Version History Issues

How to Recover a Previous or Corrupted Word Document Version

Guest Writer Oct 9, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to restore an earlier version of a Word document following a power failure, file corruption, or a 'file is in use' error.

How to Recover a Previous or Corrupted Word Document Version

Product: Microsoft Word, OneDrive, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to recover lost work or fix file access issues after a crash or document corruption.
Observed behavior: The document is corrupted, lost, or displaying a 'file is in use' error that prevents version restoration.

Before you start

Ensure you have a stable internet connection to access OneDrive or SharePoint, and check with colleagues to verify that no one else currently has the shared document open.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore an Earlier Version via OneDrive or SharePoint

Use the online version history feature to revert to a working version of your document.

This method is highly effective if your document was automatically saved in the cloud (OneDrive or SharePoint). It allows you to roll back changes before the file was corrupted or lost due to a power failure.

Log in to Office Online

Open your web browser and navigate to https://www.office.com, then sign in with your account credentials.

Locate the document

Find your Word document in your OneDrive or SharePoint files without clicking to open the document itself.

Access Version History

Select the three dots (More options) next to the file name and choose 'Version history'.

Restore a previous version

Browse the list of saved versions, select a working earlier version, and click 'Restore'.

Restore an Earlier Version via OneDrive or SharePoint

Solution 2

Open as Read-Only and Save a New Copy

Use this workaround if the restoration fails because the system states the file is currently in use.

WPS Office Document Recovery

How to Recover Word Documents Easily in WPS Office

WPS Office provides a robust Backup Center that automatically saves local versions of your Word documents. This allows you to easily recover lost or corrupted files locally without worrying about cloud sync conflicts or locked files.

1. Open Backup Center: Launch WPS Office, click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner, go to 'Backup and Recovery', and select 'Backup Center'.
2. Locate your document: Click on 'Local Backup' to view a list of automatically saved versions of your recent files.
3. Restore the file: Find your corrupted or previous Word document in the list, double-click to open it, and use 'Save As' to restore it to your desired folder.

Built-in Backup Center for easy version recoveryFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) formatsLightweight, fast, and completely free to useNo complex cloud locking or 'file is in use' issues

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does it say my Word document is 'in use' when restoring?

This error occurs when another user has the shared file open in OneDrive or SharePoint, locking it from being overwritten. Ensure all collaborators close the document before attempting to restore.

Can I recover a Word document if I didn't save it to a cloud drive?

Yes, if your Word processor has AutoRecover or local auto-backup enabled, you can often recover unsaved files by navigating to the designated local backup folder or checking the document recovery pane when restarting the application.

How do I view earlier versions of a document without replacing the current one?

In the Version History panel, you can choose to simply view an older version instead of clicking 'Restore'. This opens the file in read-only mode, allowing you to use 'Save As' to save a separate copy while keeping the current version intact.

Document & File Issues