Triggers & Scenarios
Within the Microsoft community, there are some users who complain that their hours of work on Word is deleted. How could this happen? In fact, this error is a new bug in Microsoft Word, which has been acknowledged by Microsoft.
The auto-deletion bug in Word will unexpectedly delete Word files when you attempt to save them. From the report on Microsoft Support, you can see that if you name your Word document with a capitalized file format or hashtag, the file will delete itself when you save or close your document. As follows,
- Files with a # in the filename:
- Files with an uppercase .DOCK extension:
- Files with an uppercase .RTF extension. (RTF is the extension for Wordpad documents)
But the good news is the deleted files were just moved to the Recycle Bin rather than being permanently erased. Therefore, before the files are gone forever, you can still retrieve them.
Related article: Top 6 Ways to Empty Recycle Bin on Windows 10/11
How to Avoid/Fix Word Bug Causing Unexpected File Deletion
Up till now, Microsoft Support has not provided any efficient solutions to counter this unusual Microsoft 365 Word bug in addition to the following pieces of advice.
First of all, Microsoft suggests you manually save all Word documents before closing the app to avoid encountering the bug.
Additionally, Launch Word and click on File at the top left corner of the interface > navigate to Options > click on the Save tab. Then enable the option labeled Don’t show the Backstage when opening or saving files with keyboard shortcuts.
Finally, you can also roll back to a previous version of Microsoft Word using command line. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1. Type command prompt in the search bar and open it with administrative privileges.
Step 2. In the command window, copy & paste the following commands and then press Enter after each execution. According to their different purposes, it’s recommended to run the two commands respectively for the operation.
cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun
officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=17928.20156
This process will revert Word to a previous unaffected version.
Alternatively, if the system can reconnect to the internet afterward. You can search the Control Panel app in Windows search > choose Programs and Features > scroll down to find Office and right-click on it > select Repair. This move will automatically reinstall Office and update it to the latest version and will not affect your files, but some settings may be reset.
Bonus Tip
In order to protect your documents from deleting, backing up data is always a good idea. Are you confused about which backup software to use? MiniTool ShadowMaker is a great option, which stands out among competitors in the market. It allows you to backup file, disk, partition, and backup system to a USB drive, external hard drive or network share, cloud, etc. at a daily, weekly and monthly frequency. Download and try its 30-day free trial edition.
MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Wrapping Things Up
If you are not currently experiencing the auto-deletion bug in Word, the above suggestions can help you avoid it after implementing; if you have suffered from such an issue, the operations should also help to get rid of it and repair documents deleted.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Nan is always interested in writing and exploring new things. Her enthusiasm for writing leads her to become an English editor. She likes to share helpful information about kinds of Android issues with readers and focuses on PC backup and restore. She also loves to read books and watch documentaries in her spare time.