Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover Unsaved or Deleted Text in a Microsoft Word Document

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to restore specific notes or text that were accidentally deleted or lost in a Microsoft Word document before the file was properly saved.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing content in a document, which was then accidentally deleted or closed without the changes being saved.
Observed behavior: The missing text does not appear when reopening the document, and the standard undo function is no longer available to reverse the deletion.

Before you start

Do not close the Microsoft Word application if it is still running, as closing the program normally might automatically purge the temporary AutoRecover files needed for your restoration.

Solution 1Recommended

Search for AutoRecover and Backup Files

Microsoft Word automatically creates temporary backup copies if the AutoRecover or Backup features are enabled in your settings.

Word relies on specific file extensions to save temporary states of your work. AutoRecover files end in '.asd', while standard backup files end in '.wbk'.

Search for temporary files

Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and type '.asd' in the search bar to find AutoRecover files, or '.wbk' to locate backup files.

Open recovered files via Word

If you locate a file matching your document's timeline, open Microsoft Word, navigate to 'File' > 'Open' > 'Browse', and select the found file.

Save the restored document

Once the missing text is displayed, immediately click 'File' > 'Save As' to securely save the recovered text as a new standard Word document.

Mac Backup Settings: On Word for Mac, you can verify or enable your automatic backup settings by navigating to Word > Preferences > Save.

Solution 2

Restore from OneDrive Version History

If your document was actively syncing to OneDrive or SharePoint, you can easily revert to an earlier version before the text was deleted.

Solution 3

Recover Using Mac Time Machine

For Mac users, the native Time Machine backup feature can restore a previous state of the document if a snapshot was captured while the text existed.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Never Lose Your Work Again with WPS Office

If you struggle with losing unsaved text or dealing with complicated recovery processes in Microsoft Word, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides robust auto-backup and cloud syncing features to ensure your documents are always safe. Best of all, it's a free, lightweight alternative that is seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Office formats.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
2. Open Your Word Documents: Launch WPS Writer, go to Menu > Open, and directly select your existing .docx files.
3. Enable Cloud Backup: Sign in to your free WPS account and turn on Cloud Auto-Backup to instantly protect your document changes.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) and other Office formats.Smart Auto-Backup feature automatically secures your unsaved document edits.Built-in WPS Cloud storage enables real-time document versioning and syncing.Lightweight installation that runs smoothly without lagging your computer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover unsaved text if the AutoRecover feature was disabled?

Unfortunately, if AutoRecover was turned off and the document was not synced to a cloud storage service like OneDrive, it is highly unlikely that you can recover the unsaved text once the file is closed or saved over.

Where is the default AutoRecover file location in Microsoft Word for Windows?

By default in Windows, AutoRecover files are stored in 'C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\'. You can verify or change this path by going to File > Options > Save in Microsoft Word.

Will Windows System Restore help me recover my deleted Word document text?

No, Windows System Restore is designed to revert system files, installed programs, and registry settings. It does not back up or restore personal files, meaning it cannot recover Word documents or unsaved text.

How do I turn on the automatic backup copy feature in Word for Mac?

To force Word for Mac to always save a backup copy, open the application, click on 'Word' in the top Apple menu bar, select 'Preferences', click on 'Save' under Output and Sharing, and check the box for 'Always create backup copy'.

Migration & Recovery