How to Recover Lost Documents on Windows Computer

Scenario: Can I recover lost documents?

“Is there a decent recovery tool that can restore lost documents? This isn't an emergency, but I've lost multiple Word documents and Excels in the previous six months. These files are stored on distinct devices on my Windows system. Now I need them again, any ideas?”

Windows users are undoubtedly familiar with various document types, including office documents and system documents such as pdf, docx, xlsx, and zip formats, among others. Many of these documents hold immense significance, as users may have invested weeks or even months of work in them. Losing such a critical document is simply not an option for any user.

Some users might accidentally delete documents using "Shift+Del" or permanently erase them from the Recycle Bin, prompting a desperate search for methods to recover permanently deleted documents. Additionally, documents may also be lost due to disk corruption or accidental formatting.

The purpose of this tutorial is to address the question of how to recover lost documents on a Windows computer. It will delve into several practical approaches to tackle different document loss scenarios and ensure successful document retrieval.

3 ways to recover lost documents

This section will show you five methods for recovering lost documents. Continue reading and putting them into practice.

Way 1. Quickest and easiest way to recover lost documents on Windows

Using professional and user-friendly software, like AOMEI FastRecovery which is dedicated to recovering deleted or missing data is the fastest and easiest approach to recovering lost documents.

This data recovery manager, you may easily recover lost documents with only a few clicks, making the process simple enough for even a computer novice to handle. In addition, you could benefit from the following benefits:

• Your documents can be restored by the tool at a high speed and degree of security.
• From Windows 7 to Windows 11 and Windows Server, it supports all supported Windows versions.
• Docx, xlsx, ppt, jpg, png, pdf, MOV, mp3, mp4, zip, deleted videos… more than 200+ types of documents can be recovered.
• Compatible with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS file systems.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Way 2. Recover lost Word document with AutoRecover

Step 1. Find the file saving path (e.g.: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles).

Step 2. Here, copy the file name of the Word document you want to recover.

Step 3. Open your Microsoft Word, click "File". Then, click "Manage Document" and select "Recover Unsaved Documents" from the drop-down list. Please paste the copied file into the file name column and click "Open".

To enable AutoRecover, you can: Click “File” > “Options” > “Save”, tick “Save AutoRecover information every x minutes” > “Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving” > “OK”.

Way 3. Recover Excel documents via File History

File History Backup is another Windows feature that may be used to restore lost Documents, Videos, Music, Pictures, Desktop folders, and OneDrive offline content. If you previously backed up Excel files using it, you can follow the instructions to find out where you can find the lost Excel documents.

Step 1. Open "Control Panel" by typing it in the search bar and then click "System and Security".

Step 2. Select "Restore your files with File History" under the "File History" tab.

Step 3. Click the "Restore personal files" button.

Step 4. If you directly click "Restore", the deleted Excel files will be sent to their original location. Then, you can find the files there.

If you right-click "Restore", you will be given an option "Restore to" to save them in your specific location.

Conclusion

Losing important documents on a Windows computer can be nerve-wracking, but with the right strategies, you can increase the chances of successful recovery. Remember to check the Recycle Bin, utilize File History or backups, and consider data recovery software. By using AOMEI FastRecovery, you can quickly and easily recover lost documents on your Windows.