Where are Autorecover Files Saved in Microsoft Word

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where are autorecover files saved

Autorecover files in Microsoft Word might rescue your work from unforeseen errors. Autorecover retrieves the latest document version if your programme crashes or your machine loses power. Autorecover shouldn’t replace regular saving, the only reliable way to safeguard your work.

Part 1: Enabling and using AutoRecover

To enable and use Autorecover, follow these steps:

  • In Word 2010, go to the File menu, select Options, and click on Save in the left toolbar to configure Autorecover options.
  • In Word 2007, click on the Office Button menu, select Word Options, and then click on Save.
  • In Word 2003, go to the Tools menu and select Options.
  • In Mac OS X versions of Word, go to the Word menu and select Preferences.
  • In the Save window, click on the tab, icon, or list item labeled “Save AutoRecover info every:” tick the checkbox if it’s unchecked, and specify the time interval (e.g., every five minutes).
  • Click OK to save your changes.

If a system or program crash forces your computer to shut down, simply reboot and open Word as usual. Word will recognize if there is a more recent Autorecovered file and prompt you to open and save it.

Finding AutoRecovered files in Windows

Don’t worry if Autorecover doesn’t ask you to open the backup file. Still, you can retrieve your work. Find AutoRecovery or *.asd on your hard disc and follow the operating system-specific steps.

For Windows users:

  • In Windows 7 and Vista, the Autorecovered file is typically stored in the \Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word folder.
  • In Windows XP, you can find the file in the \Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word folder.
  • Once you locate the file, double-click to open it. Alternatively, you can go to Word’s File menu, choose Open, and browse to the file’s location.

For Mac OS X users:

Word for Mac OS X saves the Autorecovered file as “AutoRecover save of filename” in the default location: /Users/username/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office version AutoRecovery/Autorecovery save of filename.

Replace “username” with your account’s short name in Mac OS X, “Office version” with your version of Office, and “filename” with the name of your document. If you can’t find the file, use Spotlight by clicking on the magnifying glass icon in the Finder menu bar. Once you locate the file, drag it to the Desktop and either double-click it or go to Word’s File menu and choose Open to open the file.

Part 2: Changing the default AutoRecover folder

Now, let’s move on to changing the default Autorecover folder.

For Word 2010 and 2007 users:

  • In Word 2010, go to the File menu and choose Options.
  • For Word 2007, click on the Office Button menu and select Word Options.
  • Click on the Save option in the left toolbar.
  • Next to “AutoRecover file location:”, click Browse to select the folder where you want Word to save your Autorecovered files.
  • Click OK to apply the changes.

For users of other Word versions:

  • In Word 2003, go to the Tools menu and select Options. For Mac OS X versions, go to the Word menu and select Preferences.
  • In the window that appears, click on File Locations.
  • Under “File types”, select AutoRecover files and click Modify.
  • Choose the folder where you want Word to save your Autorecovered files, and click OK or Choose.
  • Finally, click Close or OK.

Part 3: Recover an earlier version of a Word file

If you’ve saved the file:

  • Open the file you were working on.
  • Click on File > Info.
  • Under “Manage Documents”, select the file labeled “(when I closed without saving)”.
  • In the top bar of the file, choose Restore to overwrite any previously saved versions. If you prefer, you can select Compare to compare versions instead.

If you haven’t saved the file:

  • Go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.
  • Select the file and click Open.
  • In the file’s top bar, choose Save As to save the file.

Bonus tip: Recover deleted Word files via data recovery tool

Data recovery tools like WinfrGUI can restore deleted Word files. This free utility has a graphical interface and can recover most types of files for example, recover data from broken hard drive, and other data from HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and more. WinfrGUI makes it easy to download, install, and activate the utility, scan, preview, choose, and recover Word files in three steps. It supports Windows 11/10 and other drive formats.

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Conclusion

Protecting your work from crashes and power outages requires knowing where Microsoft Word saves Autorecover files. Autorecover protects, but regular saving is still necessary. Enable and customise Autorecover to automatically back up your documents at defined intervals, preventing data loss. The ability to retrieve older Word files improves document management efficiency.

If you lose a Word document, WinfrGUI can recover it quickly and easily. Download the tool, follow the simple procedures, and recover your valuable files. Finally, use Autorecover and Word backups to secure your work and relax.