Where Word stores files it recovers after a crash

When Word closes unexpectedly — whether from a crash, power loss, or a forced shutdown — it saves a temporary copy of what you were working on. The next time you open Word, it shows you a recovery pane on the left side of the screen with a list of unsaved documents. This pane appears automatically and stays visible until you either open one of the recovered files or dismiss it.

If you close that pane without opening a file, or if Word closes and reopens without showing it, the recovered files don't disappear — they move to a folder on your computer that Word checks every time it starts. Knowing where this folder lives and how to access it directly is useful when the automatic recovery pane doesn't appear, or when you need to find a file you recovered weeks ago.

Key Takeaways

  • Word shows recovered documents automatically in a pane on the left when it reopens after a crash, and you can open them directly from there.
  • If you dismiss the recovery pane or it doesn't appear, recovered files are stored in a hidden folder that Word checks each time it starts.
  • The recovery folder location differs between Windows and Mac, and between different versions of Word.
  • You can also use Word's File menu to open the recovery folder without hunting through your computer's file system.
  • Recovered files are temporary and may be deleted when you open Word again, so save any you want to keep to a permanent location right away.

Opening the automatic recovery pane when Word restarts

The easiest way to find recovered documents is to let Word show them to you. When Word detects that it closed unexpectedly, it displays a pane labeled "Document Recovery" on the left side of the window the next time you open it. This pane lists every file it saved before the crash, with the date and time it was recovered.

Click any filename in the recovery pane to open that document. The file opens in a new window, and you can then save it to a permanent location — your Documents folder, Desktop, or wherever you normally keep files. Word will ask you to save it with a new name or confirm the original name before it becomes a regular file on your computer.

If you see the recovery pane but don't want to open a file right now, close the pane by clicking the X button. The recovered files stay in Word's recovery folder and will appear again the next time Word starts, so you can come back to them later.

Finding the recovery folder on Windows

If the recovery pane doesn't appear when you open Word, or if you need to find a recovered file from an earlier crash, you can navigate directly to the folder where Word stores these temporary files. On Windows, the location depends on which version of Word you have.

For Word 2019, Word 2021, and Microsoft 365 (the subscription version), open File Explorer and paste this path into the address bar at the top: %appdata%\Microsoft\Word. Press Enter, and a folder will open. Inside, look for a file named Recovery — this is a folder, not a document. Double-click it to see the recovered files inside.

If you have an older version of Word (2016 or earlier), the path is slightly different: %appdata%\Microsoft\Office. Navigate there the same way, then look for a folder called UnsavedFiles. The recovered documents are inside.

If you're not comfortable typing paths into File Explorer, you can reach the same folder through Word itself. Open Word, click File, then click Options. In the Options window, click Save on the left side. Look for a button labeled "Show Recovered Files" or "Open File Location" — the exact label varies by version — and click it. Word will open the recovery folder for you.

Finding the recovery folder on Mac

On Mac, recovered files are stored in a hidden folder that doesn't show up in Finder by default. The easiest way to access it is through Word itself rather than hunting through your file system. Open Word, click the Word menu at the top left, then click Preferences. In the Preferences window, click File Locations. Look for an entry labeled AutoRecovery File Location or similar, and click the Modify button next to it. Finder will open and show you the folder where recovered files are stored.

If you prefer to navigate there manually, you can make hidden files visible in Finder. Press Command + Shift + Period (the period key) at the same time, and hidden files and folders will appear. Then open Finder, press Command + Shift + G to open the Go to Folder dialog, and paste this path: ~/Library/process Support/Microsoft/Office/AutoRecovery. Press Go, and the recovery folder will open.

What to do when you find a recovered file

When you open a recovered document, it appears as a temporary file — Word shows "[Recovered]" in the title bar to remind you it's not yet saved as a regular file. Make any edits you need to, then save it. Click File, then Save As, and choose where you want to keep the file. Give it a name you'll recognize, and select a format — usually Word Document (.docx) unless you need a different format.

After you save it to a permanent location, the recovered version in Word's temporary folder becomes unnecessary. You can delete it, or Word will delete it automatically over time. The important thing is that your work is now in a file you control, not in a temporary recovery folder.

If you open a recovered file and realize it's not the version you want — maybe it's from an earlier save point and you've lost some work — close it without saving. The recovered file stays in the recovery folder, and you can try opening a different one.

Why recovered files sometimes disappear

Recovered files are meant to be temporary. Word stores them to help you recover work after a crash, but it doesn't keep them forever. When you open Word normally (without a crash), it cleans up old recovered files, especially if they're more than a few days old. If you dismiss the recovery pane and then open Word again without a crash, the files may be gone by the next time you need them.

This is why it's important to save any recovered document to a permanent location as soon as you open it. Don't close Word and plan to come back to the recovery pane later — open the file, save it, and then you have a copy that won't disappear.

If you're looking for a recovered file and can't find it in the recovery folder, it may have been cleaned up already. Word typically keeps recovered files for about three to four days, though this varies depending on your settings and how often you use Word. If the file is gone, your best option is to check whether you have an earlier saved version in your Documents folder or in OneDrive if you use cloud storage.

Preventing data loss by changing your AutoRecovery settings

Word has a built-in feature called AutoRecovery that saves your work automatically at regular intervals, even if you don't manually save. By default, it saves every 10 minutes, which means you lose at most 10 minutes of work if something goes wrong. You can change how often it saves, or turn it on if it's off.

To adjust AutoRecovery on Windows, open Word, click File, then Options. Click Save on the left. Look for a checkbox labeled "Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving" and make sure it's checked. You'll also see a field for "AutoRecover file location" and an option to set how many minutes between saves — change this to a smaller number if you want more frequent saves.

On Mac, open Word, click the Word menu, then Preferences. Click File Locations, and look for AutoRecovery settings. You can set how often Word saves automatically and confirm that AutoRecovery is turned on.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Word keep recovered files?

Word typically keeps recovered files for three to four days, though the exact timeframe depends on your version and settings. If you need a recovered file, open it and save it to a permanent location right away rather than waiting. Once you save it as a regular document, it won't be deleted automatically.

Can I recover a document if I never saved it at all?

Yes, if Word crashed or closed unexpectedly while you were working on an unsaved document, AutoRecovery may have saved a temporary copy. Check the recovery pane when Word reopens, or navigate to the recovery folder. If the file was open long enough for AutoRecovery to run (usually 10 minutes), there's a good chance you'll find it.

What if the recovery folder is empty?

An empty recovery folder usually means Word cleaned up old files, or the crash happened so quickly that AutoRecovery didn't have time to save anything. If you need the document, check your Documents folder or OneDrive to see if you have an earlier saved version. You can also check your computer's Recycle Bin or Trash in case the file was accidentally deleted.

Can I recover a document from months ago?

No, Word only keeps recovered files for a few days. If you need a document from months ago, check your Documents folder, cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive, etc.), or your computer's backup if you use one. The recovery folder is only for recent crashes.

Do I need to do anything special to enable AutoRecovery?

AutoRecovery is on by default in modern versions of Word, so you don't need to turn it on. However, it's worth checking your settings to confirm it's enabled and to see how often it saves. If you work on important documents, you might want to set it to save every 5 minutes instead of the default 10.