Download the Microsoft Word Document Recovery Software to recover Word files.

Microsoft Word documents can be misplaced or lost under various circumstances. This could happen due to accidental deletion, formatting, or the loss of a partition. If an unexpected error causes Word to close abruptly, your unsaved work might also be lost. However, there are reliable methods to address Word-related issues. Regardless of whether your document was unintentionally deleted, lost in a Microsoft Word crash, or has mysteriously vanished, this straightforward guide will help you resolve your problem efficiently and promptly.

Part 1. Three Methods to Recover Deleted Word Files

If you've accidentally deleted your Word documents and are looking to retrieve them promptly, it's a simple task. Understanding how to recover deleted Word documents can make you appear as a pro among your colleagues, but the process is actually quite straightforward. There are three efficient methods to restore lost Word documents. Continue reading to learn how to bring back your Word files.

Method 1: Recover Word Documents from the Recycling Bin

When you delete a Word file from your hard drive, you can initially look to the Recycle Bin to restore it. The Recycle Bin in Windows is a folder that holds deleted files. You can recover the deleted data to its original location when needed.

Step 1. Go to "Recycle Bin." Check if the deleted Word file is still there.

Step 2. Choose the Word file and click "Restore" to bring it back to its original location.

Method 2: Reverse Word Deletion with "Ctrl+Z"

If you accidentally deleted a Word file, you can potentially recover it by pressing "Ctrl+Z" to undo the deletion. However, it's crucial not to perform any additional actions on your computer after deleting the file. Follow these steps thereafter: 1. Immediately press "Ctrl+Z" on your keyboard while the Word application is open. This shortcut typically undoes the last action, which in this case would be the deletion. 2. If the file doesn't reappear in its original location, check the Recycle Bin or Trash folder on your computer. Deleted files are usually moved there before being permanently erased. 3. If the file is not in the Recycle Bin, it might still be in the system's temporary files or cache. Open File Explorer and search for temporary Word files using keywords related to your document's title. 4. Use data recovery software: In case the above methods fail, consider using a reliable data recovery tool. There are various free and paid options available that can scan your hard drive for deleted files. 5. If the file was saved on an external storage device, connect it to your computer and repeat the above steps. Remember, the sooner you act after deletion, the higher the chances of successfully recovering your Word file.

Step 1. Right-click your mouse after you delete something.

Step 2. Choose "Undo Delete". Your deleted Word document will be recovered shortly.

Additionally, you can press "Ctrl+Z" directly to undo the deletion of your Word document. The Word file will be restored to its original location on the computer hard drive.

Method 3: Use Word File Recovery Software to Retrieve It

Suppose you have accidentally deleted numerous crucial Word documents and emptied the Recycle Bin. Many individuals are unaware of how to address this issue. However, some users are familiar with the fact that a tool like Data Recovery Wizard Pro can retrieve all deleted Word documents. This is an advanced Microsoft Word document recovery solution. It is capable of performing office file recovery, format recovery, and other data restoration tasks resulting from partition loss or damage, software crashes, virus infections, unexpected system shutdowns, or any other unidentified reasons in Windows. Continue reading to learn more details:

"Word Recovery software simplifies the process of recovering Word documents to its utmost ease. Just follow these straightforward steps below and promptly restore your lost Word files."

Steps to recover a Word file using Word recovery software: 1. Download and Install the Recovery Software: First, search for a reliable Word recovery tool online and download it onto your computer. Ensure that the software is from a trusted source. 2. Launch the Software: After installation, double-click on the software's icon to launch it. The main interface of the recovery tool should appear. 3. Select the Damaged File: In the software, you'll typically find an option like "Open" or "Select File." Click on it and browse to the location where your corrupted Word file is stored. Choose the file and click "Open." 4. Scan the File: Once the file is selected, initiate the scanning process. The software will scan the Word document thoroughly, looking for recoverable content. There may be options for quick or deep scans, depending on the severity of the corruption. 5. Preview Recovered Data: After the scan is complete, the software will display the recovered content. You can preview the text, images, and formatting to ensure that the recovery was successful. 6. Save the Recovered File: If you're satisfied with the recovery, choose a destination folder on your computer where you want to save the repaired Word file. Click on "Save" or "Export" and give the file a new name to avoid overwriting the original corrupted file. 7. Verify the Recovered File: Open the saved recovered file in Microsoft Word to check if everything is as expected. If there are still issues, you might need to try alternative recovery methods or consult professional assistance. Remember that prevention is key, so regularly save your work and use reliable antivirus software to minimize the chances of data loss.

Step 1. Select the location of the Word file

Select the drive or a specific folder where you lost your Word documents and click the "Scan" button.

Step 2. Locate your Word documents

The software will promptly initiate scanning for all lost data on the selected drive. Once the scan is complete, click on the "Documents" option in the left panel. From the scan results, select the targeted Word file. Finally, click on "Preview".

Step 3. Recover the Deleted Word Documents

After previewing, select the desired Word files and click “Recover”. Remember to save the recovered documents in a different location other than the original one.

"Video tutorial on how to recover deleted or unsaved Word documents."

Part 2. How to Recover Unsaved Word Documents (2 Methods) In this section, we will explore two methods to restore unsaved Word documents. Whether you accidentally closed the file without saving or encountered a system crash, these methods can help you retrieve your lost work. Method 1: Using AutoRecover Feature 1. Open Microsoft Word. 2. Click on "File" in the top-left corner of the screen. 3. Select "Info" from the menu options. 4. In the right pane, click on "Manage Versions." 5. Choose "Recover Unsaved Documents" from the drop-down list. 6. A new window will open, displaying any unsaved Word documents that Word has automatically saved. 7. Locate and select the document you want to recover. 8. Click "Open" to load the unsaved document, then save it with a new name or overwrite the existing one. Method 2: Searching for Temp Files 1. Close Microsoft Word if it's currently open. 2. Press "Windows key + E" to open File Explorer. 3. In the search bar at the top-right corner, type "*.tmp" (without the quotes) and press Enter. 4. This will show temporary files, including potential unsaved Word documents. 5. Look for files with the extension ".tmp" that were created around the time you were working on the unsaved document. 6. Right-click on the file and choose "Open With" > "Microsoft Word." 7. If the document opens successfully, save it immediately with a new name to prevent overwriting the original temp file. Please note that the success of these methods depends on whether Word had the chance to autosave your document or not. It's always a good practice to save your work frequently to avoid losing any valuable information.

Recovering deleted Word files is generally quite straightforward. However, retrieving unsaved Word files can be a bit more challenging. Fortunately, there are two methods you can employ to reclaim your Word documents. You can either utilize the AutoRecover feature or explore the Recent Documents section. Both options might prove helpful.

Method 1: Recover Unsaved Word from AutoRecover

We heavily depend on autosaves because documents can be lost when we don't save our work manually. The good news is, if you have enabled the AutoSave feature, Word will automatically save the files you're editing every 5 or specified minutes. Therefore, you can easily recover unsaved Word documents:

Step 1. Find the AutoRecover folder on your computer. Open Microsoft Word, navigate to "File" > "Options" > "Save", and locate the AutoRecover file location.

Step 2. In File Explorer, copy the file location path and open the AutoRecover folder. Locate and copy the unsaved Word document that has the .asd extension.

Step 3. Reopen Word, then click "File > Open > Recover Unsaved Documents." Paste the .asd file in the File Name field and click "Open." Review the document content and save it to a new location.

If Word displays a warning stating "Word experienced an error trying to open the file," repeat the steps and click "Open and Repair" when prompted by the Open Unsaved Documents window.

Method 2: Recover Unsaved Word from Recent Documents

If your computer unexpectedly shuts down and you forget to save your Word file, follow this process to recover the Word document.

Step 1. Open Microsoft Word and navigate to "File" > "Open" > "Recent Documents" > "Recover Unsaved Documents".

If you don't see the "Recover Unsaved Document" option, navigate to "File > Info > Manage Versions > Recover Unsaved Documents."

Step 2. Choose the unsaved document from the list and click "Open" to view its content in a new window within Word.

Step 3. Click the "Save As" button in the top banner.

Also read: Recover unsaved Word document on Mac.

Part 3: How to Repair Corrupted Word File

What if your Word file becomes corrupted or the program encounters an issue? Whether your system unexpectedly shuts down or Microsoft Word crashes, it can cause significant inconvenience. Nothing is more infuriating than putting effort into a Word document only to discover it's corrupted. However, there's no need to despair; you have two helpful options to explore.

1. Locate a Trustworthy Word Repair Tool

You can browse the internet to search for a reliable Word repair tool instead of a dedicated Word data recovery software. Here are 5 suggestions from Windows Report that you can attempt to find the most suitable option for your needs.

• Stellar Phoenix Word Repair
• Repair My Word
• Recovery for Word
• DocRepair
• Kernel for Word

2. Reinstall the Application to Resolve Word Corruption Issue

If your Word application becomes corrupted, the simplest solution is to reinstall Microsoft Office on your computer. Following the reinstallation, you can utilize tools like Data Recovery Wizard to recover any lost files that occurred after the reinstallation process.

Conclusion

The most effective way to prevent such issues is to have a backup file. Always keep a duplicate copy of your Word document. You can create a copy and save it on a cloud-based service like Dropbox or Google Drive. Additionally, this allows you to access and edit the uploaded Word files anytime, as long as you have a reliable internet connection.

Frequently Asked Question - Issues with Word Recovery

If you still have questions, review the frequently asked questions and answers below for further assistance.

How can I recover Microsoft Word?

To recover a Word file using Word recovery software:

Step 1. Install a data recovery tool. Select the location of the Word file.

Step 2. Click "Scan" to scan all lost data.

Step 3. Select Word files and recover.

How do I fix a corrupted Word document in Microsoft Word 2016?

To repair a corrupted Word document 2016: 1. Close Microsoft Word. 2. Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of the corrupted document. 3. Right-click on the problematic file and select "Properties." 4. In the Properties window, click on the "Compress or Encrypt Attributes" button. 5. Uncheck the "Compress contents to save disk space" option (if checked) and click "OK." 6. Try opening the document again in Microsoft Word. If the above method doesn't work, try these additional steps: 7. Press the "Windows key + R" to open the Run dialog box. 8. Type "control panel" and hit Enter to open Control Panel. 9. Click on "Programs" and then "Programs and Features." 10. Find Microsoft Office 2016 in the list, click on it, and then select "Change." 11. Choose "Repair" from the options and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. 12. Restart your computer and open the corrupted Word document. If the issue persists, you might need to use a third-party recovery tool or consider recovering the content from a backup if available.

Step 1. Click on "File" from the top menu.

Step 2. Choose "Open" from the vertical menu.

Step 3. Click the 'Browse' button and select a document. Tap the small arrow on the 'Open' button, and choose 'Open and Repair' from the dropdown menu.

The Word document is now initiating the automatic repair function.

Does Microsoft Word have a backup feature for files?

By default, Word 2013 doesn't automatically save backup copies of your documents; however, you can easily enable this feature by clicking AutoRecover.

How can I retrieve files from a damaged hard drive?

Steps to Recover Data from a Corrupted or Failed Hard Drive:

Step 1. Download and install the Data Recovery software.

Step 2. Select the crashed hard disk and click Scan

Step 3. Preview the files you've found. Click Recover to retrieve your lost data.