File Corruption & Recovery

How to Recover or Restore a Renamed File in Windows or OneDrive

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 874 views

Question details

The user wants to locate a renamed file or restore it to an earlier version/original filename, either locally on a Windows device or online via OneDrive.

Product: Windows File Explorer / OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Searching for a file whose name was changed, or attempting to revert a file's content and name back to a previous state.
Observed behavior: The file name has been changed, making it difficult to locate, or the user needs an earlier version of the document before the rename occurred.

Before you start

Verify whether your file was saved locally on your computer's hard drive or synced online via OneDrive, as the search and recovery steps differ for each storage location.

Solution 1Recommended

Find and Restore a Local File in Windows File Explorer

Use this method if you saved your document directly to your computer's hard drive and need to locate it or restore a previous version.

Renaming a file normally changes only its name and does not alter or delete its contents. If you lost track of the file after renaming it locally, you can use the built-in search and version history features in Windows.

Open Windows File Explorer

Press the Windows Key + E on your keyboard to launch File Explorer.

Search for the file contents or new name

Navigate to the folder where the file was stored. Use the search box in the top right corner to search for the new filename or specific keywords contained within the document.

Restore a previous version

Once located, right-click the file and select 'Restore previous versions' from the context menu. Choose the desired earlier version from the list and click 'Restore'.

Windows File History: The 'Restore previous versions' feature requires Windows File History or System Restore to be turned on beforehand.

Solution 2

Search and Restore an Online File via OneDrive

Use this method if your file was synced or saved directly to your Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage.

WPS Office File Protection

Easily Manage File Versions and Prevent Data Loss with WPS Office

WPS Office provides robust local backup and cloud syncing features, ensuring you can easily track file changes, find renamed documents, and restore previous versions in just a few clicks.

1. Open your document in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the file you wish to check or restore.
2. Access Backup and Recovery: Click on the 'Menu' button at the top left corner of the application window, then navigate to 'Backup and Recovery'.
3. Open Version History: Select 'Version History' to view a chronological list of automatically saved versions synced to your WPS Cloud.
4. Restore the desired version: Browse the list of previous file states, select the one you need, and click 'Restore' to revert the document.

Built-in Auto Backup and Auto-Save features to prevent data lossWPS Cloud integration for easy access to document version historyFully compatible with Microsoft Office formats like DOCX, XLSX, and PPTXFree, lightweight, and user-friendly interface for seamless document management

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Does renaming a file change or delete its contents?

No, renaming a file only changes its title within the operating system. It does not alter the data inside the document or cause file corruption.

Can I quickly undo a file rename in Windows?

Yes. If you have just renamed the file in Windows File Explorer and haven't performed other file operations, you can immediately press the 'Ctrl + Z' keyboard shortcut to undo the name change.

Why can't I find my file after renaming it?

You might have accidentally moved the file to a different folder while renaming it, or the search index hasn't updated yet. Try using the search bar in File Explorer or your cloud drive to search for text contained inside the document rather than the filename.

Document & File Issues