Recover Previous Version of Word Document After Saving in 5 Effective Solutions

Can you Restore a Previously Saved Version of a Word Document?

When using Word to write or revise a thesis, proposal, or report, you must have encountered this situation: after saving changes, the earlier version might be preferable. Do you know how to restore a Word document to an earlier version? Fortunately, Microsoft Word offers several features and tools that allow you to restore earlier versions of a document, even after saving over it.

Whether you accidentally hit "Save" after making unintended changes, or you lose your document due to a system crash, this guide can offer you solutions to recover the Word document.

How to Recover Previous Version of Word Document After Saving on Windows

When you've saved a Word document on Windows but later wish to revert to a previous version, whether due to accidental overwrites, unwanted changes, or system issues, there are several effective methods at your disposal. These approaches leverage different features and tools within Windows and Word to help you retrieve previous versions of Word document after saving on Windows.

Use Word AutoRecover Feature

Microsoft Word includes a built-in feature called AutoRecover, which automatically saves a backup copy of your document every few minutes. This feature is especially useful if Word crashes or if you forget to save your work. You can recover unsaved or previous versions from the AutoRecover folder.

Step 1. Launch Word and click "File > Info > Manage Document".

Step 2. Select "Recover Unsaved Documents", a list of unsaved documents will appear. Select the version you want to restore and click "Open".

Step 3. Save it to a secure location with a new name.

Check Word Version History

If you are logged into Word with a Microsoft account, and have a OneDrive or sharepoint online to save the old version, you can use Word's version history to recover saved over word document.

Step 1. Open the file with word.

Step 2. Click "File > Info > version history". Then you can see the versions of the document.

Step 3. Select a desired version from the listed versions, double click to preview the content, then click "Restore" to save it.

Restore with Windows File History

Windows has a built-in feature called File History that automatically backs up files on your system, including your personal files. If you have enabled File History prior to losing your data, it can help you recover an older version of the document.

Step 1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where your Word document was saved.

Step 2. Right-click on the document and select "Restore previous versions". A list of previous versions of the document will appear.

Step 3. Choose the version you want to recover and click "Restore" to replace the current document.

Recover from Cloud Backup Version History

If you save your Word documents in the cloud—whether through OneDrive or Google Drive—these platforms often feature Version History options that allow you to restore previous versions of documents stored in the cloud. Steps to recover a previous version via OneDrive:

Step 1. Open OneDrive folder on your computer.

Step 2. Locate the Word document that you want to restore.

Step 3. Right-click the document and choose Version history, click "Restore" to recover the selected version.

How to Recover Deleted Word Documents on Windows

Sometimes, the problem is not that you overwrote your Word document but that you accidentally deleted it. If you’ve permanently deleted your document or can’t find it in the Recycle Bin, there are still ways to recover it, provided you act quickly. Professional data recovery software like MyRecover can rescue the deleted file.

It can scan your hard drive for deleted or lost files and give you a chance to restore your Word document, even if it was permanently deleted. It supports not only the recovery of Word document but also the recovery of deleted Excel, Power Point and various file types. Most importantly, it doesn't require advance backup or cloud synchronization, simplifying the steps to recover deleted files. You can restore the deleted Word document in just four steps.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer, avoid installing it on the drive with lost files.

Step 2. Launch it and select the drive where the deleted word document was stored, then click "Scan".

Step 3. Choose the files you want to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".

Step 4. Select a secure location to save the recovered files.

Once the process is completed, the message "Files have been recovered successfully" will pop up. You can access and check the recovered files by clicking the destination folder.

Bonus: How to Recover Previous Version of Word Document on Mac

If you want to restore a previous version of Word document on Mac, the general approach is similar to that on Windows. However, Mac also offers a powerful Time Machine feature that allows you to restore your files to the same Mac or different Mac.

Time Machine is a built-in backup utility in macOS that automatically saves your files, system settings, and applications, allowing you to restore previous versions of documents via a visual timeline interface with ease. If you have backed up files using Time Machine on your Mac, follow these steps to restore previous versions of word document on Mac.

Step 1. Click time machine icon in the menu bar and choose "Enter time machine".

Step 2. Locate the folder containing the word document you want restore.

Step 3. Browse through the time line at the right side of the screen. When you find what you're looking for, select it.

Step 4. Click "Restore" to recover it. The file will be restored to its original location.

Summary

Recovering a previous version of a Word document after saving or overwriting it is not only possible but relatively easy with the right tools. By familiarizing yourself with these recovery methods, you can ensure that your valuable documents are protected from accidental data loss.

If you're seeking a reliable data recovery method that covers most scenarios for lost files, MyRecover is worth trying. MyRecover also offers Professional and Technician editions to meet advanced needs, supporting data recovery from crashed systems and allowing you to preview file contents before restoration.