How to Recover a Lost Word Document in 2022

In certain situations, a Microsoft Word document might go missing. For instance, it could disappear after a force quit, a power outage, or if you closed it without saving changes. This page outlines a few methods to potentially recover a lost Word file. You can try any of these methods to restore an unsaved Word document and recover a formatted document in various data loss scenarios.

Method 1: Restore from the Recycling Bin

If you just accidentally deleted a Word file from your desktop and sent it to the Recycle Bin, you have a good chance of retrieving it from there.

1. Open the Recycle Bin. Click "View" > "Sort by," and then you can filter this list by file type, name, date deleted, and more. 2. When you find the document you want, right-click it and select "Restore" to get it back.

Method 2: Restore from a Document Search

If you still can't locate your file, search your computer.
In Windows, click Start > Search > For Files or Folders.
Type the name of the file, and then click Search.
If the file doesn't appear in the Search Results box, try searching for a Word backup file, or use a document recovery utility to help recover the file.

Method 3: Restore from a Backup Location

Here we're using Word 2013, but the process is the same in all versions, including 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016.

1. Open Word 2013.

2. Click the File menu, click Open, click Computer, and then click Browse.

3. Locate the folder where you last saved your lost file.

4. In the File type list (All Word Documents), click All Files. Backup files are usually named Backup of [lost file name].

5. Click on the backup file, then click Open.

Method 4: Create a New Word Document with the Same Name

If the file is truly gone from all three of these locations, you can create a new Word document with the same name and see if earlier versions of your file turn up.

1. Create a new Word document with the same name and format as the lost file. 2. Right-click the file > choose "Properties," then select "Previous Versions." If you see multiple versions of your Word document, choose an earlier one and click "Restore."

Method 5: Recover Lost Word Files with Office Recovery Software

When you permanently delete a Word file or other data from your computer or storage device, all the above methods will be of no use. Then you need professional file recovery software to easily get around this issue.

"Data Recovery Wizard Pro" is a popular online data recovery tool designed for both Windows and Mac users. With this tool, you can effortlessly retrieve various types of files that were accidentally deleted, lost due to disk formatting, virus attacks, or other reasons. It supports all Windows systems, including Windows 10/8/7, and more. Additionally, it can be used to recover other versions of Word documents, such as Word 2013/2015/2016, as well as lost Excel files. Now, download the software and follow the simple steps outlined in the guide below to restore your lost Word files.

This video will give you more details on how to easily recover lost Word files with data recovery software. If you want to be your own data rescuer, don't hesitate and download the tool now.

Step 1: Select the location of the Word file

Select a drive or specific folder, then click the “Scan” button.

Step 2: Locate Your Word File

The software will immediately start scanning all lost data on the selected drive. Once the scan is finished, click on “Documents” from the left panel. Select “Word” from the categories bar. Then, hit “Preview.”

Step 3: Recover the Word Document

Preview the lost Word file and select the required one. Click “Recover” and choose a folder to save your Word file.