Please help me with restoring my previous Word Document version

Hi @Ella,

Here are a few steps that I recommend checking, please try them one after another because a few steps don't overwrite anything and can still reveal a recoverable copy:

1/ Pause editing and make a backup:

To avoid accidentally overwriting any remaining data, please stop editing the document for now. As a precaution, I also recommend downloading a copy of the current version so you have a backup saved locally.

2/ Review OneDrive version history on the web:

Next, please check the file’s version history directly in OneDrive:

• Go to OneDrive on the web
• Right‑click the document and select Version history
• Open or download each version to review its content
• Only restore a version if you confirm it contains the missing text

Microsoft explains this process here: Restore a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive.

3/ Check version history in Word for the web:

Then, please open the document in Word Online and:

• Click File
• Select Version history
  
• Open or save a copy of any older version you see

This applies to files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint and may show versions that don’t appear elsewhere.

4/ Check version history in Word for Mac:

• If you're using Microsoft 365 for Mac, select the name of the document on the title bar of the application, then select Browse Version History.
• If you're using an older version of Office for Mac, select File > Browse Version History.
• Select a version to open it in a separate window.

As you said that you're using university account, you can track and manage information over time with versioning in lists and libraries, as well as view and recover previous versions from the item's history.

For more detailed instructions, you can see: Enable and configure versioning for a list or library.

5/ Look for AutoRecover files on your Mac:

Word for Mac sometimes keeps local AutoRecover copies that are not shown in OneDrive:

• In Finder, press Shift + Command + G
• Choose Go to Folder
• Search the AutoRecovery locations provided by Microsoft
• Look for files named "AutoRecovery save of …"
• Open them and use Save As if you find usable content

You can see: Recover files in Office for Mac.

6/ Check the OneDrive Recycle Bin:

Additionally, please check the OneDrive Recycle Bin on the web. In some cases, sync conflicts can create or remove temporary copies that can still be restored.

Microsoft’s instructions are here: Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive.

7/ Contact your school's IT admin:

If none of the steps above reveal the 1100‑word version, I recommend contacting your university IT or helpdesk. Since this is a work/school OneDrive account, file retention and versioning policies are managed by the university, and IT administrators may have access to backup or restoration options that aren’t visible to end users.

When contacting them, it will help to provide:

• The file name and OneDrive path
• The approximate time when the content changed (1100 > 800 > 300 words)
• which browser you used + whether any connectivity issues occurred
• whether the file was shared/coauthored

I hope these steps help improve the situation. Please feel free to share any updates or let me know if you need further assistance. I’ll be glad to help.

I look forward to your reply.

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