"Oh no, the Excel file I spent two hours creating..." "All my unsaved Word reports have disappeared..." Have you ever experienced losing unsaved files when your computer suddenly freezes and is forced to shut down?

Actually, Even if you think the data is completely gone, there is a very good chance that it can be recovered. Excel, Word, and PowerPoint are equipped with an "auto-recovery" feature in case of freezes or crashes, and if you know about it, you can get it back in just a few clicks.

This article provides an easy-to-understand explanation of specific steps for restoring unsaved files for each app in the Windows 11 environment as of March 2026. We will also introduce ``preventive measures to prevent this from happening again,'' so please read to the end.

Check first! Check if the auto-recovery feature is enabled

Microsoft Office (Microsoft 365) apps such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint come standard with a feature called "AutoRecover". This is a mechanism that automatically backs up the files you are working on at regular intervals (default is every 10 minutes).

In other words, even if the program is forcibly terminated due to a freeze or power outage, there is a possibility that you can return to the last auto-saved point. However, if this feature is turned off, you won't be able to restore it, so check the settings first.

Steps to check automatic recovery settings (common to Excel/Word/PowerPoint)

  1. Open the app and click the File tab in the top left
  2. Select Options
  3. Click “Save” from the left menu
  4. If "Save automatic recovery data at the following interval" is checked, OK
  5. The default interval is 10 minutes, but it is recommended to change it to ``1 minute''

Be sure to also check "Keep last autosaved version if closed without saving". If this is turned on, If you accidentally hit "Don't Save," you still have a chance to recover.

Microsoft official: Recover files in Excel

3 ways to recover unsaved files in Excel/Word

We will introduce recovery methods that you can try after a freeze or forced termination, in order of highest success rate.

Method 1: Restart the app and check "Recovered Files"

When you restart Excel or Word after it freezes, the Document Recovery panel may automatically appear on the left side of the screen.

  1. Start Excel or Word normally
  2. You will see a list of Recovered files on the left side
  3. Click on the file you want to restore and check its contents
  4. If there is no problem, save it with “Save As”

This is the easiest method and has the highest success rate. When the recovery panel appears, be sure to "Save" and close it. Pressing "Close" may delete recovered data.

Method 2: Search from "Unsaved Workbook Recovery"

If the recovery panel does not appear, you still have a chance.

For Excel:

  1. Open Excel and select File → Information
  2. Click the Manage Books button
  3. Select Recover Unsaved Workbooks
  4. The temporary storage folder will open, so search for the desired file and open it

For Word:

  1. Open Word and select File → Info
  2. Select Manage Documents → Recover Unsaved Documents

Microsoft official: How to recover unsaved Word documents

Method 3: Directly locate the folder where AutoRecover files are saved

If you cannot find it using the above methods, check directly in the folder where the AutoRecover file is saved.

Default save location (Windows 11):

  • Excel: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel
  • Word: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word
  • Unsaved Files: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles

To open the folder, type %AppData%\Microsoft\Excel in the address bar of Explorer and press Enter. If you find a file with the extension .asd or .tmp, this is your recovery data. Double-click to open from Excel or Word.

Note:The AppData folder is a hidden folder, so you must turn on View → Hidden Files in Explorer.

Can unsaved data from Notepad be recovered?

In conclusion, There is a high possibility that Windows 11 Notepad can be restored.

An update in late 2023 added an autosave feature to Notepad in Windows 11. As a result, even if you do not save the file with a file name, the tab and contents at the time of closing the app are automatically remembered.

Steps to restore Notepad

  1. Just restart Notepad and your previous tabs will be automatically restored
  2. Even if it is forcibly terminated due to freeze, the most recently automatically saved data may remain
  3. As soon as you see the restored tab, Save As

However, there are some caveats.

  • The few lines just before freezing may not have been saved
  • Windows 10 and earlier versions of Notepad do not have this feature (recovery is almost impossible)
  • If you go to "Settings" → "Apps" → "Notepad" → "Reset", the autosave data will also be deleted

Mado no Mori: "Memopad" now has auto-save function

OneDrive users should check "version history"

If you have saved files in OneDrive's synced folders (Desktop, Documents, etc.), OneDrive's "Version History" feature may be your savior.

For Excel and Word files saved in OneDrive, versions are automatically recorded each time you edit them. Even if your latest changes are lost due to a freeze, you may be able to restore from the previous version.

Steps to check version history

  1. Right-click
    2. the desired file in Explorer
  2. Select Version History (only files synced to OneDrive will be displayed)
  3. A list of past versions will be displayed. Select the point in time you want to restore and click "Restore"

In addition, if you are a Microsoft 365 subscription user, you can also check directly within the app from Excel or Word's File → Info → Version History.

Roughly speaking, If you have saved your data on OneDrive, you have a pretty good chance of getting your data back. The best preventive measure is to always turn on OneDrive sync.

Microsoft official: Recover files with OneDrive

5 ways to prevent yourself from crying again

If the restoration is successful, it is important not to just say "Good" and prepare for the next freeze.

1. Set the automatic recovery interval to "1 minute"

Change the auto-recovery interval from the default of 10 minutes to 1 minute in Excel/Word by selecting ``Options'' → ``Save''. It has almost no effect on the operation of your computer. In the event of an emergency, you will only lose up to 1 minute of data.

2. Turn on OneDrive autosave

If you are a Microsoft 365 user, there is an AutoSave toggle in the top left of your Excel or Word screen. Turn this on to sync your changes to OneDrive in real time so your last state will remain even if it freezes.

3. Press Ctrl+S “like breathing”

Although it is an analog method, it is the most reliable method. Get into the habit of reflexively pressing "Ctrl+S" every time you finish writing a paragraph or every time you enter a formula. Even professional engineers and editors unconsciously press the button once every three minutes.

4. Use a "high-performance editor" instead of Notepad

For important text work, we recommend using an app that automatically saves, such as VS Code or Notion. In particular, VS Code can enable autosave by default, so even if it freezes, the previous state will remain.

5. Do not leave Windows Update unattended

In many cases, the cause of the freeze itself is that Windows Update has not been applied. If you apply the latest updates from Settings → Windows Update, the frequency of freezes will decrease.

FAQ

If the automatic recovery setting is off, can unsaved files be restored?

Unfortunately, if AutoRecover is turned off and freezes, it is almost impossible to restore unsaved data. However, if you have saved the file even once, there is a possibility that a ".tmp" file remains, so check C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles.

If Excel is frozen and displays "Not responding", should you force close it immediately?

Avoid force quitting immediately. Excel's auto-recovery runs every 10 minutes (default), so auto-save may be running behind the scenes even if it's "not responding." Wait for about 15 to 20 minutes, and if it still doesn't return, try quitting it from Task Manager.

Does data remain even if Google Sheets or Google Docs freezes?

Yes. Google Sheets and Google Docs are saved in the cloud in real time, so even if your computer freezes, your data is almost never lost. Even if your browser crashes, just reopen it and the latest version will be restored. This is a strong option for people who are afraid of freezing.

If it freezes repeatedly, is there a problem with the computer itself?

If it freezes frequently, there may be a hardware or system problem such as insufficient memory, insufficient free storage space, or driver malfunction. Check the memory capacity in "Settings" → "System" → "Version Information" and consider increasing it if it is less than 8GB.

References