How to search for Word Document you lost before getting to save it
How to search for a word document that you lost before you had a chance to save it.
Searching for Word backup files
Word backup file names have a ".wbk" extension. If you have the "backup copy" option selected in Word, there might be a backup copy of the file.
To check whether this option is on, select File > Options > Advanced, scroll down to the Save section, and then select Always create backup copy.
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, check these two folder locations for a backup file:
- C:\Users<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word
- C:\Users<UserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
Note: In these paths, replace <UserName> with your username.
To find the backup copy of the file, select Start, enter .wbk in the Search box, and then press Enter. If you find any files that have the name "Backup of" followed by the name of the missing file, double-click the file name to open it.
If you don’t find a backup file for the document, go to the next method.
Checking the Recycle Bin
If you deleted a Word document without emptying the Recycle Bin, you might be able to restore the document.
- Double-click the Recycle Bin on the Desktop.
- Search through the list of documents to see whether the deleted Word document is still there. If you don't know the file name, look for file types such as .doc, .docx, and .dot.
- If you find the desired Word file, right-click the file name, and then select Restore to recover the file.
If you don't find the desired file, go to the next method.
Windows File Recovery Tool
If you are using Windows 10, version 2004 or later, you can try the Windows File Recovery tool. Windows File Recovery is available from the Microsoft Store. You can use it to recover files that have been permanently deleted. For more information about this tool, see Recover lost files on Windows 10.