Recover Unsaved Word Documents After a Mac Update
Question details
The user needs to recover Word documents that were not saved before an unexpected Microsoft 365 update forced the app to close, and wants to prevent automatic updates in the future.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Microsoft Word closed without warning during an automatic system or application update, and the Document Recovery pane did not appear upon reopening.
- Observed behavior
- Unsaved documents are missing, AutoRecovery files are not automatically displayed, and Microsoft AutoUpdate applies changes without user consent.
Avoid opening or creating new Word documents with the same name, as this may overwrite the hidden AutoRecovery files stored on your Mac.
Manually Locate AutoRecover Files on Mac
Use Finder to navigate directly to the hidden Microsoft Word AutoRecovery folder to retrieve your lost files.
If Microsoft Word closes unexpectedly during an update, the AutoRecover panel may fail to launch upon reopening. However, your Mac frequently saves temporary recovery files in a hidden library folder.
Click on the Finder icon in your dock. In the top Apple menu bar, click on 'Go' and select 'Go to Folder' from the dropdown list.
Type the path ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery into the search box and press Return.
Look for files starting with 'AutoRecovery save of'. Drag the document you need to your Desktop, right-click it, select 'Open With', and choose Microsoft Word. Immediately save the file to a secure location.
Disable Automatic Microsoft 365 Updates
Configure Microsoft AutoUpdate to notify you instead of updating automatically, preventing unexpected app closures.
Enable AutoSave with OneDrive
Store your working documents in OneDrive to activate the real-time AutoSave feature, ensuring changes are saved instantly.
Work Uninterrupted with WPS Office for Mac
If unexpected updates and lost documents in Microsoft 365 are disrupting your work, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a stable, lightweight, and completely free alternative to Microsoft Office, ensuring your workflow remains uninterrupted while maintaining perfect compatibility with Word documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't Word AutoRecover my document after the Mac update?
AutoRecover only saves a snapshot of your document at specific intervals, such as every 10 minutes. If Word updated and closed before the next interval, or if the system cleared temporary files during the update reboot, the AutoRecovery file might not have been created or retained.
How can I change the AutoRecover save interval in Word for Mac?
Open Microsoft Word, go to 'Word' > 'Preferences' in the top Apple menu bar, and select 'Save'. Under the Save options, adjust the minutes in the 'Save AutoRecover info every' field to a shorter duration, such as 5 minutes.
Does AutoSave work if I don't use OneDrive?
No, the real-time AutoSave toggle in Microsoft 365 requires the document to be saved in OneDrive or SharePoint. If you save files locally on your Mac, you must rely on manual saving and the periodic AutoRecover feature.
Can I recover a Word document if AutoRecover was turned off?
If AutoRecover was disabled, your chances of recovering unsaved work are very low. You might try checking the Mac Trash bin for temporary files or using Time Machine if it performed a backup while the document was temporarily cached, but success is not guaranteed.
