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macOS Mojave Tutorials: Recover unsaved word document on Mac

Written by John

The upcoming macOS 10.14 Mojave is bound to delight Mac users when it comes out in autumn 2018. The new operating system aims to bring a ton of new features with more iOS apps and enhanced security being included in its release version. Many users hope that the macOS 10.14 Mojave will solve some of the compatibility issues of previous generations of macOS, like High Sierra.

One issue that we hope the Apple developers have already addressed is the possibility to retrieve lost word documents. Whether your Mac crashes or you accidentally close Word, losing a document can sometimes spell tragedy for your work or studies. That is why we compiled an easy guide that will show you how to recover unsaved word document mac even in the new macOS Mojave.

How To Recover Unsaved Word Document Mac

Method 1: Open Temporary Folder with Terminal

The first thing that you must avoid doing when you lose an unsaved word document is panic. A quick, impulsive action could destroy your only chance of recovering the file. If Word crashed, remember that the Apple Mac OS keeps a special folder for temporary files (TMP folder). Your last version of the document might still be available somewhere. Here is what you can do to retrieve the document on macOS Mojave:

  • Go to the Applications section
  • Open the Utilities folder and click on Terminal
  • Put in the following command and then press enter: open $TMPDIR
  • This will open the TMP folder
  • Open the folder named: Temporaryitems

With a bit of luck, your unsaved word document should be in there. The Mac Terminal is one of the best features of Mac OS that helps users recover their lost files. The upcoming Mojave OS will include this crucial option that should save your progress in a document and retrieve it even if your file was frozen and you had to close the application.

Method 2: Using Auto Recovery in Microsoft Word

If you cannot find your lost word document with the Terminal function in the temporary folder, you still have a few ways of recovering the file. One of the most used methods of retrieval involves using Microsoft Word to look through the previously written documents. The application has an Auto Recovery option that may very well be your savior for lost word files.

You can try locating the AutoRecovery function for your lost word document on macOS Mojave with these easy steps:

  • Access the Go menu in Finder
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    Click on Go To Folder
  • Paste the following address:
~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/
  • Find the file that starts with "AutoRecovery" and contains the name of your word file
  • Rename the file by adding “.docx” at its end
  • Open the file. It should be the last saved version of your word document
  • Access the File function and click on the Save As option. Save the file under a name and to a destination of your choosing.

Now that you have recovered your lost document, you can continue your progress while having a secure backup version. Remember to save the word file often, so if you lose it again, you will not have to redo too much of your work.

Method 3: Using Time Machine on macOS Mojave

Time Machine is one feature guaranteed to be part of the upcoming macOS Mojave. This is Apple’s option for backing up your Mac, and it uses a different storage device, the iCloud Drive or a MacOS server to keep your files well-guarded at all times.

Time Machine makes a backup copy of everything on your Mac for the past 24 hours. Therefore, if you have been working on a word document, you will have 24 different copies of it made every hour for the past day. If your word file freezes, and you cannot save it, you can easily go back and restore one of the previous version of it to continue your work.

Using Time Machine on Mac

Here is how to use Time Machine to take back your unsaved word documents:

  • Open a Search window
  • Type "Time Machine"
  • Click the Time Machine icon
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    Use the Time Machine timeline to locate your lost word document
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    Select the files you want to retrieve and click Restore

Method 4: Using Third-Party Software

Clicking the wrong button or exiting the file before saving can make you lose precious work in a word document. Even if you avoid these mishaps, a power outage is always bound to happen when you least expect it. For all these situations there is a safe and easy way of recovering your lost word document on a macOS Mojave. By using a third party software like Disk Drill, you have a good chance of retrieving almost all your progress in a word document.

Disk Drill has user-friendly features that are self-explanatory and simple to follow. You can discover the process of recovering a word document on macOS Mojave safely in just a matter of minutes. This app is an excellent way of keeping an easily accessible backup for your files, and to avoid losing your work progress on a file.

Bottom Line

Losing a full day’s worth of work on a word document is terrible. Fortunately, there are safe and effective ways of retrieving your progress without too much hassle. By applying any of the methods presented in this article you can recover important unsaved files on macOS Mojave and have backup solutions should you experience a similar mishap in the future.

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