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Imagine a scenario where you're diligently working on your Word documents on your Mac, and suddenly, the unthinkable happens - your Mac shuts down abruptly. All your important images, videos, and Word documents that you hadn't backed up. Don't worry too much because your documents haven't truly disappeared.
Previously, Mytour shared a guide on recovering unsaved Word documents on the Windows operating system. Now, Mytour will guide you on how to recover deleted Word documents on Mac.
Restoring Lost Word Documents on Mac: Checking the Trash
In some cases, you might accidentally delete your Word document. Even in these situations, there's no need to worry too much, as your document could still be in the trash.
To check if your document is in the trash, double-click on the trash icon in the dock. You'll see all the files in the trash. Find your document, right-click on it, and choose Put Back. This action will 'return' your document to its original storage folder, and you can continue using it.
Recovering Lost Word Documents on Mac: Utilizing AutoRecover Feature
Word for Mac comes with an integrated autosave feature called AutoRecover, which is activated by default. This means Word silently saves your working document without requiring manual intervention. To make this feature work seamlessly, you just need to save the document with any name, and Word will automatically save the document every ten minutes.
If your document is lost due to a sudden computer or software shutdown, upon reopening Word, you'll be notified to recover the document. If, for some reason, you don't receive the recovery notification, you can find the document in the AutoRecover folder.
To do this, for Word 2011 users, click on File in the Menu bar, then look for Autorecover
For Word 2016 users, it's a bit more challenging. The AutoRecovery folder is deeply buried in the system, requiring Mac to display hidden files. The first step is to show hidden folders on Mac.
Next, open Finder, then click on the Home icon in the left column. Afterward, navigate to the following folder:
Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/
Here, you'll find the AutoRecovery files. Note that these are temporary AutoRecovery files and only exist if Word is closed abruptly. If you choose to Delete instead of Save when closing the document, the AutoRecovery file for that document won't persist.
Recovering Lost Word Documents on Mac: Locating Lost Files in the AutoRecovery Office 2011 Folder
When quickly accessing the AutoRecovery Office 2011 folder (simply search AutoRecovery Office 2011 on Spotlight), you won't find the files there.
So, where are these files located?
Sometimes, the document files aren't always visible in the AutoRecovery Office folder when you search for them.
As shown in the screenshot below, the most recent file in the AutoRecovery folder is dated 5/3, but there are many more files saved in it.
The issue here is that the AutoRecover file is located in the Library folder and is not visible by default. You'll need to perform additional steps to display the file.
However, since March, either Mac OS X or Office has made changes, allowing users to view the files here.
Here's how to pinpoint the file location:
Recovering Lost Word Documents on Mac: Viewing All Files in the AutoRecovery Office 2011 Folder
Access Finder, then press the Alt (or Option) key while selecting Go from the menu at the top of the page. This action is to reveal the visible Library folder (without pressing the Alt key, you won't see the Library folder).
Next, navigate to the folder using the path below:
Application Support => Microsoft => Office => Office 2011 AutoRecovery
Here, you'll find Office 2011, allowing you to locate the position of your document file.
Recovering Lost Word Documents on Mac: Unable to Open Files in AutoRecovery Office 2011 Folder
If you click on a file and can't open it, simply copy the file to the desktop by dragging and dropping it out of the Finder window, then open the document as usual.
Recovering Lost Word Documents on Mac: Adjusting Autosave Frequency
Another useful feature is the ability to reduce the autosave frequency for Word documents on Mac. By default, Word automatically saves every 10 minutes, but you can set a shorter interval.
In Word, access the Menu bar at the top of the window and click on Word. From the dropdown menu, select Preferences, under Output and Sharing, you'll find a disk icon named Save. Click on this icon, and you can adjust the time between saves by entering a value in the Save every X minutes box at the bottom corner.
While setting a shorter time between saves is beneficial, it's essential to note that Word's performance may be affected, especially when working on large Word documents.
Recovering Lost Word Documents on Mac: Using Time Machine
If everything is set up correctly, you should never experience the loss of Word documents. The autosave feature comes in handy in case of any unforeseen incidents, ensuring your working documents remain intact.
Certainly, there are instances beyond your control, and in such cases, you'll need to use your backups to recover lost documents. If you're using Time Machine, you can roll back to the initial state as these files are still on the system.
If you don't have the habit of regular backups, it's time to adopt this practice. While Macs are reliable, it doesn't mean they are immune to issues. Therefore, it's wise to be proactive before any mishaps occur.
Here, Mytour has just guided you on how to recover lost Word documents on Mac. If you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to leave your comments below. Wish you all success!
