Technology

Turning on AutoSave for Microsoft Word

Last modified 12/13/2022

AutoSave and AutoRecover are features in Microsoft Word and other Office applications that automatically saves the document you are working on. AutoRecover will recover a document that gets accidentally closed and will save the content up to the point where the document was accidentally closed. The Auto-Save feature will save the contents of a document in certain intervals, which is dependent on how the user set that timer. Read below to learn how to enable these features so you can ensure you will never lose your work within Microsoft Word.
How to Turn on Auto-Save


Windows:

1.) Open Word and click File > Options (the button is on the bottom left corner of the screen)

2.) Click the Save option on the left pane.

Save button Image

3.) Check the box for Save AutoRecover information every x minutes to turn on AutoRecover and to set a timer for how often you would like your content to be saved. If this option is already checked, AutoRecover and AutoSave are already on. Uncheck the box if you wish for this feature to be turned off.

AutoRecover checkbox image

4.) Click OK to confirm the changes.


Mac (Option 1):

1.) Open Word and click Word on the Mac’s toolbar on the top of the screen.

2.) Click Preferences.

3.) Click Save underneath the Output and Sharing section.

Mac sav button image

4.) Make sure to check Turn on AutoSave by Default. Keep in mind that files saved while this option is on will save on the cloud. To have the files saved locally, check the box Save AutoRecover Info and set a timer for save intervals.

Auto recover Mac image

Mac (Option 2):

1.) Open Word and click the AutoSave switch on the top-left corner of the application. Keep in mind that this will only automatically save files to your OneDrive, and you may need to repeatedly check this option if AutoSave does not stay on by default. It may be best to follow option 1.
Still Need Assistance?
If you need to report an issue with Microsoft Word, or if you need assistance with using it, please contact the Technology Support Center at 309-438-4357. You can also email us at SupportCenter@ilstu.edu, create a support ticket by visiting ithelp.illinoisstate.edu and clicking Get Help, or you can start a chat session at ithelp.illinoisstate.edu.

Microsoft Offical Documentation