Where Word Stores Unsaved Documents

When you close Word without saving, the document does not vanish when ready. Word keeps a temporary copy on your computer for a set period, and you can retrieve it through the AutoRecover feature. The location and how long Word holds onto it depends on your version and settings, but the recovery process is the same across Windows and Mac.

Word saves these temporary files separately from your normal documents folder. They sit in a hidden system location that Word checks automatically when you restart the program. If Word crashed or you force-closed it, you will see a recovery pane the next time you open the program — this is Word telling you it found unsaved work.

Key Takeaways

  • Word automatically saves temporary copies of unsaved documents every 10 minutes by default, and shows a recovery pane when you restart after a crash or forced close.
  • If you do not see the recovery pane, you can manually open the AutoRecover folder through File > Options > Save on Windows or Word > Preferences > Save on Mac.
  • Recovered files are temporary and will be deleted if you do not save them with a real filename and location within a few days.
  • If AutoRecover is turned off or the document is older than Word's retention period, you may be able to recover it through your operating system's file recovery tools or cloud backup if you use OneDrive or SharePoint.

Recovering a Document When Word Restarts

The easiest recovery happens automatically. When you restart Word after it crashes or you force-close it, Word displays a Document Recovery pane on the left side of the screen. This pane lists every unsaved document Word was tracking. Click the document name to open it, and Word will restore it to the state it was in when the crash happened.

Once you open the recovered document, save it when ready with a real filename and location. Use File > Save As (or Cmd+Shift+S on Mac) and choose where you want to keep it. Do not just close the recovered document without saving — Word will delete the temporary copy after a few days, and you will lose the work again.

If the recovery pane does not appear when you restart, it means either Word closed normally (not a crash), or the temporary file has already been cleaned up. Move to the next section to manually search for the file.

Manually Opening the AutoRecover Folder on Windows

If Word did not show a recovery pane, you can search the hidden AutoRecover folder directly. Open File > Options, then click Save in the left menu. Look for the field labeled "AutoRecover file location" — this shows you the exact folder where Word stores temporary files.

Copy that path, then open File Explorer and paste it into the address bar at the top. Press Enter. You will see a list of files with names like "Document1" or "AutoRecovery save of [filename].asd". These are your temporary copies. Right-click one and select Open, or drag it to your desktop and open it from there.

Once the file opens in Word, save it with File > Save As and give it a real name and location. The .asd extension will change to .docx automatically when you save it this way.

Manually Opening the AutoRecover Folder on Mac

On Mac, the process is similar but the menu path is different. Open Word, then click Word in the menu bar at the top and select Preferences. Click Save, then look for "AutoRecover file location". Copy that path.

Open Finder, press Cmd+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog, and paste the path. Press Enter. You will see the temporary files with .asd extensions. Double-click one to open it in Word, then save it with Cmd+Shift+S and choose a real filename and location.

Checking If AutoRecover Is Turned On

AutoRecover only works if it is enabled. On Windows, open File > Options > Save and look for a checkbox labeled "Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving". This box should be checked. If it is not, check it now and click OK. Word will now save temporary copies going forward.

On Mac, open Word > Preferences > Save and look for "AutoRecover". Make sure the checkbox is marked and the interval is set to something reasonable — 10 minutes is the default and works well for most people. If you changed it to 0 or turned it off, re-enable it now.

If AutoRecover was off when you closed the document, Word has no temporary copy to recover. You will need to try the next section.

Using File History or Time Machine If AutoRecover Did Not Work

If the document is older than a few days, or if AutoRecover was disabled, your operating system may still have a backup. On Windows, right-click the folder where you normally save documents and select "Restore previous versions". Windows shows you snapshots of that folder from different dates. Click the date closest to when you last worked on the document, then look for your file inside.

On Mac, open the folder where the document should be, then click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select "Enter Time Machine". Use the timeline on the right to browse back to the date you last worked on the file. When you find it, click Restore and Mac will copy it back to that folder.

These methods only work if your system is set to create backups — Windows File History and Mac Time Machine are not on by default on all computers. If you see no previous versions available, your system was not backing up at that time.

Recovering From OneDrive or SharePoint

If you save documents to OneDrive or SharePoint, you have another recovery option. Open OneDrive.com or your SharePoint site in a web browser and find the folder where the document was stored. Right-click the document and select "Version history" (OneDrive) or "Manage versions" (SharePoint). You will see a list of saved versions with timestamps. Click an earlier version to open it or restore it.

This method only works if you had opened the document in OneDrive or SharePoint before — local documents on your computer are not backed up to the cloud unless you explicitly save them there. If the document was only on your computer and you never synced it, OneDrive and SharePoint cannot help.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Word keep AutoRecover files?

Word keeps AutoRecover files for three days by default. After that, it deletes them automatically. If you do not recover the file within three days, it is gone unless your operating system has a backup through File History or Time Machine.

Can I recover a document if I clicked "Don't Save" when closing?

If you clicked "Don't Save" intentionally, Word respects that choice and does not keep a recovery copy. However, if Word crashed before you could click anything, the recovery file remains. Check the AutoRecover folder to be sure.

What is the difference between AutoRecover and AutoSave?

AutoRecover saves temporary copies that you can retrieve only if Word crashes or closes unexpectedly. AutoSave (available in Microsoft 365) saves your document automatically to OneDrive or SharePoint every few seconds, and you can see all versions in the file's version history. AutoSave is more reliable but only works with cloud storage.

Why does the recovered document have a strange filename like "AutoRecovery save of Document1.asd"?

That is Word's naming convention for temporary files. The .asd extension tells Word it is a recovery file, not a normal document. When you save it with File > Save As and give it a real name, Word changes the extension to .docx and treats it like any other document.

Can I recover a document from a different computer?

No, unless the document was stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. AutoRecover files are stored locally on the computer where you were working. If you need the document on a different machine, your only option is cloud storage or an external backup you created manually.