To recover an earlier saved Word document, first check where the file lives. If it is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, open its Version History, inspect the older copy, and choose Restore only when you want that copy to become current. Save a separate copy of the current file first if you may need recent edits. A document kept only in a local folder needs a previously captured backup or file-history source; opening it in Word does not create cloud versions.
Choose the right recovery route
| Your situation | Where to look | What you can recover |
|---|---|---|
| The file is saved in OneDrive or SharePoint | Version History in Word or the cloud file list | An earlier retained version of that file |
| The file is saved only on your computer | Windows File History, Time Machine, or another backup you already used | A copy captured by that backup |
| Recent work was never saved | Word Document Recovery or Recover Unsaved Documents | A recovery copy, if one exists |
| The file itself was deleted | The OneDrive or SharePoint recycle bin, or a local backup | The deleted file, if still retained |
These routes solve different problems. Version History contains saved states of a cloud file, not every keystroke and not a guarantee that an unsaved draft exists.
- Open the exact cloud file. Confirm its file name, account, and OneDrive or SharePoint location. A downloaded copy with the same name can have a different history.
- Open Version History. In current Microsoft 365 Word, select the file name at the top and choose Version History. Some desktop interfaces place it at File > Info > Version History. On Mac, the title-bar menu may say Browse Version History; in Word for the web, use File > Version History.
- Inspect candidate versions. Choose a dated entry to open it. Check the missing paragraph, tables, comments, and formatting before restoring. A timestamp alone does not establish that the content is present.
- Preserve the current state if needed. Save or download the current document under a different name. This gives you an independent copy if you later want to compare or reuse recent edits.
- Restore the chosen version. Select Restore for the inspected version. The older content becomes the current version of the cloud file.
- Verify the result. Reopen the file and check the exact passage you wanted back. Review page count, images, and any collaborator changes before distributing the document.
For example, if yesterday’s version includes a deleted table but today’s file includes useful new text, make a copy of today’s file first. You can then restore yesterday’s version in the original and compare the two. If you need only one passage, copying it from the older version into the current document may be less disruptive than restoring the entire file.
Sign in to the OneDrive account that contains the file, find the exact document, right-click it, and choose Version history. Open the menu beside the version you want and choose Restore. Microsoft says the selected version becomes current and the previously current version becomes an earlier item in the history. A work or school SharePoint library can have its own retention and versioning settings, so inspect the available entries rather than assuming a particular date will be present.
If Version History is missing or empty
- Check the file’s location. Microsoft 365 Version History applies to files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint. Look for the cloud copy rather than a downloaded or emailed attachment.
- Check the account. A personal and a work account can contain different copies of a similarly named file. Open the one that held the lost content.
- Check library settings. In a managed SharePoint library, an administrator may control versioning and retention. Ask the owner if you expected a version that is absent.
- Check the type of loss. Version History will not reconstruct work that never reached a saved version. Use Word’s recovery tools for that case.
If the file was stored only on your computer
Look for a backup created before the unwanted change, such as Windows File History, macOS Time Machine, or a third-party backup. Check the file’s folder and name carefully. These tools can restore only copies they captured; enabling them after the loss will not create an older version retroactively. If the document was never saved, follow our unsaved Word document recovery guide instead.
Check the result before you close the recovery task
Confirm that the recovered file contains the missing content, then open it on the device or in the app where it will be used. Keep the pre-restore copy until you are satisfied with the result. If collaborators also edit the cloud file, tell them which version you restored so they can reconcile their recent changes.
Need to inspect versions without changing the current document? Use our Word Version History viewing guide. For a shorter restore checklist that emphasizes protecting the current copy, see the quick restore guide.
Microsoft sources: View previous versions of Office files, Restore a previous OneDrive version, and Restore a file without unwanted changes.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com