Skip to main content

Kutools for Office — One Suite. Five Tools. Get More Done.

How to access AutoRecover file location to restore lost Word documents?

Author Amanda Li Last modified

The AutoRecover feature in Word automatically saves your document at regular intervals, ensuring your work is protected in case of unexpected shutdowns or crashes. But when you need to recover a lost document, how can you quickly access the AutoRecover file location? This tutorial introduces two efficient methods: locating the AutoRecover folder via Word Options or using the handy Kutools for Word add-in.

Access AutoRecover file location via Word Options

This method guides you to locate the AutoRecover file location through Word Options and recover files using this location easily in Word.

  1. Click File > Options to open the Word Options dialog box.
  2. In the Word Options dialog box, click Save in the left bar, copy the folder path from the AutoRecover file location box, and then close the Word Options.
    AutoRecover file location box in the Word Options
  3. Click File > Open > Browse.
  4. In the Open dialog box:
    1. Press Ctrl + V to paste the AutoRecover file location into the Address box, then press Enter.
    2. Select All Files from the drop-down list next to the File name box.
    3. Double-click to open the specified folder that might contain the recovered file.
      Find the AutoRecover file in the Open dialog box
  5. In the AutoRecover file folder, select the specified ASD file of the lost Word document and click the Open button.
    Open the AutoRecover file in the Open dialog box

    Notes:

    • If the document is new and has never been saved, the file name will be something like “AutoRecovery save of Document 1.asd.”
    • If the document was manually saved but you lost intervening work between saves, it will have the name of the saved document (e.g., “AutoRecovery save of Remove indents.asd”).

Access AutoRecover file location using Kutools for Word

The method above involves several steps to open the AutoRecover file location, but with Kutools for Word, you can access the AutoRecover file location to recover lost Word document quickly and easily.

Kutools for Word, equipped with AI 🤖, offers over 100 handy features to simplify your tasks.
  1. Open the recovery location by clicking Kutools Plus > More > Auto Recovery Location.
    Auto Recovery Location option on the ribbon
  2. Now the Recovery location is open. Double-click to access the AutoRecover folder, then navigate to the subfolder and double-click to open the specified ASD file of the lost Word document.
    Find and open the AutoRecover file
Kutools for Word is the ultimate Word add-in that streamlines your work and boosts your document processing skills. Get It Now!

One click to take snapshot (backup) of current Word document for restoring easily

Normally, you can use the Undo feature to reverse your last action in Word. However, Kutools for Word’s Document Snapshot feature allows you to take snapshots of your current document with one click and restore to these snapshots anytime, no matter how many changes you’ve made!

Demo: One click to take snapshot (backup) of current Word document for restoring easily
Kutools for Word is the ultimate Word add-in that streamlines your work and boosts your document processing skills. Get It Now!

Best Office Productivity Tools

Kutools for Word - Elevate Your Word Experience with Over 100 Remarkable Features!

🤖 Kutools AI Features: AI Assistant / Real-Time Assistant / Super Polish (Preserve Format) / Super Translate (Preserve Format) / AI Redaction / AI Proofread...

📘 Document Mastery: Split Pages / Merge Documents / Export Selection in Various Formats (PDF/TXT/DOC/HTML...) / Batch Convert to PDF...

✏ Contents Editing: Batch Find and Replace across Multiple Files / Resize All Pictures / Transpose Table Rows and Columns / Convert Table to Text...

🧹 Effortless Clean: Sweap away Extra Spaces / Section Breaks / Text Boxes / Hyperlinks / For more removing tools, head to the Remove group...

➕ Creative Inserts: Insert Thousand Separators / Check Boxes / Radio Buttons / QR Code / Barcode / Multiple Pictures / Discover more in the Insert group...

🔍 Precision Selections: Pinpoint Specific Pages / Tables / Shapes / Heading Paragraphs / Enhance navigation with more Select features...

⭐ Star Enhancements: Navigate to Any Location / Auto-Insert Repetitive Text / Toggle Between Document Windows / 11 Conversion Tools...

🌍 Supports 40+ Languages: Use Kutools in your preferred language – supports English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and 40+ others!

Kutools and Kutools Plus tabs on the Word Ribbon
👉 Want to try these features? Download Kutools for Word now! 🚀
 

✨ Kutools for Office – One Installation, Five Powerful Tools!

Includes Office Tab Pro · Kutools for Excel · Kutools for Outlook · Kutools for Word · Kutools for PowerPoint

📦 Get all 5 tools in one suite | 🔗 Seamless integration with Microsoft Office | ⚡ Save time and boost productivity instantly

Best Office Productivity Tools

Kutools for Word - 100+ Tools for Word

Free Download Buy Now Learn More about Kutools