A power outage, a crash, or a hasty "Don't save" click: losing hours of work in Word or Excel is frustrating. The good news is that Office often keeps a backup copy. Here's how to recover an unsaved document in just a few clicks.

1. First, check automatic recovery

If Office closed unexpectedly, the Document Recovery will open automatically the next time you start the application. It lists the files recovered since the last save. Open the most recent version and save it immediately.

2. Recovering an unsaved Word document

If the pane does not appear, you can retrieve an unsaved document manually:

1. Open Word.
2. Click on File > Info.
3. Select Manage document > Retrieve unsaved documents.
4. Choose the desired file (the date and time help to identify the correct one), then Save As.

3. Recover an unsaved Excel workbook

The process is the same in Excel: File > Info > Manage Workbook > Recover Unsaved Workbooks. Excel displays the temporary copies that were automatically saved.

4. Restore a previous version (OneDrive or SharePoint)

If your file is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint, you haveversion history. Open the file, then go to File > Info > Version History to revert to a previous version.

Avoid the next data loss

To avoid relying on luck, ensure that automatic recovery is enabled in File > Options > Save, and work in OneDrive to take advantage of automatic saving. A good backup strategy remains the best protection, both at home and at work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Office keep unsaved files?

Recovery copies are kept for a limited time, usually a few days. It is therefore important to retrieve and save them as soon as possible.

What if no file appears?

If automatic recovery finds nothing, check the Recycle Bin and OneDrive version history. For critical data, a managed backup system prevents this type of loss.

Protect your company data

Do you want a reliable backup strategy, at home and in the office? Contact OKTO Solutions or explore our services.