How to Recover 0 Byte Word Document in Windows 10/8/7

Quick Navigation: 4 Solutions to Fix Word Document Showing 0 Bytes

In this article, we have compiled six useful methods to fix the 0-byte error. You can follow these solutions whenever your Word document shows 0 bytes.

Why does my Word document save as zero bytes?

"I saved a Word document before forcefully restarting my laptop. Strangely, it won't open now, and the file size shows as 0 bytes. Why would a normally saved Word file become empty? How can I retrieve my document? The data inside is crucial, and I can't afford to lose it."

Normally, you wouldn't see a blank Word document with a file size of 0 bytes, especially if it contains data pages. However, many people still find themselves stuck with a 0-byte Word or Docx file. How does this happen? Generally, when you come across a Word document whose properties show a size of 0 bytes, you should know that this is not a good sign. A 0-byte file often indicates a corrupted file, bad sectors on your hard drive or flash drive, and your content being wiped out.

Part 1: How to Recover 0 KB Word Document in Windows 10/8/7

Before you proceed with the fix for Word file saved as 0 bytes error, it is advisable to recover your Word document at the earliest. Sometimes, you might accidentally delete the Word file while trying to fix it. Hence, retrieve your Word document beforehand. There are two ways to restore DOC files – one is by using software, and the other is through manual solutions.

• 1. Recover 0 KB/Byte Word Document with Data Recovery Software
• 2. Manually Restore DOC File in Windows 10/8/7

1 - Recover 0 Byte Word Document Using Data Recovery Software

If you accidentally lost your Word document, try downloading the Data Recovery Wizard tool on your computer. It specializes in scanning and recovering various types of files that you might have deleted by accident.

• Restore deleted, formatted, and inaccessible data in various data loss scenarios.
• Safely and completely recover photos, audio, music, and emails from any storage device.
• Recover files from the Recycle Bin, hard drives, memory cards, flash drives, digital cameras, and camcorders.

Simple Steps to Recover a Word Document:

Step 1: Select the location of the Word file

Select the drive or a specific folder where you lost your Word document and click on the “Scan” button.

Step 2: Find your Word document

The software will immediately start scanning all lost data from the selected drive. Once the scan is complete, click on the “Documents” option from the left panel. Select the desired Word file from the scan results and then hit “Preview”.

Step 3: Recover the Deleted Word Document

After the scan, select the Word file you want to restore and click “Recover.” Make sure to save the recovered file in a different location than the original.

2 - How to manually recover DOC files in Windows 10/8/7

Another way to recover a Word document is by using the AutoRecover temporary files. While it's less likely, it's still worth a shot. Follow these steps:

For Word 2010 - 2019

Step 1: Open the Word application and click on "File" then "Options." In the left navigation pane, click on "Save." Copy the path of the AutoRecover file location and paste it into File Explorer.

< strong > Step 2. < /strong > Open Explorer, find the unsaved document, and copy the .asd file.

Step 3: Open your Word application and click on “File” then “Open” and then “Recover Unsaved Documents” at the bottom.

Step 4: Paste the copied .asd file into the 'File name' box that pops up. Open the Word file for recovery.

Office prior to 2010

In other versions of Office, you must hunt down the temp files yourself.

1. C:\Documents and Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Word 2. C:\Documents and Settings\Local Settings\Temp

Find files similar to ~wrdxxxx.tmp, ~wrfxxxx.tmp, or ~wraxxx.tmp and open then save them with Notepad. After recovering the data, refer to the following solutions to fix a Word document saved as 0 bytes. Generally, a Word document shows up as 0 bytes due to the following reasons:

• Virus infection
• Application malfunction
• System crash or bad sectors
• Files being hidden

Part 2: How to Fix a 0 KB Word Document Error

With these common causes in mind, you should be able to fix the 0 KB error.

1. Solution 1. Remove 0KB Virus with Antivirus Software
2. Solution 2. Run CHKDSK to Fix Disk Errors
3. Solution 3. Use CHKDSK Alternative Tools
4. Solution 4. Show Hidden Files

Solution 1: Remove the 0KB virus using an antivirus program

The easiest way to remove a virus is to use an antivirus program. There are many antivirus programs that can help you get rid of the 0KB virus. Here's how to remove it with Avast.

Step 1. Right-click the Avast orange icon in the Windows system tray, and then open the Avast user interface.

Step 2: Go to Protection > Virus Scan.

Step 3: Click “RUN SMART SCAN” to begin scanning.

Upon completion, Avast displays all the issues it found. You can resolve these issues directly from the results screen, or configure each scan to fix issues automatically when detected.

Solution 2: Run CHKDSK to fix disk errors

If you encounter disk errors or bad sector errors, you can try this method to fix the 0-byte error in your Word file.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, then type cmd.

Step 2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3: Type the following command: chkdsk E: /f /r /x

Solution 3: Use a CHKDSK Alternative to Check and Repair Errors

If you're not comfortable using the Command Prompt, you can use a alternative tool like CleanGenius. It's a one-click solution to fix file system errors on your hard drive.

Step 1. Download the CleanGenius tool on your computer for free.

Step 2: Launch the software. Click on "Optimize" in the left sidebar, then choose "File Visibility."

Select the file with the encoding issues

Step 3. Go to the "Select Drive" section and choose the drive with the file system error. Check the box next to "Check and fix file system errors," then click "Perform."

Step 4: Wait for CleanGenius to finish the repair process. When it's done, click Here to view the results.

Solution 4: Show Hidden Files to Fix 0 KB Word Document

Sometimes your Word file might get hidden and replaced with a 0-byte file. You can try the following steps to show the hidden file.

Step 1. Press Windows + E on your keyboard to open File Explorer in Windows 10/8/7.

Step 2. In the "Folder Options" or "File Explorer Options" window, click the "View" tab. Under "Hidden files and folders," click the "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" option.

Step 3: Click on “Apply” and then “OK.” You will see the files on the drive.

Conclusions

A zero-byte file is usually not a good sign, often pointing to a corrupted or damaged file, or bad sectors on your hard drive or flash drive. By default, such reasons mean the content of a zero-byte document is wiped out. But you don't need to worry – the solutions above can perfectly address your issue. Don't hesitate to seek help from the Data Recovery Wizard tool.