How to Recover Deleted Word Documents? (Free)

"How do I recover a Microsoft Word document?"

Microsoft Word is globally the most popular text editing and typesetting software. Tons of word files are created every second around the world. This app allows Windows users to write and edit words, articles, papers, etc.

There is no doubt that these word files are of vital importance to every individual user. Word file loss, therefore, is one of the most upsetting things during work or study.

Are you seeking how to recover unsaved Word documents? You are not the only one.

Is it possible to recover deleted Word documents?

In addition, many users wonder whether deleted word documents are recoverable.

A simple answer to it is "Yes". File loss scenarios vary, but you always have chances to get them back because files that get deleted are not removed from your disk immediately but stay in the original location and wait for new data to overwrite them.

Instead, the system will wipe access to the files. Thus they are inaccessible and invisible to you. But, as long as no data overwriting happens, you could retrieve them.

Whether you accidentally deleted the word files advertently or accidentally, you could get help on this page. Therefore this article is targeted to solve the question "How to recover deleted word documents?" with several feasible solutions.

How to recover deleted word documents?

Here are some options available for you, including but not limited to seeking help from an official tool and freeware. Check them out below.

Method 1. Check the Recycle Bin

It is easy to recover deleted files from Recycle Bin. But this method applies to the files that were deleted usually, including but not limited to deleting by the DEL key, dragging to the Recycle Bin, right-clicking and choosing Delete, etc.

Notes:✎...

The files larger than 8998 MB will bypass the Recycle Bin and get directly removed when deleted. If you can't recall the specific filename, you could input the contents in the search bar to locate it. 

If you find deleted files not in Recycle Bin, please refer to the tutorial and get help.

Step 1. Go to Recycle Bin > find the deleted word file.

Step 2. Right-click the word document > click Restore.

Then the deleted docx files will go back to their original places.

Method 2. Check the Word backup folder

If you want to recover data or files, the safest means is to restore from backups. If you have a word file backup, you could get them back quickly.

Notes:✎...

This approach applies to those users who have enabled Always create backup copy in Microsoft Word. To check if you have activated it yet, go to File  in the Word app >  Options  >  Advanced > Save > check if Always create backup copy is on. Replace the UserName with the actual username on your computer.

Step 1. Go to the path C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word to check if you have backup files.

Step 2. Then locate your word file backup, and save it in another save place.

Method 3. Restore previous versions of the folder

The Previous Versions tool is also a feasible way. When your files get removed/lost/corrupted/damaged, you can restore previous versions of the file or the folder to undo the deletion.

Restore points will be created with the System Protection turned on (usually enabled by default on the c: drive). Also, if you have turned on File History, the system will record the modifications you made. Thus you could revert to the earlier versions.

Besides, you can find the previous version of the Word doc when you have saved over/overwritten it.

Step 1. Click File Explorer > find and right-click the folder which contains the target Word document> Properties.

Step 2. Choose the latest or needed version > Restore.

In this way, you could restore the Word docs you want.

Method 4. Retrieve deleted Word files using File History

As mentioned above, previous versions of files are from restore points and File History. File History is another viable means, requiring users to enable it manually.

That is to say, you have to activate this tool in advance, or there won't be any available histories.

Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security.

Step 2. Click File History.

Step 3. Click Restore personal files.

Step 4. Click the arrow icon to select the wanted version > select the Word file > and click Recover to get it back.

What's more, you could also use this app to retrieve deleted Excel files not in Recycle Bin.

Method 5. Turn to the Windows Backup feature

Windows has its integrated backup feature - Backup and Restore (Windows 7). It allows users to choose what they want to back up and choose the target location they like.

But please note that this app only backs up local drive files. If you are to recover Word files stored on external hard drives, please move on and take a look at the following two methods. 

 Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Click Restore my files.

Step 3. Click Browse for files/folders >  select the deleted Word files/folder that contains the Word file > Next.

Step 4. Choose the target place you want/restore them to the original location > click Restore.

Also, you can use it to recover deleted folders on desktop.

Method 6. Recover deleted word documents via Windows File Recovery

How to retrieve deleted word documents? Microsoft has released a tool – Windows File Recovery, which could recover lost or deleted files on Windows 10 from external/internal hard drives.

It is a command-line utility, users need to recover files with its winfr command, and therefore it is not entirely user-friendly. If you need a more detailed tutorial on how to use Windows File Recovery, please get help. If you need a more straightforward tool, please move on to the end of this section.

To use this tool, check out the File System > choose a recovery mode > choose the switches.

First, check your File System by navigating to This PC > right-click on the drive where you have stored your word files>>> Properties.

Then choose a recovery mode.

Switches are also available for you to target the folder or file type.

Then please follow the tutorial to recover deleted word documents.

Notes:✎...

This tool requires Windows 10 2004 and above.

Please avoid using your computer after accidental deletion in case files get overwritten.

The destination drive (where you choose to store the recovered files) cannot be the same as the source drive (where files go missing).

If you meet the error "Windows File Recovery failed to create destination folder", please get help.

Step 1. Get Windows File Recovery in Microsoft Store > click Open after installation.

Step 2. Input the command:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]

If you cannot recall the filename, don't panic, you could use a "/n" parameter with wildcard "*". Use "/n *. docx" in the command to recover all the docx files.

Let's take an example if you need to recover word documents from E: drive to D: drive, then you could input:

winfr E: D: /segment /n *.docx

Step 3. Then input y to confirm your operation > wait for the processing > it will create a recovery folder in the target drive.

When finding Windows File Recovery stuck at 99%, please get help from the tutorial.

How to recover deleted word documents effortlessly and efficiently?

How to recover deleted word documents with ease? If you are not a guru in IT, you may find it hard to correct the command syntax and avoid mistakes.

Since Windows File Recovery doesn't have a graphical user interface, we recommend you try a helpful & easy tool – MyRecover.

With an intuitive interface, MyRecover can effortlessly help you recover deleted word documents. Using this tool, you could get lost/deleted files like docx, xlsx, ppt, jpg, png, pdf, mov, mp3, mp4, zip, etc.

Step 1. Run MyRecover > Hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.

Step 2. During the process, you could preview or directly select files to recover.

Step 3. Go and select the word files you need > click Recover x files. 

Now you have successfully retrieved deleted word files. Moreover, it is also helpful when you need to restore deleted ZIP files.

To sum up

If you wonder how to recover deleted word documents, you could refer to this article and get some detailed help.

Firstly, you could try to recover deleted word files directly from Recycle Bin; then try to check if there are file backups on your computer;

Moreover, the official tool Windows File Recovery is a good choice for users who know commands.

In addition, if you need an easier means to retrieve deleted word files, you might as well try the professional Windows data recovery tool - MyRecover.