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When you are working with a Word document, there are various situations that can lead to possible problems such as shutting down your computer or realizing that the older version of the document is better. Luckily, Microsoft makes it easy to track changes and restore previous versions of your Word document. In this guide, we will walk you through the easiest and most useful free word recovery software to restore earlier versions of Word documents.
Method 1: Recover Previous Version with Word Auto Saves
Word has an automatic saving function built-in that tracks changes in your document. Here’s how you can get older versions of your Word document using the automatic save feature:
Situation 1: If you have saved the file:
- Word document open
- Select File in the upper left.
- Select Information > Manage Documents. A list of “Autosave” Word files appears on the right. These files are organised by time changes to make finding the right versions easier.
- Choose the Word file to download and open.
- File will show procedure. Save securely by clicking Recover.
Situation 2: If you haven’t saved the file yet:
- Word document open
- File > Information > Manage Document
- Go “Recover unsaved documents”
- Open the recovery version.
- Save as a new document after resetting.
Method 2: Restore previous version with file recovery software
Many people don’t know that their computers have two files in the background while working with Word documents:.tmp, a backup of the latest version, and.asd, which transfers unsaved document backups. These files are saved when MS Word closes properly. If the preceding technique fails, WinfrGUI can recover deleted or missing.tmp or.asd files.
WinfrGUI can restore Excel versions. It recovers documents even in improbable conditions with 95% success. The programme recovers files from empty recycling tanks, SSDs, external hard drives, and USB flash drives.
How to restore previous version of word document using WinfrGUI:
- Download and install WinfrGUI from the official website.
- Open the program and select the drive or folder where you lost.temp or.asd files. Click on Start
- WinfrGUI starts the scan process and displays recoverable files during the process. All unsaved files are stored in one category.
- Use the filtering or search function to quickly find the desired file type.
- Finally, click Recover to restore the backup of your Word document.
Method 3: Restore Word documents through previous versions of Windows
Windows automatically creates previous versions of files as “restore points” in Windows 10. You can access this feature using a file scanner.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Go to the location of the Word document you want to recover.
- Right-click on the file and select Properties.
- In the previous version tab, you will see a list of previous versions. Select the version you want to download.
- To open files and copy text without applying changes, click on Open. If you want to replace existing files, select Recover.
Method 4: Recover previous version from backup
If you have a backup of your files either on an external hard drive or in a cloud storage service, you can recover your previous version of Word documents.
Here’s what you have to do:
- Find your backup by connecting your external hard drive or logging into your cloud storage account.
- Move to a folder containing a backup of your Word document
- Find the desired version of the document. The file may contain a timer or model number.
- Copy the desired version and place it where you want it on your computer or download it from a cloud storage service.
Method 5: Recover previous version using MS Word file history
In Microsoft 365, the saved files are automatically stored in Microsoft OneDrive, allowing for quick access to all previous versions in the version history. However, this feature must enable automatic saving in Word for Microsoft 365 and save your Word list to oneDrive.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Open your Word document
- Select the file tab in the upper left corner
- Click Information > Version History
- There will be a new tab called “Generation History” on the right.
- Select a version and click Open Version
- To make sure that the open version is the version you want to return, click Restore if so. You can also use the Comparison option to highlight changes compared to previous versions of the document.
Bonus Tips: How to enable automatic backup in Microsoft Word
To avoid similar complications in the future, you can enable Microsoft Word to automatically back up your documents. Here’s how:
- Open Word document
- Go to File > Options
- In a new window, go to the Advanced section, and in the File Location section, select “Always Make Backups”.
- Click OK to save changes.
After enabling automatic backup, you can check the following backup folders in case you want to browse older versions or recover erroneously deleted Word documents:
- C:\User\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word
- C:\Users\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
Conclusion
In summary, these 5 methods provide a reliable solution for recovering previous versions of your Word documents. Make sure you don’t lose your valuable work. By understanding and using these techniques, you can safely navigate document recovery situations and protect your important files. Do not let errors or unsaved changes interfere with you; enjoy the art of recovery of previous Word documents with our comprehensive guide.
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