word deleted my updated assessment piece and got rid of all the versions

Hi Belinda  , 

Welcome to the Q&A Community 

I’m here to assist your problem. 

Based on your description, I'll answer for your question:  

This can happen if the update interrupts autosave processes, especially if the file was only in memory or a temporary state. Unfortunately, if autosave and version history aren't showing anything (even on OneDrive), the file might not have been fully committed to disk before the issue. However, there are still several recovery methods worth trying before concluding it's permanently lost. I'll outline them step-by-step, starting with the simplest. 

Even if you've tried this, ensure you're checking in the right places, as updates can sometimes reset paths or hide files. 

• Open Microsoft Word (use a blank document if needed). 
• Go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents. This opens the UnsavedFiles folder - look for any .asd (AutoRecover) files with timestamps around your last edit. If found, open and save it as a new .docx. 

If nothing appears, check the AutoRecover location manually: In Word, go to File > Options > Save. Note the "AutoRecover file location" path (usually C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word). Paste that into File Explorer and search for .asd files. Also, note the "Default local file location" and check there. 

Next, Word creates temp files (~$filename.docx or .tmp) that might survive an update or crash. 

In File Explorer, search your entire drive (This PC) for:  

1. Your document's name (e.g., "assignment.docx"). 
2. File extensions: *.asd, .tmp, ~$, *.wbk (Word backup files). 
3. Recent files: Sort by date modified around the time of your last edit. 

Common locations to manually browse:  

1. C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Temp 
2. C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles 
3. C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word 
4. Your Documents folder or OneDrive sync folder (e.g., C:\Users[YourUsername]\OneDrive\Documents). 
5. If found, rename the file to .docx and open in Word. If it's corrupted, right-click > Open with > Word and choose "Repair." 

If the file was overwritten or deleted during the update, standard tools might not find it - try free recovery software to scan for deleted files. 

• Download Recuva (from Piriform, free version) or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free (up to 2GB recovery). 
• Run a deep scan on your drive (focus on Documents/OneDrive folders first). Filter for .docx, .asd, or recent modifications. 
• Avoid saving anything new to your drive until scanning, to prevent overwriting data. 

Noted: Please note that this is a third-party reference, not from Microsoft. However, I believe it contains relevant information that you may find useful. So you can consider to refer them. 

To avoid this again: 

• Set autosave interval to 1-2 minutes: Word > File > Options > Save > "Save AutoRecover information every X minutes." 
• Always save manually (Ctrl+S) periodically. 
• Use "Hibernate" instead of sleep for long breaks, as it saves open files to disk. 
• Pause Windows updates during work: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Pause updates. 

You can refer to: How to recover unsaved Word documents - Microsoft 365 Apps | Microsoft Learn 

We appreciate your kind patience and understanding that sometimes the initial response may not immediately resolve the issue or there may be some misunderstandings about your scenario, but we would love to hear updates from you and find out further suggestions. 

Thank you for your kindness and understanding. If you need anything else, please feel free to contact me.  

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