up Word documents using various methods. You can opt for Word's built-in Save or AutoRecover features or employ an automated file backup tool to safeguard your Word documents. Whichever approach you select, ensure that your most significant files have a reliable backup strategy in place!

Automatically Back Up Word Documents with File Backup Software

Backing up your work is always crucial, but it's easy to overlook. If you've been working on numerous important Word projects, you can configure an automatic backup schedule for Word using tools like Todo Backup Home.

Here's what data backup software can do:

• Backup all file types, including photos, videos, documents, emails, archives, etc.
• Automatically back up files to external hard drive, USB flash drive, pen drive, etc.
• Backup to cloud services like OneDrive and NAS drives
• Offer comprehensive and fast backup and restore options with just a few clicks

Here's how to utilize this data backup program to create automatic Word backup schedules:

Step 1. Click "Select backup contents" to start a backup.

Step 2. There are four data backup categories: File, Disk, OS, and Mail. Click File.

Step 3. Local and network files will be displayed on the left side. You may expand the directory to choose which files to back up.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose the location where you want to save the backup.

Click "Options" to encrypt the backup with a password under "Backup Options," and to set up a backup schedule and initiate a backup at a specific event under "Backup Scheme." Numerous other customization options are available for the backup process.

Step 5. You can save the backup to a local disk, the tool's online service, or a NAS.

Step 6. Todo Backup allows users to back up data to a third-party cloud drive or its own cloud drive.

If you want to back up data to a third-party cloud drive, select Local Drive, scroll down to add Cloud Device, add your account, and then log in.

You can also save backups to the tool's cloud storage service. Click on "Tools Cloud," sign up for a Tools Account, and log in.

Step 7. Click "Backup Now" to start the backup process. When the backup is complete, it will appear as a card on the left panel. To manage the backup job further, right-click on it.

More detailed instructions on Word backup operations are provided in the following video. We've outlined the key steps for you: 1. [Start of the video: Introduction to Word backup options] 2. [0:30: Explanation of AutoRecover feature and its settings] 3. [1:00: How to enable AutoRecover in File > Options > Save] 4. [1:30: Importance of saving work regularly using 'Save' or 'Save As'] 5. [2:00: Demonstration of using 'Version History' in Microsoft 365 to access previous versions] 6. [3:00: Explanation of creating manual backups by saving copies of your document] 7. [3:30: Using cloud services (e.g., OneDrive) for automatic backups and synchronization] 8. [4:00: Tips on backing up documents before major edits or collaborations] 9. [4:30: The role of add-ins and third-party tools for advanced backup solutions] 10. [5:00: Conclusion and summary of the importance of regular backups] Please note that the timestamps are approximate and may vary depending on the actual content of the video.

• 00:36 Click on "File" > "Word Options."
• 00:45 Click on "Save" > select "AutoRecover."
• 01:00 Click on "Advanced" > check "Always create backup copy."

How to Create Document Backups in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has an embedded document backup feature that automatically creates a backup copy whenever a file is saved. This backup file is saved with a ".wbk" extension in the same folder as the original document. You can open this backup file in Word and edit it as a regular .doc or .docx file.

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

Step 1. Open Microsoft Word, click on the "File" tab, and then choose "Options."

Step 2. Choose "Word Options" and then click "Advanced".

Step 3. On the right pane, locate "Save" and check the box for "Always create backup copy" underneath it.

Step 3. Next, click "OK" to save the modifications.

Backup Unsaved Word Documents with AutoRecover

Microsoft Word has an integrated feature that can automatically create backups of your Word documents as you work. Here's how it functions:

Although the AutoRecover feature is excellent, it only saves unsaved Word documents to automatically protect your work. It cannot be used to back up already saved documents. If you wish to automatically back up a saved Word document, you should employ the other two methods.

Step 1. Open the Microsoft Word application and click on the "File" tab, then select "Options".

Step 2. In the pop-up window, click on "Save," which is located on the left side under the "Save Documents" section.

Step 3. Under the section labeled "Save documents," locate "AutoRecover file location" and enter the directory path where you wish to save your backup files, for example, C:\Users\YourName\Documents\WordBackups.

Step 4. Ensure that the checkbox for Save AutoRecover information every X minutes is selected and set to the frequency at which you'd like your documents backed up. The default is typically ten minutes.

Step 5. Click "OK" to save your modifications.

From now on, your Word document will be automatically saved at the set interval to the directory you specified! If you ever need to access these backup files, navigate to the directory path you entered as the AutoRecover file location and open the most recent file with an .asd extension.

These files are automatically generated by Word and contain all your unsaved work from your current session. If, for any reason, Microsoft Word crashes, you can open this file to recover your unsaved work.

How to Recover Unsaved Word Documents on Windows 10/11

There are several methods to recover unsaved Word documents, such as retrieving them from temporary files, using AutoRecovery, or through Document Recovery.

"Microsoft Word Document Automatic Backup Frequently Asked Questions"

Find more detailed information about Microsoft Word's automatic backup feature through the following frequently asked questions and answers.

1. Does Microsoft Word have an automatic backup feature?

Many programs, such as Microsoft Excel and Word, have an AutoRecover feature that can automatically back up documents to prevent data loss. You can customize the auto-save interval and specify the save location according to your preferences.

2. How do I set up automatic backups in Word?

The most efficient method to automatically back up Word documents is by utilizing the file backup tool.

Step 1: Launch the tool Todo Backup and choose File Backup.

Step 2: Select the Word documents to back up.

Step 3: Configure the backup options, such as setting up automatic backups.

3. How do I configure Word to always create a backup copy?

To create a backup copy of a Word document, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Word Options dialog box. Select Advanced.

Step 2: Scroll down to locate the Save options.

Step 3: Check the "Always create backup copy" box.

4. How do you disable auto backup in Word?

How to disable autosave in Word? We have separate tutorials on disabling AutoSave for both Windows and macOS. Follow the links to access the comprehensive guides.

Conclusion

This post has outlined several methods for you to automatically backup Word documents. You can utilize the built-in Save feature or the AutoRecover function within Word, or employ an external automated file backup tool.

Todo Backup is renowned for its comprehensive file backup capabilities. Whether you wish to back up files, disks, or systems, we have a solution for you. You can secure your computer's data by backing it up to various locations such as network shared folders, USB flash drives, external hard drives, or different cloud services.