Recover an earlier version of a word file

If the AutoRecover option is turned on, you can automatically save versions of your file while you're working on it. How you recover something depends on when you saved it.

If you've saved the file

1. Open the file you were working on.

2. Click File > Info.

3. Under Manage Documents, select the file labeled (when I closed without saving).

   

4. In the bar at the top of the file, select Restore to overwrite any previously saved versions.

   

   Tip: You can also compare versions by selecting Compare instead of Restore.

If you haven't saved the file

1. Go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.

   

2. Select the file, and then select Open.

   

3. In the bar at the top of the file, select Save As to save the file.

   

See Also

View historical versions of Office files

View the version history of an item or file in a SharePoint list or library

How does versioning work in a SharePoint list or library