How to Recover Lost Word Files
Microsoft Word documents can disappear due to various reasons such as a forced quit, power interruption, or closing without saving changes. Fortunately, there are several ways to recover lost Word files, including recovering deleted documents, restoring formatted ones in different data loss scenarios.
Method 1. Recover from the Recycle Bin
If you've accidentally deleted a Word file from your desktop and it's now in the recycle bin, don't worry - you can still recover it.
1. To view and sort the contents of the Recycle Bin, launch the Recycle Bin, and then go to View > Arrange Icons. This will allow you to filter the list by file type, name, delete date, and other criteria.
2. When you find the document you're looking for, right-click on it and select Restore to bring it back.
Method 2. Recover from searching the original document
If you're still unable to locate your file, you can try searching for it on your computer. This can be done by using the search function provided by your operating system, such as Spotlight on a Mac or the Search bar on a Windows PC.
To search for files or folders in Windows, click on the Start button, then select the "Search" option from the menu, and finally choose "For Files or Folders" from the search menu.
Then type the file name and click "Search".
If the Search Results box doesn't display the file, you can try searching for Word backup files or using Qiling office file recovery software to assist.
Method 3. Recover from the backup location
To remove a watermark from a Word 2013 document, follow these steps, which also apply to other versions such as 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016.
1. Start Word 2013.
2. To open a file, click the File menu, then select Open, next click on Computer, and finally click Browse.
3. To recover the missing file, locate the folder where you last saved it, and check if it's still there. If it is, you can simply copy it back to its original location.
4. In the Files of type list, select All Files, then look for the backup file with the name "Backup of" followed by the name of the missing file.
5. Click the backup file, and then click Open.
Method 4. Creating a new Word document with an identical name
If the above 3 methods don't work, you can try creating an exact copy of the Word document to see if you can find the previous version. This method may be helpful when you're unable to locate any tracks on your computer. By creating a duplicate document, you can check if the previous version is still accessible.
1. Create a new Word document with the same name and format of the lost one.
2. Right-click on the file > Choose Properties and select Previous Versions.
If you see several versions of the Word document, choose the former one and click Recover.
Method 5. Recover lost Word files with Qiling office recovery software
When you permanently deleted Word files or other data, all methods will not work and you'll need professional file recovery software to help.
Qiling file recovery software is a popular online data recovery tool for Windows and Mac users that can easily retrieve all types of files lost due to accidental deletion, disk formatting, virus attack, or other reasons. It supports all Windows systems, including Windows 10/8/7, and can also recover other versions of Word documents, such as Word 2013/2015/2016, and lost Excel files. You can download the software and follow the guide to retrieve lost Word files with simple steps.
This video provides a detailed guide on how to easily recover lost Word files using Qiling data recovery software. If you want to be your own data rescuer, don't hesitate and download this tool to get started.
Step 1. Choose file types and click "Next" to start
Launch Deep Data Recovery, select the file types you want to recover, and click "Next" to initiate the recovery process.
Step 2. Choose the Word file location
Choose the drive or a specific folder and click the "Scan" button.
Step 3. Locate your Word files
The software will automatically scan the selected drive for lost data, and after the scan, you can select the "Documents" option, choose "Word" from the category bar, and then click "Preview" to view the recovered files.
Step 4. Recover Word files
After previewing the lost Word files, select the desired Word files and click "Recover". Then, select a folder to store the Word files.
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