How to Recover File From Office Document Cache

When Word or another Office app crashes before you save, the file is not automatically lost. Office includes a Document Cache that stores temporary copies of open files. This cache can hold unsaved changes for several days, depending on your AutoRecover settings. This article explains how to locate and recover a file from the Office Document Cache, even when the original document appears gone.

How the Office Document Cache Stores Unsaved Files

The Office Document Cache is a folder managed by Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. When you open a file, Office saves a temporary copy every few minutes based on the AutoRecover interval. This copy is stored in a hidden system folder. If the app crashes or you close without saving, the cached file remains until it is manually deleted or overwritten by a new session. The cache does not store every keystroke. It saves the entire document at each AutoRecover interval. The default interval is 10 minutes in Word, but you can change it to as low as 1 minute.

The cache folder is separate from the AutoRecover file location. AutoRecover files end with the .asd extension. The cache folder for unsaved documents uses the original file format, such as .docx or .xlsx. This means you can open the cached file directly without any conversion. Office retains these unsaved files for up to 4 days by default. After that, they are automatically deleted. If you have not opened the document again after the crash, the cached copy is likely still present.

Where the Cache Is Located on Your Computer

The unsaved documents cache is stored in the following folder:

C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles

Replace [YourUsername] with your Windows account name. The AppData folder is hidden by default. To view it, open File Explorer, click the View tab, and check the Hidden items box. Inside the UnsavedFiles folder, you will see files with names like WRS0001.docx. These are the cached copies of unsaved documents.

Steps to Recover a File From the Office Document Cache

Follow these steps to recover an unsaved Word document from the cache. The same method works for Excel and PowerPoint.

1. Open Word and go to the Open menu
   Launch Word. Click File in the top-left corner. Then click Open. On the Open screen, click the Recent tab on the left side.
2. Click Recover Unsaved Documents
   At the bottom of the Recent list, click the button labeled Recover Unsaved Documents. This opens the UnsavedFiles folder in File Explorer.
3. Select the cached file
   In the UnsavedFiles folder, locate the file you want to recover. The files are named with a WRS prefix followed by a number, such as WRS0001.docx. Sort by Date modified to find the most recent file. Select the file and click Open.
4. Save the recovered document immediately
   After opening the cached file, Word displays a yellow bar at the top with the message This is a recovered unsaved file. Click the Save As button on the yellow bar. Choose a folder and enter a new file name. Click Save. The file is now saved permanently.

Alternative Method: Use the Manage Document Menu

1. Open the Info tab
   In Word, click File > Info.
2. Click Manage Document
   On the Info screen, click the Manage Document button. A dropdown menu appears.
3. Select Recover Unsaved Documents
   Click Recover Unsaved Documents from the dropdown. The UnsavedFiles folder opens. Select the file and click Open. Save the document as described in step 4 above.

Manual Recovery From the Cache Folder

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the cache folder
   Press Windows+E to open File Explorer. Paste the following path into the address bar and press Enter:
   C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
2. Copy the cached file to your desktop
   Right-click the file you want to recover and select Copy. Navigate to your desktop or another folder. Right-click and select Paste. This creates a copy outside the cache.
3. Open the copied file in Word
   Double-click the copied file. It opens in Word. If Word shows a Protected View warning, click Enable Editing. Immediately save the file using File > Save As.

What to Do If the Cache Folder Is Empty

If you open the UnsavedFiles folder and it is empty, the cached copy may have been deleted or the file was never saved by AutoRecover. This can happen if you closed the document immediately after opening it, before the first AutoRecover save occurred. To avoid this in the future, set the AutoRecover interval to a shorter time, such as 1 minute.

Change the AutoRecover Interval

1. Open Word Options
   Click File > Options.
2. Go to the Save tab
   In the Word Options dialog, click Save on the left side.
3. Set the AutoRecover time
   Under Save documents, change the value in the box labeled Save AutoRecover information every [X] minutes. Set it to 1. Click OK.

Check the AutoRecover File Location

Office also stores AutoRecover files with the .asd extension in a separate folder. To find this folder, go to File > Options > Save. The AutoRecover file location is listed at the top of the Save tab. Copy that path and paste it into File Explorer to see .asd files. You can open .asd files by double-clicking them in Word.

Office Document Cache vs AutoRecover: Key Differences

Item	Document Cache (UnsavedFiles)	AutoRecover Files (.asd)
File format	Original format (.docx, .xlsx)	Proprietary .asd format
Location	AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles	User-specified folder in Options
Retention period	Up to 4 days	Until the app is closed normally
How to open	File > Open > Recover Unsaved Documents	File > Open > Browse, select .asd file
Trigger	App crash or close without saving	AutoRecover interval timer

The Document Cache is the primary recovery method for files that were never saved. AutoRecover files are more useful for recovering changes to a previously saved document. Use the Recover Unsaved Documents button first. If that fails, check the AutoRecover file location for .asd files.