It is now easier to recover a Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft Excel 2010, or Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 file if you close your file without saving, or you want to review or return to an earlier version of the file you're already working in.
As with earlier versions of Office, enabling AutoRecover in Word 2010, Excel 2010 or PowerPoint 2010 will save versions while you are working in your file at the interval you select. Now, you can choose to keep the last autosaved version of a file in case you accidentally close that file without saving, so that you can restore it the next time that you open the file. Also, while you are working in your file, you can access a listing of the autosaved files from the Microsoft Office Backstage view.
Important You must have Save AutoRecover information... and Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving enabled for these features to work. To learn more about these options and how to set them up, see Automatically save and recover Office files.
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When you close without saving
If you close your file without saving, a version of your file is kept temporarily so that you can recover it when you open the file again.
New files
If you are working in a newly created file or a temporary Word, Excel or PowerPoint file, such as an e-mail attachment in Outlook, and then close it without saving, follow these steps to open the last autosaved draft:
- Open the Office 2010 applications that you were using.
- Click the File tab.
- Click Recent.
- Click Recover Unsaved Documents if you are in Word 2010, Recover Unsaved Workbooks if you are in Excel 2010 or Recover Unsaved Presentations if you are in PowerPoint 2010.
Where is this?
- Your saved drafts folder will open in a new window. Select the file and then click Open.
- In the business bar at the top of the file, click Save As to save your file to your computer.
You can also access these files by using these steps:
- Open the Office 2010 application you were using.
- Open a new file or any existing file.
- Click the File tab.
- Click Info.
- Click Manage Versions.
- Click Recover Unsaved Documents if you are in Word 2010, Recover Unsaved Workbooks if you are in Excel 2010 or Recover Unsaved Presentations if you are in PowerPoint 2010.
- You will see the list of your unsaved files. Select the file and click Open.
- In the business bar at the top of the file, click Save As to save your file to your computer.
Notes
- You can also browse to one of the following file locations to open the file, depending on your operating system:
Windows 7/Windows Vista
C:\Users\User_Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\User_Name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
Important These file locations cannot be changed.
- Files in this folder will be kept for four days after creation.
Previously saved files
If you are working in a file that has been saved previously, and close it without saving your current edits, follow these steps to open the last autosaved draft:
- Open the file that you were working with.
- Click the File tab.
- Click Info.
- Under Versions, click the version labeled (when I closed without saving).
- In the business bar at the top of the file, click Restore to overwrite any previously saved versions with the last autosaved version of your file.
Notes
- You can also browse to one of the following file locations to open the file, depending on your operating system:
Windows 7/Windows Vista
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\<Application_Name>
Windows XP
c:\Documents and Settings\<username> \Application Data\Microsoft\<App Name>
Important These file locations cannot be changed.
- Files in this folder will be kept for four days after creation or until you next modify the file, whichever is earlier.
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Working with autosaved versions of your file
Open and view earlier versions of your current file
To view autosaved versions of your current file, follow these steps:
- Click the File tab.
- Click Info. The autosaved versions of your current file are listed under Versions.
- Click on any version in the list to open it.
Restore earlier versions of your current file
To replace your current file with an earlier version, follow these steps:
- Follow steps 1 through 3 from Open and view earlier versions of your current file.
- In the business bar at the top of the document, click Restore.
- Click OK to overwrite your current document with the earlier autosaved version.
Compare an earlier version of your file with the current version (Word only)
Word 2010 lets you compare your current document with an earlier one, and choose which changes you want to save. To compare your current Word document with an earlier autosaved version, follow these steps:
- Click the File tab.
- In the version list, click on the earlier version you want to compare with your current document.
- In the business bar at the top of the document, click Compare.
A new document will open that shows the differences between the two versions you are reviewing.
At this point, you can choose one of the following options:
- Accept or reject the changes in the comparison document and save it as a new document;
- Close the comparison document and restore the complete autosaved version of your file;
- Close the comparison and autosaved versions of your file and continue to work in your current document.
Notes
- You can also browse to C:\Users\User_name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Application_Name to open the file.
- All autosaved files are deleted when you close the program unless you have enabled Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving, which will keep the last autosaved version. For more information, see Automatically save and recover Office files.
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