It is an absolutely crushing feeling to have worked hard on a document, having invested time, energy and thought into it, only to have it disappear with the click of a button. If this has ever happened to you, you know the sadness and frustration that can very easily take over and send you into a woeful spiral. Luckily, we have ways to address a failure to save. There are several different ways to go about recovering a lost Word document, and the solutions aren’t as complicated as you might think. The first line of defense is your computer’s temp folder with the show hidden files option enabled. But if you’re not comfortable with that or you tried it unsuccessfully, here are four additional ways to recover it.
Professional Help
There’s nothing like having an expert like IT support services Melbourne on your side. An IT professional can not only help you recover an unsaved Word document, but can also put some protections in place to prevent document loss in the future. Having this reassurance makes taking care of business a lot less stressful.
Word Backup Files
If you have the AutoRecover feature enabled in Word’s save settings, you’ll be able to easily locate your backup files. They will be saved with the extension .wbk to the file location you specify. You can even tell Word at what interval you want it to automatically backup your files and whether or not to keep your backup files after you’ve accessed them. You can make your backups what you need them to be so that in the case of an accidental Shift + Delete you’re covered.
The Cloud
With the emergence of the cloud, file storage and recovery has become easier and more secure. In order to make the most out of the cloud, you’ll need to use Microsoft’s file hosting service, OneDrive. When you enable the save to OneDrive option you’ll be able to enable its AutoSave feature. Much like the way that Google Suite automatically saves your work every couple of seconds, OneDrive’s AutoSave feature does the same thing. This ensures that you’re covered whether you lose power, close your laptop, accidentally close a window or something else.
Data Recovery Software
Either you or an IT specialist can install data recovery software on your computer to make it easier to catch any Word documents or other projects from slipping into the dark abyss of lost data. Disk Drill and Recuva are just two of many recovery programs that can help you to catch any costly mistakes. Some software works with both Mac and Windows, while others only work with one operating system, so pay attention to the fine print when choosing software. It should also be noted that some are totally free, while others are free with paid upgrades. Accidents happen, it’s true. But when you plan for them and have safeguards in place, you can work more confidently. Whatever option you choose to use to recover Word documents and other files, you’ll be happy that you have one. There’s no need to panic or start from the beginning when you properly prepare.
About the author
Joseph Fanchon is a senior web developer who has helped develop numerous apps and websites. He enjoys cycling, hiking, and football when he’s not in front of a screen.
