File Corruption & Recovery

How to Stop Microsoft Word Recovering Nonexistent Files After Updates

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent Microsoft Word from automatically attempting to recover documents that no longer exist, a recurring issue triggered after system restarts.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Restarting the computer following a Windows OS update.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word repeatedly attempts to recover nonexistent documents upon launching, creating numerous recovered files containing random words.

Before you start

Ensure that Microsoft Word is completely closed before you attempt to search for and delete any leftover system recovery files.

Solution 1Recommended

Search for and Delete Leftover AutoRecover (.asd) Files

Removing residual AutoRecover files clears the temporary data cache, preventing Word from triggering the document recovery pane for files that no longer exist.

When your computer restarts unexpectedly during a Windows update, Word may leave behind AutoRecover files (*.asd). On the next launch, Word misinterprets these leftover fragments as crashed documents and tries to recover them.

To stop this continuous recovery loop, you need to manually find and delete these lingering .asd files.

Close Microsoft Word

Make sure Microsoft Word is completely closed. If necessary, open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to ensure no background Word processes are running.

Open File Explorer

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

Navigate to the AutoRecover Folder

Paste '%AppData%\Microsoft\Word\' into the File Explorer address bar and press Enter. Alternatively, you can use the search bar in 'This PC' to search your entire drive for '*.asd'.

Delete the .asd Files

Locate any files ending with the .asd extension. Select them, right-click, and choose 'Delete'. Empty your Recycle Bin afterwards.

Restart Microsoft Word

Launch Microsoft Word again. The Document Recovery pane should no longer appear, and the application will stop trying to recover nonexistent files.

Microsoft 365 vs Older Versions: Depending on whether you are using Microsoft 365 or an older standalone version of Word, the exact default save path for AutoRecover files might slightly vary. Searching 'This PC' for '*.asd' is the most reliable way to find them.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Stable and Lightweight Experience

If persistent bugs, recovery loops, and update glitches in Microsoft Word disrupt your workflow, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a robust, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative that handles your documents seamlessly.

1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free installer for Windows.
2. Set as Default Program: During or after installation, set WPS Office as your default application to handle all standard Office formats.
3. Open Your Documents: Double-click your existing .docx files to open them smoothly in WPS Writer without formatting loss.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Lightweight software architecture with minimal impact on system performance.Reliable Auto-Backup and recovery features that do not trap you in endless loops.Familiar tabbed user interface, ensuring zero learning curve for Microsoft Office users.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Microsoft Word normally save AutoRecover files?

By default, Word saves AutoRecover (.asd) files in the 'C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\' folder on Windows computers.

Will deleting .asd files permanently delete my actual Word documents?

No. Deleting .asd files only removes temporary recovery data created during an unexpected shutdown. Your manually saved .docx documents will remain completely safe.

Why does Word create files with random words after a Windows update?

System restarts during an update can force Word to close unexpectedly while background data is being processed, leaving behind fragmented or corrupted AutoRecover files that Word misinterprets upon the next launch.

Document & File Issues