Word 2016 keeps a crypt of sorts, populating it with lost, dead, or not-recovered documents. It's not a feature you'll use often, but if you're hunting for a document you've lost or misplaced, it's a place where you should look.
To peruse the purgatory of lost documents, obey these directions:
- Click the File tab.
- On the Info tab, click the Manage Document button.
- Choose the Recover Unsaved Documents item. A traditional Open dialog box appears. It reveals the location where Word places its unsaved files — the Word crypt.
- Click to select a file to open. The filenames listed in the Open dialog box are similar to the original Word document names. They contain a special suffix, which Word uses to track the document's origins.
- Click the Open button. The file appears in a Word document window, but it's tagged as [Read Only]. A banner appears in the window. The banner features the Save As button.
- Peruse the document to determine whether it's worthy of recovery. If you choose to recover the document, proceed with Step 7. If not, close the document and click the Don't Save button when prompted.
- Click the Save As button on the document's RECOVER UNSAVED FILE banner.
- Work the Save As dialog box to find a location for the document and to give it a proper filename.
- Click the Save button to save the file.
