How to Recover Overwritten Word Document on Windows 11/10

Is it possible to recover overwritten word document?

It can be frustrating to discover that you accidentally overwritten an important Word document in Microsoft Office without any backup available. The lack of previous versions or safeguards adds to the fear that a lot of your hard work might go to waste. Whether it's a carefully crafted college application essay or a crucial job interview sample, the prospect of losing it all can be distressing.

Various situations can lead to document overwriting. This may be due to a new version being saved with the same filename, effectively replacing the old file. Alternatively, closing the document without saving, especially if the auto-save feature is disabled, or a system crash due to hardware or software issues may lead to this unfortunate situation.

But don't worry; there are some viable options to recover overwritten Word documents. This article explores potential solutions for revisiting overwritten content.

How to recover overwritten word document on Windows?

The methods outlined below detail how to recover an overwritten Word document on Windows, take advantage of autosave, or access previous versions. Before choosing one of these methods, it is crucial to grasp the basic premises.

Method 1. Recover overwritten Word documents via AutoSave

The AutoSave feature provided by Microsoft Office diligently saves your edited files at default intervals (for example, every 10 minutes) or at custom intervals. If you activate AutoSave, it helps to recover overwritten Excel or Word documents.

However, it's worth noting that if you haven't made recent changes to your Word document, recently autosaved files may not be easily visible.

To recover an overwritten Word document using AutoSave, follow these steps:

Step 1. Start the Microsoft Word program and navigate to the File menu.

Step 2. Select "Information" from the options displayed in the left menu.

Step 3. In the "Manage versions" section, identify and select the version of Word you want.

Step 4. Click Restore to restore the selected Word version.

Method 2. Recover overwritten Word documents via Previous Version

You can recover an overwritten Word document from a previous version if you have activated File History or System Protection of the local disk where the related Word file is saved. These versions (essentially backup copies or shadow copies created by these features) are invaluable in recovering lost content.

When you enable one of these features, you'll have access to multiple versions of your Word files based on different timestamps. This enables you to browse and select your preferred version of your Word document.

Here is a guide on how to use this method to recover the latest version of your Word document:

Step 1. Press "Win + E" to open Windows File Explorer.

Step 2. Locate the folder containing the Word document you want to recover. Right-click on the folder and select the "Properties" option.

Step 3. Browse the Word versions listed and select the one you want. Click the "Restore" button to recover the selected Word document.

Bonus tip: How to recover deleted/lost Word documents on Windows?

Instead of focusing on recovering overwritten Word files, some users are more interested in the process of recovering deleted or lost Word documents on Windows. Generally, there are two main methods used for this type of recovery.

✍ Recover documents from the Recycle Bin:

If you did not permanently delete the file using "Shift + Delete" or empty the Recycle Bin, you can easily recover the document from there.

✍ Recover permanently deleted files:

If the files are permanently deleted or the Recycle Bin is emptied, you have the option to restore from backup or use top data recovery software for Windows.

For those who don’t have strong backup habits, a tool like AOMEI FastRecovery can come into play. Here is an overview of its main features:

Function:
✔ Recover deleted or lost files from HDD, USB, SD card and various storage devices.
✔ Retrieve Word, Excel, PPT, photos, videos, audio, emails, zipped files, and over 200 other file types.
✔ Keep the original format of recovered files.
✔ Search for target Word files by typing the file name during the scan, or wait for automatic discovery with Quick Scan and Deep Scan.
✔ Supports NTFS, exFAT, FAT32 and ReFS file systems.
✔ Compatible with Windows Server and Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 64-bit and 32-bit.

These features and user-friendly interface make AOMEI FastRecovery a reliable choice for recovering deleted or lost files, providing a comprehensive and efficient solution to users facing such challenges.

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.

Conclusion

Recovering an overwritten Word document involves utilizing features like AutoSave or File History, as mentioned in the previous method. For users facing deletion or loss of Word documents, the best solution lies in using a powerful Word document recovery software such as AOMEI FastRecovery, especially for those who do not have an existing backup.

By the way, it's a good way to enhance your data loss prevention measures like cloning disks, partitions, and even entire systems. Just ensure a proactive approach to protecting your valuable documents and minimizing the impact of accidental deletion or overwriting.