The best recovery method depends on what happened to the document. A deleted saved file needs restoration or a disk scan. Unsaved work needs an application recovery copy. An overwritten document needs an earlier version. A file that exists but will not open may need repair. Choosing between these routes saves time and avoids replacing a useful surviving copy.
Identify the last place the work existed
Record the application, file type, original folder and approximate last successful save. Check the application’s recent-file list for location clues, but verify the actual file rather than trusting a stale shortcut. A file in a OneDrive folder can have different recovery sources from a document saved only on a USB drive.
For a creative project, include its dependencies. A Premiere project references footage; an InDesign document can reference images and fonts; a Lightroom Classic catalog is separate from its original photos. Finding the project file may restore editing decisions without restoring the assets needed to render or export.
Pick the route that matches the loss
| Situation | First place to look | What that route cannot establish |
|---|---|---|
| A saved file was deleted | Recycle Bin, cloud recycle bin, backups | Whether every deleted byte remains on disk |
| An application crashed before saving | Its recovery prompt, autosave folder or backup mechanism | That the final keystroke was captured |
| The wrong contents were saved over the right file | Version history, dated backup, another recipient’s copy | That the current file contains the old revision |
| A recovered file will not open | Correct application/version, complete copy, native repair | That a valid filename means valid content |
Microsoft distinguishes cloud AutoSave, version history and crash recovery in its Office save-and-recovery overview. Follow the route for the specific app and storage location rather than treating all temporary files as interchangeable.
Restore an existing copy before scanning storage
Inspect available deleted items and backups. If using Windows File History, it must already contain a version from the affected folder; enabling it after the loss cannot create a historical copy. Open a candidate and copy it to a separate destination before replacing the current version. See Microsoft’s File History instructions.
When no usable copy exists and the original disk is readable, XRecovery can search for remaining files. It supports common documents such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF. Save recovered files to another physical device, then open them in the intended application. Free scanning and supported preview help identify candidates. Recovery and repair share a cumulative 2 GB free allowance. Open the exported files to check the contents you need.
Use repair for a file you already have
XRecovery can directly process damaged local files in its supported repair formats, including listed Office documents, PDF and PSD/PSB. Keep the source and save repaired output separately. Support for those types does not imply repair support for every creative project, database or mail-store format.
Verify what matters to the document: Word paragraphs and images, workbook formulas and sheets, presentation media, PDF pages, or project layers and external resources. For a recovered revision, compare its content to the date you need. A file can open successfully and still be the wrong draft.
Keep partial salvage when useful, with missing sections clearly recorded. Only resume editing in the selected recovered copy after its content has been assessed and preserved.
Open the guide for your document
For Word, choose deleted files, unsaved work or an overwritten revision. For Excel, choose deleted workbooks, unsaved workbooks or version recovery. Use the PowerPoint or PDF guide for those formats.
For creative projects, start with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, AutoCAD, Premiere or Resolve. If a candidate will not open, use layered diagnosis; for a usable result, finish with document and project verification.
For the next step, see XRecovery scanning, preview and export steps.
More guides and support for this topic
- Recover Unsaved Notepad Text or a Missing TXT File
- Missing Sticky Notes: Check the Notes List, Account and Sync
- Recover Overwritten Documents: Versions, Backups and the Limit of Repair
- Recover a Deleted Outlook PST File and Check Its Mail
- Recover a Deleted ZIP or RAR and Test Its Contents
- Recover a SQLite Database and Verify Its Consistency
- Recover a Windows Game Save Without Losing It to Cloud Sync
- Recover a Lightroom Classic Catalog and Its Original Photos
- Recover a SketchUp Model from Autosave, SKB or a Deleted SKP
- Recover an After Effects Project and Verify Its Footage
- Recover a Blender Project from Autosave or a Previous Save
- Recover OneNote Pages, Sections or a Missing Notebook
- Recover Firefox Bookmarks, a Profile or the Previous Session
- How to Recover an Unsaved or Deleted Visio File