First thing you need to do is stop using your computer immediately. Continual usage can overwrite the deleted file, making it much harder, if not impossible, to recover. I get that you’re in a tight spot, so here’s a rapid rundown of steps you can follow.
Step 1: Check Your Backup Options
If you’ve been using a cloud service like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, your document might still be there. These services often have a version history, which means even if you deleted the document, an older version might still be available.
Step 2: Look for Temporary Files
Microsoft Word sometimes saves temporary copies of your documents. These are generally found in a folder like C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles.
Navigate there and look for files with a .asd or .wbk extension. If you find any, change the extensions to .docx and try to open them with Word. It’s a long shot, but worth a try.
Step 3: Use a File Recovery Software
If you haven’t found any backups or temp files, you’ll need to use file recovery software. I highly recommend trying Disk Drill
(you can get it from https://www.cleverfiles.com/). It’s a robust program designed to recover lost files from hard drives, USB drives, and other storage devices.
After downloading and installing Disk Drill, run a scan on the drive where your document was originally saved. Disk Drill will display a list of recoverable files. Look through the results and find your Word document. The free version has some limited data recovery options, and for extensive recovery, you might need the pro version. It’s really user-friendly, even for non-techies.
Step 4: Check Your Email Attachments
If you’ve ever emailed the document to someone or worked on it via an email attachment, dive into your sent folders or check those attachments. That could save your neck without all the hassle.
Step 5: Seek Professional Help
If none of the above steps work and this document is absolutely irreplaceable, contacting a professional data recovery service might be your last resort. These services can be expensive but they usually have very high success rates.
Good luck! These situations can be really stressful, but with a bit of perseverance, there’s a good chance you’ll get your document back.