How to Recover a Lost File on Microsoft Word

Look for the Original File on Microsoft Word
1. Click on the "Start" button and scroll to "Search."
2. Click "All Files and Folders" and type the name of file to look for in "All or part of the file name" box. Click "My Computer" in the "Look in" box and click on the "Search" button. Look for any files that you misplaced and move the file in its original location where you can remember.
3. Look also in the "Recycle Bin" by double-clicking on the "Recycle Bin" icon on the desktop. Right-click the missing file you recognize and select "Restore" to put the file to its original location.
Use the AutoRecover Feature to Recover the Lost File
4. Use the AutoRecover feature to recover the lost file if Microsoft Office Word did not have a backup copy of the file.
5. In Word 2007, click on the “Microsoft Office” round icon on the top-left corner and click on the "Word Options" button on the bottom-right corner. Select the "Save" in the left panel and check the "Save AutoRecover information every [] minutes" box in the "Save documents" section. Click the "OK" button in "Word Options" window.Restart Word 2007 and see if AutoRecover task window opens on the left side of the screen. Select the lost file to restore it.Click the "Microsoft Office" round icon and select "Open." Click the Word file and select "Open and Repair" in the drop-down box "Open" button to recover the lost file.
6. In Word 2003, click the "Tools" menu and select the "Options." In the "Save" tab, select the "Save AutoRecover information every [] minutes" option.Restart Word 2003 and see if AutoRecover task window opens on the left side of the screen. Select the lost file to restore it.Click the "File" menu and scroll to "Open." Click the Word file and select "Open and Repair" in the drop-down box "Open" to recover the lost file.