[Fixed!] How to Recover OpenOffice Document Easily

How to recover OpenOffice documents? Read on this article and find proven solutions to recover unsaved or deleted OpenOffice documents easily and quickly.

By @Lori Last Updated September 20, 2024

"I spent hours composing an obituary using OpenOffice for the first time. I had notes pasted above the document and deleted them when I was done, or at least I thought I did, but somehow lost the entire document instead. There was no autosave, and I can’t find a trash folder to search through. How to recover openoffice document? Thanks!" —OpenOffice Forums

Does this sound familiar? You're not alone. OpenOffice, a productivity suite for spreadsheets, presentations, word processing, and more, is a favorite for many users. However, when it crashes or experiences an error, losing a document in seconds is a common problem.

Luckily, there are ways to recover lost OpenOffice documents, including how to use auto-save, backup settings, and data recovery tools and better news is that OpenOffice has built-in features to help prevent data loss. But first, let’s get an overview of what OpenOffice is.

Part 1. What Is OpenOffice?

OpenOffice.org, commonly referred to as OpenOffice, is a free and open-source productivity suite similar to Microsoft Office. It’s available in many languages and works on popular operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The suite includes four key applications:

  • Writer (word processing, akin to Microsoft Word)
  • Calc (spreadsheets, similar to Excel)
  • Impress (presentations, comparable to PowerPoint)
  • Base (databases, an alternative to Microsoft Access)

OpenOffice saves documents in an international standard format, making it compatible with other office software. It's a great free alternative, but like any software, it’s vulnerable to crashes and file deletions, which is why knowing how to recover unsaved OpenOffice document is essential.

Part 2. How to Recover Deleted Document in OpenOffice?

Auto Save is great, but what if you've accidentally deleted your OpenOffice file? In that case, using dedicated data recovery software like MyRecover can help. MyRecover is a trusted tool to recover deleted or lost files, including OpenOffice documents, Microsoft Office documents, etc. 

MyRecover
Powerful Data Recovery Software
  • Recover 200+ file formats: recover deleted Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, PPTX, ODP, CSV, WPS files, etc.
  • Apply to all data loss scenarios, such as lost or deleted partitions, formatted disks, computer crashed recovery, virus infection, etc.
  • Advanced features: Quick & Deep Scan can search all recoverable files. Filter, preview, and recover data without losing original filename/path/format/content/quality.
  • Excellent compatibility: Support Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, or Serverand 4 file systems (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS).

Now, download MyRecover for free on your computer as soon as possible. The free version allows you to recover deleted files up to 500MB for free. Give it a try!

Step 1. Select the disk and start scanning

Download MyRecover on a Windows PC, install, and run it. Then hover over drive that saves your deleted OpenOffice document, and click Scan.

Step 2. Scan the drive and preview the files

MyRecover will scan your drive automatically and thoroughly to locate all the deleted OpenOffice documents on the drive.

🌟Tip: You can preview or filter data based on Files Type, Size, Date, etc.
  • Type: Select the file type (Documents, Images, Videos, Audios, Mails, Webpages, Compressed files, etc.)
  • Date modified: Set the date (today, yesterday, last 7/30 days, etc.)
  • Size: Filter the file size (<128KB, 128KB~1MB, 1MB~ 512MB, 512MB above, etc.)

Step 3. Recover files

Choose the deleted OpenOffice document you want to recover and click Recover X Files. Please select a new location where you wish to recover them.

🌟Tips:

If you want to recover files over 500MB, upgrade to MyRecover Pro or Technician to enjoy unlimited OpenOffice document recovery and powerful recovery features, such as creating bootable media.

It supports almost all storage devices, including recovering deleted files from USB, SD card, HDD, SSD, external hard drive, etc.

Part 3. Does OpenOffice Have an Auto Save Feature?

OpenOffice can sometimes close unexpectedly before you've had the chance to manually save your document. This could happen for various reasons, like a sudden power outage, a frozen application, or even a system restart after updates.

Fortunately, OpenOffice includes a built-in protection feature that works similarly to an "Auto Save" function. Let’s explore how this feature works and how you can enable it to recover OpenOffice unsaved documents.

How to Automatically Save an OpenOffice Document

The Auto Save feature in OpenOffice is designed to automatically save your current document at regular intervals without notifying you. Once it's enabled, if OpenOffice crashes or shuts down, you'll be prompted to restore the auto-saved version of your document the next time you open the program. Here's how to turn on Auto Save:

1. In the OpenOffice program, click on the Tools menu, then select Options.

2. In the options window, go to Load/Save and select General.

3. Check the box next to Save AutoRecovery information every and set the time interval for automatic saving.

How to Recover Unsaved OpenOffice Documents from Backup

Once Auto Save is enabled, OpenOffice will automatically store your files in a backup folder, even if the program crashes or there’s an unexpected interruption. If you need to recover document in OpenOffice or retrieve a previous version of an OpenOffice file, follow these steps:

1. Go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General.

2. Ensure the Save AutoRecovery information every option is checked. If it’s not, enable it right away to start saving backups.

3. Click on OpenOffice.org from the options list.

4. Select Paths from the submenu, and note the location listed next to Backups. This is where your backup files are stored. The default path is usually: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\OpenOffice.org\Version number\user\backup.

5. Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the backup directory, and locate your file.

6. Once found, double-click the file to open it, and save it to your desired location for future access.

In the End

That’s it! Now you know how to recover OpenOffice documents, whether they’re unsaved, lost due to a crash, or accidentally deleted. To minimize future issues, make sure to enable OpenOffice’s Auto Save feature.

If you still lose a document, MyRecover is a fast and effective way to get it back. Also, MyRecover allows you to recover data without backup, up to 500MB for free! Have a try!

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FAQs on OpenOffice Document Recovery

1. Does OpenOffice have recovery?

Yes, OpenOffice has a recovery feature called AutoRecovery, which saves your document at regular intervals. You can enable it in the settings to automatically recover unsaved files after a crash.

2. Where are OpenOffice documents stored?

By default, OpenOffice documents are stored in the user’s directory: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\OpenOffice\ on Windows. You can check and modify the location in the "Paths" settings under the "Options" menu.

3. How to recover a spreadsheet in OpenOffice?

To recover a spreadsheet, enable the AutoRecovery feature. If the file was lost, check the backup folder (Tools > Options > Load/Save > General) for previous versions.

4. How to recover corrupted files in OpenOffice?

To recover corrupted files, try opening the file in another program, such as LibreOffice, or use the "Repair" feature in OpenOffice. You can also check backups in the default directory for earlier versions.