How to Recover Unsaved Publisher Document in 2010 Office Tool

How to recover an unsaved document in Office 2010? Some users forget to save the documents or delete documents accidentally, but don’t know how to recover them. In this post, we’ll show you how to fix this issue.

Posted by @Lucas December 17, 2024 Updated By @Lucas December 5, 2024

It is very distressing when you realize that you haven’t saved a document before you close the window or software crash. People frequently rely on the dialog window, which prompts them to confirm whether they wish to save the modification prior to closing the document. It functions effectively to prevent the inadvertent loss of unsaved data as a result of the document being accidentally closed.

However, what happens if the option to save the modifications is not available? Probably, your computer will abruptly shut down as a result of a technical issue. You may experience data loss if you fail to save your files while working for an extended period. The article provides two effective methods for determining how to recover unsaved publisher files.

Scenario: Microsoft Publisher: How to Recover an unsaved document  When I clicked save to exit Publisher, it did not respond. Then a box appeared stating that it was unable to save my work and would be lost. The only button to push was the OK button. I attempted to return to the document but failed to do so. So I hit the X in the upper right corner. I lost four hours of work. Is there any way I can get it? I have enabled auto recovery in the program, but I'm unsure how to get back to it or find it.

What is a publisher file?

A publisher file, also known as Microsoft Publisher, is a desktop publishing application that is employed for a variety of publication purposes. Greeting cards, newsletters, and business cards are among the numerous items that are included. However, the publisher files are also susceptible to data loss if a system failure or any other inconvenient situation, just like any other document.

Despite the fact that you may believe that all is lost, this is not the case. However, how can I recover an unsaved publisher file? It is highly probable that you will be able to retrieve your documents, as all Microsoft Office applications routinely save temporary backups.

▶ Why do publisher file disappear from computer?

  •  Accidental Deletion: Files may have been accidentally deleted by the user or another person using the computer.
  • File Relocation: Files could have been moved to a different folder or drive without your knowledge. Check recent locations or search for the file name.
  • Corruption or Damage: If the file or its storage medium (e.g., hard drive, USB) has become corrupted, the file may no longer be accessible or visible.
  • Operating System Issues: Updates, crashes, or errors in the operating system could inadvertently hide or delete files.

2 Ways from built-in tools to recover unsaved publisher document in 2010 Office

How to recover unsaved publisher documents from Office 2010? In this part, we will show 2 ways to recover unsaved publisher documents from built-in tools.

Option 1. Recover unsaved publisher File from Temporary Files

Search for temporary Publisher files with the ".tmp" extension in your computer's temporary folder. These temporary files may have unsaved changes that can be recovered and restored to the original document.

Step 1. Enter %temp% into the address bar in File Explorer or the Run dialog.

Step 2. Once the temp folder is open, sort the files by the "Date Modified" column to find the most recent files.

Step 3. Look for a file that starts with "pub" and ends with ".tmp", such as pub8AB4.tmp.

Step 4. Right-click on the file, select "Rename", and change the file extension from .tmp to .pub. Press Enter to confirm the change.

Step 5. Now, try opening the renamed file by double-clicking it, or open Microsoft Publisher and browse to the file location to open it from within the application.

Option 2. Retrieve unsaved publisher files via AutoRecover feature

Microsoft Publisher, like other Office apps, includes an AutoRecover feature meant to protect your papers in the event of an unexpected shutdown or accident. As a result, it allows you to easily recover lost Excel and PowerPoint files.

Tip: To use AutoRecover, you need to check if you enabled this feature before you lost files. Step 1. Open Publisher and go to 'File' > 'Options'. In the 'Options' window, click on 'Save'. Step 2. Ensure 'Save AutoRecover information every _ minutes' is checked and set the time intervals (usually 10 minutes is good).

Step 1. Just follow the path: 'File' > 'Info' > 'Manage Versions' > 'Recover Unsaved Documents'.

Recover missing/deleted publisher documents for all Office tools with professional data recovery tool

If you accidentally removed important files or publisher documents vanished after an application/ OS crash, a data recovery application is another option for recovering unsaved publisher files. Although the previous way will assist you in recovering a publisher file, if you have lost it, you can utilize AOMEI FastRecovery to retrieve it.

With this tool, you can easily recover 2000+ types of files from 1000+ storage devices like HDD,SSD, USB drive, SD card, etc. Even when your system fails, this robust software can create bootable media to save your data files.

To begin the process, download and install this reliable tool on your computer. Now, follow the steps outlined below to recover lost publisher files.

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

Step 2. The recovery tool will then start to scan and search. It will execute the “Quickly Scan" first to quickly find your deleted data and then the “Deep Scan" to search for 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

Recover unsaved publisher document in 2010, 2013, 2016 and advanced version Office, this post has shown detailed steps. You can try AutoRecover if you enable this feature, or try Temp folder to find documents. But when your pubilisher documents permanently lost, AOMEI FastRecovery will help you.