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

Microsoft Word documents can be misplaced or inaccessible under various circumstances, such as accidental deletion, formatting, or loss of partitions. If an error occurs that abruptly terminates the application, the document might also be lost. Thankfully, there are reliable methods to address Word-related issues. Whether your work has been accidentally deleted, lost due to a Microsoft Word crash, or mysteriously vanished, this straightforward guide will help you resolve the 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 right away, it's actually quite simple. Knowing how to recover deleted Word documents can make you appear as a guru among your colleagues, but the process is far from complicated. There are three efficient methods to restore lost Word documents. Continue reading to learn how to bring your Word files back to life.

Method 1: Recover Word Documents from the Recycling Bin

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

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

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

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

If you accidentally deleted a Word file, you can attempt to recover it by pressing "Ctrl+Z" on your keyboard to undo the deletion. It's crucial that you do not perform any additional actions on your computer after deleting the file. Follow the steps below for a detailed recovery process:

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 Recover It

Suppose you accidentally deleted numerous important Word documents and emptied the Recycling Bin. Most individuals are unaware of how to address this issue. However, some users are familiar with using a data recovery application to retrieve all deleted Word files. This is an advanced Microsoft Word document recovery tool capable of performing office file recovery, format recovery, and other data restoration tasks resulting from partition loss or damage, software crashes, virus infections, unexpected 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 the utmost. 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 a reliable Word recovery software on your computer. Examples include Stellar Phoenix Word Repair, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Remo Repair Word. 2. Launch the installed software. Upon opening, you will typically see an interface prompting you to select the damaged Word file you want to recover. 3. Navigate to the location where your corrupted Word file is stored. This could be in your local drive, a specific folder, or an external storage device. Select the file and click "Open" or "Next." 4. The software will then scan the selected file to analyze and repair any issues it detects. Depending on the software and the extent of the damage, this process may take some time. 5. Once the scan is complete, the software will display a preview of the recovered content. Check if the content is readable and all essential data is present. 6. If the preview is satisfactory, choose a destination location on your computer where you want to save the repaired Word file. Ensure that the destination folder is accessible and has enough space to accommodate the recovered file. 7. Click on "Save" or "Repair" to initiate the saving process. The software will create a new, repaired copy of your Word file at the chosen location. 8. After the file has been saved, open it with Microsoft Word to verify that the recovery was successful and all necessary data is intact. 9. Backup your recovered file and the original damaged file (if possible) to prevent future data loss. It's also advisable to regularly save your work and use version control systems to avoid corruption or accidental deletion. Remember that different recovery software might have slightly different interfaces and steps, so always refer to the software's user manual or online support for specific instructions.

Step 1. Select the location of the Word file

Select the drive or a specific folder and click the "Scan" button.

Step 2. Locate your Word files

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 category bar, select "Word". Following that, click on "Preview".

Step 3. Recover Word Files

After previewing the lost Word files, select the desired ones and click "Recover". Next, choose a folder to save the recovered Word files.

Video tutorial on recovering deleted or unsaved Word documents.

Part 2. How to Recover Unsaved Word Documents (2 Methods)

Recovering deleted Word files is relatively 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 Recently Opened Documents. Both options might prove helpful.

Method 1: Recover Unsaved Word from AutoRecover

We heavily depend on autosaves because documents can be lost when we forget to manually save our work. The good news is, if you have activated the AutoSave feature, Word will automatically save the files you are editing every 5 minutes or based on a set interval. This means you can easily recover unsaved Word documents:

Step 1. Find the AutoRecover folder on your computer. Open Microsoft Word, then navigate to "File" > "Options" > "Save". 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 with the .asd extension.

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

If Word displays a warning that says "Word experienced an error trying to open the file," repeat the steps and click "Open and Repair" when prompted at 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 issues? Whether your system unexpectedly shuts down or Microsoft Word crashes, you'll undoubtedly face significant inconvenience. Nothing is more frustrating than putting work into a Word document only to discover it's corrupted. However, there's no need to lose hope; you still have two helpful solutions to consider.

1. Locate a Trustworthy Word Repair Tool

Instead of seeking a Word data recovery tool, you can indeed search the internet for a trustworthy Word repair solution. Here are 5 recommendations from Windows Report that you can attempt to find the most suitable one for your needs: 1. Stellar Repair for Word 2. tools Data Recovery Wizard 3. Remo Repair DOC/DOCX 4. SysTools Word Repair 5. Ashampoo Office Tools Try these options and see which one effectively addresses your issue with Microsoft Word.

1. Stellar Phoenix Word Repair 2. Repair My Word 3. Recovery for Word 4. DocRepair 5. 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 data recovery software, such as data recovery software, to restore any files that were lost 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 work. You can create a copy of your Word document 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 do I restore or repair 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 search for all lost data.

Step 3. Select Word files and recover.

How do I fix a corrupted Word document in 2016?

To repair a corrupted Word document 2016: 1. Close Microsoft Word if it's currently open. 2. Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard, and then select "Apps and Features" from the menu. 3. In the "Apps & features" window, locate Microsoft Office or Microsoft Word 2016 in the list of installed apps. 4. Click on Microsoft Word, and then click "Modify" or "Change." 5. In the Office Setup dialog box, choose the "Quick Repair" option and click "Repair." This will scan and fix any minor issues with the application. 6. If the Quick Repair doesn't work, choose the "Online Repair" option instead and click "Repair" to perform a more thorough scan and repair process. 7. Wait for the repair process to complete. This may take a few minutes depending on the size of the installation and the extent of the corruption. 8. Once the repair is finished, restart your computer. 9. Open Microsoft Word again and try opening the corrupted document. It should now open without issues. If not, proceed to the next step. 10. Attempt to recover the content from the corrupted file using the "Open and Repair" feature: - Launch Microsoft Word. - Go to the "File" tab, then click "Open." - Navigate to the location of the corrupted file. - Instead of double-clicking the file, right-click on it and choose "Open with" > "Microsoft Word." - In the "Open" dialog box, click on the "Open and Repair" button. - Choose the "Repair" option and click "OK." - If successful, the repaired document will open. Save the recovered content as a new file to prevent further corruption. If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you might need to recreate the document from scratch or restore a backup copy 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, but 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: 1. **Disconnect the Hard Drive**: Safely remove the corrupted or crashed hard drive from your computer to prevent further damage. 2. **Backup Your Existing Data**: If the drive is still functioning partially, copy any important files to another storage device before attempting recovery. 3. **Use a Live USB or CD/DVD**: Boot your computer using a live Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu) from a USB or CD/DVD to bypass the potentially problematic operating system. 4. **Connect the Corrupted Drive**: Attach the corrupted hard drive to your computer via an external enclosure or a USB-to-SATA adapter. 5. **Run Disk Utility**: In Linux, open the Disk Utility (also known as "Disks" or "GParted") to check and repair disk errors. Use the "Check" or "Repair" options if available. 6. **Data Recovery Software**: If the above steps don't resolve the issue, use data recovery software such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or TestDisk. These tools scan the drive for recoverable files. 7. **Scan the Drive**: Select the corrupted drive in the software and initiate a deep scan. This may take a long time depending on the size of the drive. 8. **Preview and Recover Files**: Once the scan is complete, preview the recoverable files and select the ones you want to save. Save them to a different storage device. 9. **Professional Help**: If the software fails to recover the data, consider contacting a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and expertise to handle severe cases. 10. **Prevent Future Corruption**: Regularly back up your data, keep your system updated, and avoid sudden power outages to prevent future hard drive failures.

Step 1. Download and install the Data Recovery software.

Step 2. Select the crashed hard drive and click "Scan".

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