How to View Previous Versions of Word Document

Let’s be honest—losing changes in a Word document can feel like a punch to the gut. Maybe you accidentally clicked “Don’t Save,” or saved over something you didn’t mean to. Either way, it’s enough to derail your workflow. But here’s the thing: Word actually keeps track of your document’s past versions, and if you know where to look, you can bring them back. Whether you’re using Microsoft 365, OneDrive, or just working off your desktop, there are built-in ways to view previous versions of Word document files and restore earlier drafts. In this guide, we’ll walk you through all the recovery options available—step by step—so you’re never left scrambling again. Once you learn how to tap into Word’s version history, AutoSave, or even system backups, you’ll feel a lot more confident handling any hiccup that comes your way. No more panicking. Just recover, review, and keep going.

How to Access Version History in Microsoft Word

Viewing previous versions of word documents is easy. You can click on the file name in the top bar of Microsoft Word. The other option is to click the “Files” button in the menu bar above, then select “Information” and then click on “Version History” button.

The version history panel will appear on the right side of your screen, showing the latest version of the document at the top. Word handles changes by date conveniently, making it easier to find older versions of larger documents.

Step 1: Open your Word file, go to File > Info > Version History, and the version panel will appear on the right side with the most recent versions listed at the top.

Step 2: Click “Open Version” next to any listed entry to view that version in full, and look for the “Previous Version” tag to spot older drafts.

Step 3: To check differences, hit the “Compare” button next to a version, and Word will open a new file showing all the edits between that version and the last one.

Step 4: Click the small up arrow below the “Edits” label to expand a summary of all the changes made in that version.

Step 5: Use the left scroll bar to browse changes, and note the red vertical lines on the right that indicate which lines were modified.

Step 6: For a detailed view, go to the Review tab, click the arrow beside “Simple Markup,” and choose “All Markup” to see full edit highlights.

Step 7: Once satisfied, choose to save or restore the version you want to keep.

Step-by-Step: Viewing Previous Versions of a Word Document

Alright, now that you know how to check out the different versions of your Word doc, let’s jump into some easy ways to actually get those old versions back. Whether you saved it, forgot to save it, or have a backup lying around, these tips will help you recover your work hassle-free.

Method 1: Restore previous versions of Word documents with Word AutoSave

Besides view previous versions of word document, Word has an automatic saving feature that automatically tracks changes to receive previous versions of Word documents through automatic save:

Situation 1: If you have saved the file:

Step 1: Open the Word document you’ve previously saved and want to restore an earlier version of.

Step 2: Click the File button located in the top-left corner of the screen to open the document options menu.

Step 3: Go to Info > Manage Document, and on the right side, you’ll see a list of automatically saved versions labeled as “Autosave.”

Step 4: Select the version you want to check, then click to open it in word.

Step 5: Click the Restore button at the top of the window (in the ribbon) to overwrite the current version or choose Save As to keep it as a separate file.

Situation 2: If you haven’t saved the file yet:

Step 1: Reopen Microsoft Word—ideally with the same file name or session where the unsaved work was lost.

Step 2: Click File > Info > Manage Document just like before.

Step 3: Select Recover Unsaved Documents from the dropdown list.

Step 4: Browse the list of recent autosaved documents, open the version you want, and confirm it’s the right one.

Step 5: Once opened, save it immediately using File > Save As and choose a secure location and file name for safekeeping.

Method 2: Restore previous versions of Word documents with file recovery software.

When you work on Word documents, your computer often creates temporary backup files like .tmp and .asd. If the usual recovery methods don’t do the trick, you can try using recovery tools like WinfrGUI to find and restore those hidden backups.

Step 1: Download and install WinfrGUI from the official website and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Step 2: Launch WinfrGUI, then choose the drive or specific folder where your lost .tmp or .asd files were originally saved, and click the Start button to begin the scan.

Step 3: WinfrGUI will automatically scan the selected location and display a list of recoverable files, neatly organized by file type and structure.

Step 4: Use the search bar or filter options to quickly narrow down and locate the specific unsaved Word file you want to recover.

Step 5: Once you’ve found the correct version, click the Recover button and choose a safe destination to restore the backup copy of your Word document.

Method 3: Restore Your Word Document Using Previous Versions in Windows

If you’ve been working on a word file and something went wrong—don’t worry. Windows quietly creates restore points in the background, and you might be able to bring your document back without using any extra software.

Step 1: Head to the folder where your word document was last saved—this might be your Desktop, Documents folder, or anywhere else you usually save files.

Step 2: Right-click on the file (even if it’s the broken or current version) and choose “Properties” from the menu that appears.

Step 3: In the “Previous Versions” tab, Windows will show you a list of older versions that were automatically saved as part of system restore points or File History.

Step 4: Click on the version you want to bring back—check the dates and times if you’re unsure—and then hit “Open” to take a look at it before doing anything else.

Step 5: If it looks right, you can either copy content from it manually or just click “Restore” to replace your current file with that version in one click.

Method 4: Restore Previous Versions Using Microsoft Word’s File History

If you’re using Microsoft 365 and saving your documents to OneDrive, Word automatically keeps a version history in the background—so even if something goes wrong, you can rewind to an earlier version with just a few clicks.

Step 1: Open the Word document you want to recover—make sure it’s the version saved in your OneDrive account through Microsoft 365.

Step 2: Click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the window to access your document settings.

Step 3: Go to Info, then click on Version History—this will open a new panel on the right-hand side labeled “Version History” or sometimes “Document History.”

Step 4: Scroll through the list of saved versions—each one will show a timestamp, so you can quickly spot the version you want to revisit.

Step 5: Click Open Version next to the one you’re interested in; Word will launch it in a separate window so you can take a closer look.

Step 6: If it looks like the correct version, go ahead and hit Restore to make it the active file again. Or, if you’re unsure, you can click the Compare option to highlight exactly what changed compared to the previous version.

Bonus Tip: Enable automatic backup in Microsoft Word

Let’s face it—accidents happen. Maybe Word crashes, your laptop battery dies mid-edit, or you accidentally hit “Don’t Save” when closing a file. One of the easiest ways to stay protected is by turning on Word’s built-in automatic backup feature. It quietly creates backup copies of your documents in the background—without you lifting a finger. Here’s how to enable it:

• Open Microsoft Word (any document will work).
• Click File in the top-left corner, then select Options at the bottom of the menu.
• In the Word Options window, click the Advanced tab on the left sidebar.
• Scroll down to the Save section (about halfway down).
• Check the box labeled “Always create backup copy.” This ensures Word saves a backup every time you manually save your file.
• Click OK to save your changes and close the window.

From now on, Word will keep a backup copy automatically—helping you avoid losing important work.

Conclusion

Being able to view previous versions of word document files not only helps you recover lost work but also provides a safety net for collaborative projects and ongoing revisions. With the step-by-step recovery methods discussed in this article—from using Microsoft Word’s built-in version history to leveraging OneDrive for cloud backups—you can quickly restore the document version you need. By incorporating these best practices into your daily routine, you ensure that even if errors occur, your valuable content remains secure and accessible for future reference.

🔗 Also Read: 5 Methods to Restore Previous Versions of Word Documents