Where Are Autosaved Word Files Stored and How to Recover

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where are autosaved word files stored

Looking for a Windows 10 or 11 automatic Word save location? Do not worry. Your needs are met! Microsoft Word is frequently used, however many users neglect to save. Luckily, there is an automatic saving feature to prevent data loss. In this article, we will show you how to search, enable and access Word’s automatic storage locations in Windows 10 and 11, so let’s go down there!

To use the auto-saving function in Microsoft Word 2023, make sure your files are stored in Microsoft Cloud. To enable local file auto-saving in Windows 11, need the newest Office. Follow these steps:

  • Navigate to File > Information, then select Upload and Save to Cloud.
  • Select OneDrive or SharePoint for cloud storage.

You may then automatically search Word for your saved documents. There are many choices. 

Option 1: Enable Word Saving Features automatically through Microsoft Word Settings

To open the Word AutoSave location in Windows 10, you need to enable the feature first. Here’s how:

  • Open Word and click the file.
  • Select an option, then select Save from the left menu.
  • Make sure that the auto recovery recording option is selected. You can still set the desired intervals for auto-recovery.
  • Search the AutoRecover file location field by default, it will be set to C:\Users\Your_username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word. You can change this position by clicking the browse button if desired.

Once you find an auto-saving location on your computer, open Word and navigate to the directory. Find the saved files automatically and double-click to open them in Word. If the directories are hidden in an AppData folder, you can access them by placing them in the address bar of the file explorer. Or you can manually access the folder by following the path and uncovering hidden items to view the appData forms.

The process remains the same for Windows 11. So if you’re wondering whether to turn on the Word Auto Saving Position in Windows 11, just follow the same steps.

Option 2: Search for unsaved Word files with recovery software

If you have lost an unsaved Word document for any reason, you can try a recovery software such as WinfrGUI. This software thoroughly scans your computer for temporary Word files and unsaved documents. Here’s how to use it:

  • Click the Download button on this page and install WinfrGUI on your Windows computer. Start the software and click on the local disk to scan.
Download WinfrGUI Free
  • Under “Type”, check the “Files Unsaved” option. This will show all MS Word files. Select “doc/docx” to recover unsaved Word documents.
  • Scroll down to find the unsaved Word file you want to recover. Click on “Preview” to check the contents of the document. Then click on “Recover” and select a location to save the selected document. (This software can also help you to perform deleted file recovery windows 10.)

Option 3: Check the AppData folder

The settings for automatic saving for Word are the AppData folder, but it can be stored in different locations depending on the version and settings. In some cases, unsaved files can be found in C:\Users\Your_username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles for Microsoft 365 applicants on Windows 10 or 11. 

You can find the backup documentation in the C: \ Users\You_user\Appdata\Roaming \Microsoft \Word or the C:: \Usars\Yur_user_name\App Data \Lical\ Microsoft \Office\UnsavedFiles. 

Automatically saved files usually have dirty lines or tiles before the file name, along with extension.mpt and number 4. Auto recovery file number may contain the extension kwb.

To find these files, you can search for them using the Explorer file or search for.asd or.wbk files in the search bar.

Option 4: Use the option to recover unsaved documents.

If Word fails unexpectedly, or you close the program without saving it, you can still access the auto saver location. Here’s what to do:

  • Open Word and go to the file.
  • Select Last and then click Recover Unsaved Document
  • You’ll see the Auto-Save folder. Select the document you want to recover.

Another option is to navigate to file -> information -> version management -> unsaved document recovery.

Option 5: Check the recycling tank.

Check the recycling box for documents that have not yet been saved. Word usually automatically creates documents that end up in recycled tanks if not revived. You may find documents that you deleted previously.

  • Double-click the recyclable tank on your desktop to open it.
  • Search for documents that have not been saved or are missing, paying attention to file names that end with extension.doc,.docx and.dot.
  • If you find the document, right click and select Recover to revive.

Option 6: Search for.asd or.wbk files on your computer

If you have a problem finding the autosave location, try searching for a specific cartridge file such as.asd or.wbk. Here’s how:

  • Click on the Windows + E button on your keyboard to start the file survey.
  • Click the search bar in the top right corner.
  • Type.wbk or.asd and press Enter.
  • Your system will search for all.wbk and.asd files. Right-click on the file and select a location to open the file. This will reveal the automatic saving position of Word and show all files that have been encoded by the user.

If you can’t find any.asd or.wbk files, it’s worth searching for.tmp files or looking at one option to specify temporary files associated with Word.

Option 7: Check Document Directory

Sometimes automatically stored files are in the same directory as your files. These documents are generally hidden, but these steps reveal them:

  • Open Word, find the file, and click Open.
  • Click the browser and navigate to the file’s location.
  • File type change from Word to all files
  • Find a “backup of” file.
  • Save and open files 

If you think you’ve saved the document, but can’t remember where, try searching on your Windows 11 PC.

  • Press the Windows button and type a document name or use a keyword.
  • If the search list contains the document you want, click to open this document.

Conclusion

In conclusion, searching for Word’s automatic saving location in Windows 10/11 is important to avoid loss of data and recover important documents. By following the steps described in this manual, you can easily access and manage saved files automatically. To ensure that your operations are safe and secure.