WD: What Is the AutoRecover Feature in Word?

Use the AutoRecover feature in Word to recover a Word document if your computer loses power or if an application error occurs while you are working in a document.

The AutoRecover feature creates a recover file with a file name similar to "AutoRecovery Save of <file name>.doc". When Word is restarted, Word searches the system for any files with the "AutoRecovery" name and it automatically tries to open these files. If Word is successful in recovering the file, Word will open it. The document title bar will display the documents file name as "<file name> (Recovered)." You can save the file at this time.

To set the AutoRecover feature in Word:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Choose the Save tab and select the "Save AutoRecover info every" check box. Set the minutes box to the desired time interval between AutoRecover saves.

The AutoRecover feature does not replace the saving of a document. There is no feature in Word to automatically save your document files. You must periodically save your documents.

To save a document in Word:

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save In box, select the desired location.
3. In the File Name box, type the name you want to give your file, and click Save.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: