Blue Flower

Location And Recovery Of MS Word Temporary File

Initial Note:

Please notice that this site is dependent on financial contributions (donations), and the ads on this website have very little financial contribution towards funding the creation of articles and website operation.

Introduction Regarding Microsoft Word Temporary File and Location.

When you open a Microsoft Word document, and as you type and change things, it creates a temporary file.  Even if you never saved your document, that temporary MS Word file can be used to recover what you wrote in case the computer crashes, or the software crashes, or power goes out, or any other reason why the MS Word would cease to function suddenly.

On Windows XP and some other Windows OS computers, the temporary file is within the Windows temp directory typically located at C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Word.  Look below for a list of other locations the temporary file can be in.  If the file is stored on a network drive, then the temporary file will be created in that network drive location.

Also, if you open a existing Word document, a temporary file can be created as well, and that temporary file would be in the same folder that the Word document you opened is in.

Name And Format Of The Temporary MS Word File.

  1. A MS Word document can end with a .tmp or a .wbk.

  2. A MS Word document starts with a ~, telda symbol.

  3. Here are two examples of such files: ~WRL1287.tmp and ~WRA2009.wbk

 

To Recover Lost Data Or Not Saved MS Word

Simply find the temporary file and open it, and it should automatically be opened with MS Word.  If not, then select it with your right mouse button and select Open With, and then choose from list the Microsoft Word software to open the temporary file with.

 

List Of Locations The Temporary File Can Be Listed In

  1. On Windows XP and other Windows Systems the locations would be:

    1. C:\ Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Word
    2. C:\ Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp
  2.  On Windows 7 and Vista the locations will be:

    1. C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Word
    2. C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp

 

 


Consider Contributing

  • Article Contribution:
    Consider submitting an article of your own to Tech Notes.  I will create a sub-category for your article if needed.  Guest articles are welcome!

  • Financial Contribution:
    If you found this article or any Tech Notes article useful, or beneficial in any form, and you'd like to make a financial contribution as a simple thanks (no fear, any small amount can be given), you can use the Paypal contribution button which is safe and does not require you to have a Paypal account to make a contribution to Tech Notes.

Feel Free To Leave A Good Comment,
And Donate. :)

Comment as a guest or site user. 
Polite comments please
Look around this site and it's menus, and you may find other useful articles. 
Add this site to your Bookmarks/Favorites for easy return for new articles.