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We’ve all been there: a frantic search for a document you know you saved but just can’t find. It’s been deleted, but you’re sure that you didn’t do it -- at least on purpose. But fear not, Microsoft Word has a couple of excellent data recovery options that can often recover documents, even after they’ve been deleted.
These are, however, a last-ditch effort; they don’t always work and should never be relied on. If all else fails, it may be time to look into a data recovery program, or specialist in your neighborhood.
1. Open a blank Microsoft Word document and click the File tab.
2. Click the Options link at the bottom, and choose the Save option from the left.
3. Here, we’re looking for a file path to see where our autosaved documents go. Once you find it, select and copy it. In my case, it’s here: C:\Users\Bryan\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\
4. Open File Explorer and paste in the copied file path. Hit enter to navigate to it.
5. Here, we’ll see the last save of the document I was working on, which starts with the name “RESUME.” Click it to open the file.
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6. Right click the ASD File, and select Open with.
7. Choose Word, and click Ok.
