How to Recover My .docx Files
By default, documents saved in Microsoft Word 2007 end with a .docx file extension, unless they are saved in .doc, which is compatible with the previous Microsoft Word versions such as Word 2003. When your .docx files are deleted, you can still recover them via the Recycle Bin. If you share a computer with multiple other users and the Recycle Bin was emptied, files are still recoverable until the old files are overwritten with new ones.
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Instructions
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Recover Files Via Recycle Bin
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Open your Recycle Bin. If it's not accessible from the desktop, open "My Computer" and then "Recycle Bin."
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Browse through the Recycle Bin. Locate the .docx files that you want to recover. If you have several files in your Recycle Bin, simply click on one file and type the first letters of the file name you are looking for. This will direct you to the file you are looking for.
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Right-click on the file and select "Restore." Close the Recycle Bin and navigate to the original location of the file. Alternatively, open Microsoft Word 2007 and click on the "Open" icon. From there, locate the file that you have recovered.
Recover Files Using Third Party Software
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Double check the Recycle Bin to see if the file is still there. If the Recycle Bin has been emptied, you will need to use third party software to recover a.docx file.
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Download Recuva software and save it to your computer. Run the installer and follow the installation instructions that will flash on your screen until installation is finished.
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Launch the application. On the welcome screen, click "Next." On the next screen, select which file types you want to recover. Click on "Documents" and then "Next."
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Select the file location by clicking on the check box for "In the Recycle Bin," and then click "Next." On the next window, click on "Enable Deep Scan" and select "Start."
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Wait for the recovery process to progress. All files that matched your criteria will be listed on the recovery window. Select the .docx file that you want to recover and click the "Recover" button found at the bottom of the window.
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Tips & Warnings
Aside from Recuva, there are several other kinds of recovery software you can use to recover deleted files. These include UndeletePlus and Uneraser.
Note that although files that have been removed from the Recycle Bin can still be recovered, recovery may only be possible for those files that have recently been deleted. If you have accidentally deleted a .docx file, proceed with the recovery process immediately and avoid saving new files to the computer to avoid overwriting the deleted files, which could cause a recovery failure.
