Recover unsaved Word document on Mac | Full guide

Losing an unsaved document in the Word app can give you the feeling as if you have watched all your hard work disappear right before your eyes in a split second. This could happen because your app may have suddenly shut down, your Mac may have gone blank, or perhaps you may have clicked on the wrong place on your Mac. Do not panic if you are experiencing the same unsaved Word doc loss issue, for they are not gone forever; getting them back isn’t about magic.

This post will help you recover unsaved Word document on Mac with four simple methods. You can choose the methods based on your data loss scenarios and share tips to protect your data going forward.

Quick overview of fixes for unsaved Word documents on Mac

Here is a quick overview of what you can do once you have identified the unsaved Word document. See the table below:

Method 1. Recover unsaved Word documents on Mac with AutoRecovery

The Microsoft Word app automatically saves a copy of your open Word file every certain period of time, so you still get the chance to get your Word files back even when you forget to save.

AutoRecover is a built-in feature of Microsoft Word that is enabled by default, so you don’t need to turn it on purpose. Here is how you can do this:

Step 1. Launch Finder on your Mac (You can click its icon in the Dock or).

Step 2. Then, type the following command and hit Enter: ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery

Step 3. Now, you can open the AutoRecovery folder and locate the files named “AutoRecovery save of”.

You can choose what you want to recover now.

Method 2. Recover unsaved Word documents on Mac with data recovery software

If your files are permanently deleted and you cannot locate them in the AutoRecovery folder, do not get down. To restore unsaved Word files on Mac, you can consult data recovery software that can get your Microsoft documents back within three steps.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac would be your go-to choice. This reliable data recovery software for Mac makes it a breeze to restore unsaved, deleted, or permanently deleted Word documents. Follow the detailed steps here to retrieve your hard work:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. Select the disk where you have lost your Word files. Click "Search for lost files" to proceed with searching for your files.

Step 2. Navigate the left sidebar, select "Type," then "Unsaved Documents," and finally the Word .doc files you had lost earlier.

Step 3. The file can be double-clicked to view it. If the required file is present, select it, then tap the “Recover” button.

Method 3. Recover unsaved Word documents on Mac from the Temporary folder

The Temporary folder is a specific function for Microsoft Word for Mac that allows you to retrieve unsaved files in cases when the AutoRecovery function does not work. Your Mac might hold files temporarily in this temporary folder, which is not that easy for regular Mac users to locate. That is why I have instructions below:

Step 1. Pressing the keys Command+Space, type Terminal, and hit Enter.

Step 2. You will type $TMPDIR and press Enter. This will open the TMP folder.

Step 3. Follow that up by finding the “TemporaryItems” folder. Then right-click on the Word files you wish to unlock and proceed to “Open with” > “Microsoft Word.”

Step 4. If you want to save your Word document, simply click "File" at the top, then "Save As."

Method 4. Recover unsaved Word documents on Mac from Mac Trash

One method that is quite simple but often overlooked for recovering unsaved Word files is to use the Trash on a Mac. It is a fast method with low success rates. The procedure is as follows:

Step 1. Click the Trash icon from the dock to open it.

Step 2. Find the Word documents you want, then choose the one you want.

Step 3. Click the three dots in the top-right corner and select “Put Back” from the drop-down menu to move the file back to its original location.

Conclusion

How can you recover unsaved Word document on Mac? This post has listed four workable solutions for you to choose from. You can either use Microsoft Word's built-in AutoRecovery feature or the unique feature on Mac: the Temporary folder. Or you can check the Trash for your lost documents.

But to restore unsaved or lost Word document in one safer, quicker, and easier way, you may just turn to data recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, which can retrieve your lost files with simple clicks.