How to Open an ASD File and Recover a Lost Word Document [4 Ways]

Quick Tip: 4 Ways to Open an ASD File

If you don't know how to open an ASD file in Word 2019/2016/2010/2007, read this article and learn three methods for recovering an ASD file.

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User Scenario: Unable to open an .ASD file, how do I open an ASD file?

"I have an .asd file that I want to open. I've tried every program I could think of to handle it. But when I open the file with Notepad, it displays some random symbols. Could the file be corrupted and beyond recovery? By the way, this file was recovered from my hard drive. Any solutions for this?"

"What is an ASD file?"

An .asd file is a snapshot or backup copy of an open Microsoft Word document created by the program's AutoRecover tool. It is typically used to recover unsaved Word files in case of a power outage, crash, or system malfunction.

An .asd file can typically be opened on Windows-based systems using Microsoft Word 2010. However, sometimes you may have trouble opening it, as in the example above where Word might say the data is unsupported and won't open. This guide will show you three effective ways to open ASD files and easily recover your .asd files.

Also read: Why Does Word Keep Crashing When Saving in 2010, 2013, or 2016?

Method 1: Open an ASD File with “Recover Unsaved Documents”

Each time you start Word, it looks for AutoRecover files and displays any data that it finds in the Document Recovery task pane. You can use the Recover Unsaved Documents feature to locate and open an ASD file. Here's how to find and open an ASD file in Microsoft Word:

Step 1: Open Word and click on "File" > "Open" > "Recent."

Step 2: Move the cursor to the bottom of the screen, and then click Recover Unsaved Documents.

Step 3: The unsaved Word document from the “UnsavedFiles” folder will appear in the pop-up window. Select the ASD file you need and click “Open” > “Save As” to convert the ASD file into a Word document.

Also read: How to recover unsaved Word documents in Windows 10

Method 2: Open an ASD File through “Manage Documents” in Word Step 3: Select Recover Unsaved Documents

Another way to open an ASD file is by using the “Manage Documents” feature in Microsoft Word.

Step 1: In MS Word, click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner, then select the "Info" tab.

Step 2: Click on “Manage Documents” and then select “Recover Unsaved Documents” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. In the Open dialog, select the ASD file you want to recover and click “Open.”

Method 3: Open an ASD File in File Explorer

While AutoRecover is turned on, Microsoft Office Word creates periodic backups of your document while you're editing it. The backup files (ASD files) are stored in the following location:

• On Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\
• On Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\

You can copy the file path in File Explorer. Then, look for and open the ASD file in File Explorer.

Step 1: Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Copy the file path and locate the ASD file on your computer.

Step 2: Right-click the .asd file and select Open With, then click OK.

Step 3: Open the .asd file with Word. Click "Save As" to convert the ASD file to a Word document.

Method 4: Recover Lost ASD or Word Files with Data Recovery Software If you accidentally deleted your ASD or Word file, or it got lost due to other reasons, you can try using data recovery software to retrieve them. Here's a general process: 1. **Choose a reliable data recovery tool**: There are many data recovery tools available on the market, such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill. Make sure to select one with a good reputation and high user ratings. 2. **Download and install the software**: Visit the official website of the software, download the version compatible with your operating system (Windows or Mac), and follow the installation instructions. 3. **Run the data recovery software**: Launch the program and select the location where your lost files were stored, such as a hard drive, USB device, or SD card. 4. **Scan for lost files**: Click on "Scan" or a similar button to initiate a thorough scan of the selected location to find the missing files. This may take some time depending on the size of the drive. 5. **Preview and recover the files**: After the scan is complete, the software will display the found files. You can preview certain types of files, like images and documents, to confirm their recoverability. Select the files you want to recover and click the "Recover" button to save them to a secure location. Please note that data recovery is not always 100% successful, especially if the files have been overwritten or the storage medium is damaged. Therefore, it's best to regularly back up important files to prevent unintentional loss.

There can be several instances like accidental deletion, formatting/damage of storage media, virus attack, lost partitions, etc., when you might lose your Microsoft ASD files or Word documents. In such cases, you cannot use the AutoRecover feature to restore ASD or Word files because it helps in recovering unsaved Word documents and not the lost or deleted ones.

So, how to recover deleted or lost Word documents? Don't worry, you have a professional data recovery tool – Data Recovery Wizard Pro to help you out.

With a file recovery program, you can recover ASD files and Word documents in 3 easy steps.

Step 1: Select the location of the Word file

Select the drive or a specific folder where the lost Word document was located, and click on the “Scan” button.

Step 2: Locate Your Word File

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

Step 3: Recover the Deleted Word Document

Once the scan is finished, check the Word files you need, then click “Recover.” Remember to save the recovered documents in a different location than the original.

Additional Tip: How to Convert an ASD File to a Word Document

While you're editing a document, Word automatically creates a backup file in case the program crashes. These files have the extension .asd. To convert an ASD file to .doc format, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word. Click the "File" menu and then click "Open."

Step 2. Open your user folder. You can find it in the dropdown menu at the top of the window.

3. Double-click the “AppData” folder within your User folder. Double-click the “Roaming” folder, then select the “Microsoft” folder. Open the “Word” folder.

4. Click the “File type” drop-down menu at the bottom of the window, then click “All Files.” Double-click the ASD file to open it.

5. Click the "File" menu and then click "Save As." Under "Save as type," choose the DOC file format. Choose the location where you want to save your converted file, enter a filename, and click "Save."

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Word has an AutoRecover feature that creates emergency backups in case of errors, allowing you to recover and open ASD files/Word documents. Some errors might interfere with the AutoRecover function. However, if you lost your backup – the ASD file, you can retrieve your Word file with the help of a Data Recovery Wizard tool through simple steps.

Frequently Asked Questions About ASD File Recovery

Now you've learned three effective ways to open an ASD file in Windows 10/8/7. If you have any other issues, please read the Q&A section below.

1. Where are ASD files saved?

• In Windows 7 and Vista, the files are stored in C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word (where username is replaced by the author's username).
• In Windows XP, they're in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word (where username is again replaced by the author's username).
• In Mac OS X, the folder is at C:/Users/username/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office Version/AutoRecovery/Autorecovery save of filename.

2. Can I delete .asd files? Do they store any information?

.ASD files save metadata that Live refers to when importing audio tracks, for faster exporting, especially between multiple projects and sessions. You can safely delete them, the only downside being that all audio files used in a project will need to be rescanned when reloading it, which can take a while if there are many files in a project.

3. Where does Excel store temporary files?

• Windows 10: C:\Users\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
• Windows 8/7/Vista: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles

How to open an ASD file in Word 2010?

Open an .asd file in Word 2010:

1. On the File menu, choose Open. 2. In the File Type list (All Word Documents), choose All Files. 3. Select the .asd file you find, and then choose Open.