how to recover a ppt presentation

Recover your PowerPoint files

AutoRecover is a PowerPoint feature that attempts to recover files automatically in the event of a crash, power failure, or other unexpected application shutdown. It does this by periodically saving a copy of the file in the background. By default, AutoRecover saves a recovery file every 10 minutes. 

Important:  Do not use AutoRecover as a substitute for regularly saving your files by using AutoSave (see below) or by clicking Save . Saving your files frequently is the best way to preserve your work.

AutoRecover is different than AutoSave, which automatically saves your file as you work - just like when you save files manually. The AutoSave feature is available for Microsoft 365 subscribers. When AutoSave is turned on, AutoRecover files are rarely needed. 

For more information see: What is AutoSave ? 

Microsoft 365

Autorecover files automatically reopen on next app start.

Normally, PowerPoint will automatically recover your work the next time you open the application following an unexpected shutdown. It does this by detecting if an AutoRecover file exists and automatically opening it. If you want to keep the recovered file, you should immediately save it before editing or closing. 

To manually open an AutoRecover file: 

Click the File button in the ribbon and then click the Home tab in the menu.

Click the Recover Unsaved Presentations button at the bottom of the screen to navigate to the folder where AutoRecover files are stored.

Change how frequently AutoRecover files are saved

In the PowerPoint ribbon, click File and then click the Home tab in the menu.

In the menu, click Options > Save .

Under the Save Presentations heading, modify the Save AutoRecover information every x minutes box.

Change the location where AutoRecover files are saved

Under the Save Presentations heading, modify the AutoRecover File Location box.

Note:  If you change the default AutoRecover file path, there are certain cases in which AutoRecover files will not be automatically deleted when no longer needed. 

Access the AutoRecover folder

You can navigate directly to the AutoRecover folder using Windows File Explorer. The location of the AutoRecover folder can be found in the Options dialog, in the Save tab. By default, the AutoRecover folder is located at:

Replace  <username> with your user name. 

Office 2021 and earlier versions 

Document recovery pane .

After an unexpected shutdown, the Document Recovery pane automatically opens to help you get your files back. Document Recovery lists any files you had open that were recovered from the most recent time you saved them, the most recent time they were AutoSaved (if your file is on OneDrive or SharePoint and you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber), or the most recent time they were Auto Recovered.   

To see the entire Document Recovery pane, hover over the right edge of the pane until you see an arrow pointing left and right. Then click the arrow and drag it to the right to widen the Document Recovery pane. 

Replace  <username> with your username. 

You can navigate directly to the AutoRecover folder using the Finder. The location of the AutoRecover folder can be found in the Options dialog, in the Save tab. By default, the AutoRecover folder is located at:

Replace  < username > with your user name.  The AutoRecovery folder is a hidden folder, so you may not see it if you try to navigate to it in the Finder. Use the Go To Folder tool and enter the full path there. 

Restore your OneDrive files

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How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Presentations

Always happens five minutes before the meeting

It’s not uncommon to lose hours of work in PowerPoint because of an unexpected system crash, shutdown, or power failure. Microsoft knows that, which is why the program comes with AutoRecover. It’s a feature that helps you retrieve unsaved PowerPoint presentations.

This tutorial will teach you how to use Microsoft PowerPoint’s AutoRecover feature in Windows and macOS, including other tips to recover lost or deleted PowerPoint presentations.

Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Presentations on Windows

Whenever you work on a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 10 and 11, the program’s built-in AutoRecover functionality makes periodic backups to a temporary file once every 10 minutes.

If you forgot to save a Microsoft PowerPoint document because of an unexpected issue, you can get it back. There’s no guarantee it may contain the most recent changes, though.

By default, AutoRecover opens the unsaved presentation when you relaunch PowerPoint after a system or application crash. If you see a Recovered Unsaved File banner, select the Save button inside to save it permanently.

In Microsoft Office 2021 and earlier versions of PowerPoint, a Document Recovery pane should show up to the left of the PowerPoint window, letting you pick the file you want to recover.

If that does not happen, you can view the AutoRecover folder with the following steps:

• Open PowerPoint and select Open on the Start Screen.
• Select the Recover Unsaved Presentations button.

• On the File Explorer pop-up, open the folder related to the PPT file you want to restore.
• Select the file and choose Open .

• Review the presentation and save it to your PC’s hard drive.

If the Recover Unsaved Presentations option is not visible or PowerPoint repeatedly crashes before you can do anything, visit the program’s AutoRecover file location and retrieve the presentation via File Explorer.

• Open File Explorer.
• Copy and paste the following into the address bar, replacing <username> with your Windows user name. Then, press Enter :

C:Users <username> AppDataRoaming Microsoft PowerPoint

• Copy the unsaved PPT file you want to recover to another directory, then double-click to open it in PowerPoint.

To increase the frequency with which AutoRecover backs up your PowerPoint presentations and improve the chances of retrieving the most recent unsaved changes, you must:

• Select the File tab and choose Options (or More > Options ).

• Select the Save category on the PowerPoint Options sidebar.
• Modify the box next to Save AutoRecover information every x minutes .

For example, enter a value of 1 if you want the PowerPoint recovery tool to back up unsaved changes every minute.

Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Files on macOS

Like on Windows, AutoRecover is available on Microsoft PowerPoint for macOS. If you’re working on a PowerPoint presentation on a Mac and experience a sudden crash or shutdown, you should be able to use it to recover the unsaved changes and prevent data loss.

Just re-open PowerPoint. AutoRecover should automatically re-open the presentation you were last working on, allowing you to save the changes permanently.

Suppose that doesn’t happen. Just:

• Open the Home button and choose Open .
• Select Recover Unsaved Presentations .
• Double-click the PPTX file you want to recover.

If the Recover Unsaved Presentations button is not visible, manually visit PowerPoint’s AutoRecover temp folder and retrieve the presentation via Finder.

• Open Finder and select Go > Go to Folder on the menu bar.

• Copy the following path and press Return :

~/Library/Containers/com. Microsoft.Powerpoint /Data/Library/Preferences/ AutoRecovery

• Copy the file you want to recover to a different location.

Manually recovered AutoRecover backups for the Mac do not have a specified file type, so you must go through the following steps to view them in PowerPoint.

• Right-click the auto-recovered PPTX file and select Open with > Other .

• Select All Applications on the drop-down menu next to Enable .
• Select Microsoft PowerPoint within the list of applications and choose Open .

By default, AutoRecover saves your presentations every 10 minutes. If you want to increase the chances of recovering the most recent changes:

• Open PowerPoint and select PowerPoint > Preferences on the menu bar.

• Select Save .

• Modify the box next to Save AutoRecover information every x minutes and enter a new value—e.g., 1 to make AutoRecover back up your presentation every minute.

Other Methods to Recover PowerPoint Files:

Unsaved PowerPoint presentations aside, you might have to deal with misplaced or deleted PowerPoint files every now and then. When that happens, here are several ways you can try to get them back.

Check PowerPoint’s Recents List

If you can’t remember the location of a PPTX file, just check PowerPoint’s Recent list on the Start Screen. If the presentation is listed there, select to open it.

Use Windows Search or Spotlight

Your PC or Mac keeps an index of whatever’s in its internal storage. If you can remember the file name of a lost presentation (or even part of it), try searching for it through Windows Search or Spotlight Search.

Check the Recycle Bin or Trash

Windows and macOS store deleted items for 30 days, so check the Recycle Bin or Trash if you can’t find a presentation. If the PPTX file is inside, you can restore it to its original location.

Use File History or Time Machine

You should be able to recover a lost PowerPoint file if your PC or Mac is set to back up to an external hard drive. Learn how to retrieve deleted files or previous versions using File History or Time Machine.

Use a File Recovery Tool

If all else fails, use data recovery software to retrieve deleted PowerPoint files. Check our list of top file recovery programs for the PC and Mac .

Don’t Forget to Save or AutoSave Your Presentations

Losing an unsaved PowerPoint presentation can be a frustrating experience, but with AutoRecover, you can recover your work and stop having to start over from scratch.

Regardless, it’s best not to leave things to chance, so remember to always save your work frequently. If you prefer storing your presentations on OneDrive, use the AutoSave feature in Microsoft Office to avoid lost data.

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn't hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube. Read Dilum's Full Bio

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How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

Get that PowerPoint presentation back

• Western Governors University
• AutoRecover
• Alternate Method
• Recover Deleted Presentation
• Enable AutoSave
• Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

• File > Open > Recover Unsaved Presentations .
• Or: File > Info > Manage Presentations > Recover Unsaved Presentations .
• Check your Recycle Bin and automatic backup folders for deleted presentations, or use recovery software.

This article explains how to recover an unsaved PowerPoint. These instructions apply to PowerPoint 2019, 2016, 2013, and Microsoft 365 .

How Do I Recover a PowerPoint That Was Not Saved?

There are a few ways to recover an unsaved PowerPoint. If one method doesn't work, you should try the other options outlined below.

PowerPoint has a feature called AutoRecover which periodically stores data from your presentations. In newer versions of PowerPoint, you can access AutoRecover files from within PowerPoint:

Go to the File tab.

Select Open .

Select Recover Unsaved Presentations at the bottom of the list of recent files.

Select your presentation to open it. If you don't see it, move on to the next section to try a different method.

Alternate Way to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

Depending on your version of PowerPoint, the steps for recovering unsaved presentations might be different:

Select Info .

Select Manage Presentations > Recover Unsaved Presentations .

Select your presentation to open it.

If you don't see the Recover Unsaved Presentations option in PowerPoint, you might find your presentation in the following folder on Windows:

On Mac, you can find AutoRecover data in this folder:

Copy and paste the above file path in the File Explorer or Finder address bar; then press Enter to open the folder. Replace User with your Windows or Mac username.

If you still don't see your file, try looking in the following folder on Windows:

Alternatively, press Windows key + R to bring up the Run command and enter %temp% in the Run prompt to open the Temp folder. To find your presentation, search for ppt files.

How Do I Get My Deleted PowerPoint Presentation Back?

If you previously saved a presentation and it got deleted, there are a few things you can try to recover your PowerPoint.

First, check your Windows Recycle Bin or Mac Trash folder. Depending on how long ago a user deleted it, you may be able to restore files from the Recycle Bin or recover files from the Trash on Mac . If successful, the file should return to its original folder.

If you use automatic backup software , check your backup folders. You can also restore your file using recovery software like Recuva or Disk Drill .

Enable PowerPoint AutoSave

PowerPoint includes an AutoSave feature that backs up your work every few seconds. Select the AutoSave toggle switch in the upper-left corner of your presentation to turn it On , or go to go to File > Options > Save and check the AutoSave box.

To recover an unsaved Word document , go to File > Manage Documents > Recover Unsaved Documents . If you see the document listed, select it. Or, search for a backup of the file by going to File > Open > Browse . You can also use Windows Explorer to search for recovered or temporary files.

To recover an unsaved Excel file , if you have AutoSave enabled, view the Document Recovery interface when you launch Excel. In the section called Available Files , you'll see all your autosaved workbooks and document files. To recover a file, select the arrow next to the file details and choose Open .

To recover a deleted or unsaved Notepad file, go to your Windows 10 search function, type %AppData% , and press Enter . The Roaming folder will open. Search for files that end in .txt to find your unsaved Notepad file.

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How to Recover a Deleted or Unsaved PowerPoint File

After hours of piecing together the perfect presentation, disaster happens the next morning as you go present it: It’s gone. No matter how frantically you search File Explorer, your precious PowePoint presentation is gone. Microsoft, though, has your back. As long as you haven’t disabled autorecovery, the file should still be on your machine -- or in the cloud, if you’re an Office365 user. It’s not foolproof, but you can often recover these accidentally deleted files.

Next time, however, you might want to save a redundant copy to the cloud, just in case.

1. Open a blank Microsoft PowerPoint document and click the File tab .

2. Click the Options link at the bottom.

3. Choose the Save option from the left .

4.Once you find the section with a path showing where your autosaved documents go, select and copy it . In my case, it’s here: C:\Users\Bryan\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\PowerPoint\

5. Open File Explorer and paste in the copied file path . Hit enter .

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6. Here, we’ll see the last save of the document I was working on, which starts with the name “MYPRESENTATION.” Click it to open the file .

7. Right click the Microsoft PowerPoint file, and select Open with .

8. Choose PowerPoint, and click Ok .

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How to view and restore old versions of powerpoint files.

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Requirements, how to see older versions of your powerpoint presentations.

Microsoft PowerPoint lets you view and switch to older versions of your presentations. If you accidentally deleted something important and it got overwritten in PowerPoint, here's how to restore it.

Before you get started, make sure that you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. The ability to view and restore previous versions of PowerPoint presentations can be accessed only through a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Fortunately, this subscription also gives you access to all other Office apps, along with 1TB of OneDrive storage. You can put the cloud storage to good use by automatically saving your presentations to OneDrive.

Also, enabling auto-save on PowerPoint is required for accessing version history. To do so, you'll need to create a new PowerPoint presentation and then turn the "AutoSave" switch on in the document's title bar. When PowerPoint shows you a confirmation pop-up, select "OneDrive."

Related: How to Automatically Save PowerPoint Presentations to OneDrive

Now that you've sorted out the basics, open PowerPoint and load any PowerPoint presentation. There are two ways to check version history here, and we'll show you both.

First, click "File" in the menu bar.

In the left pane, click "Info."

Click "Version History" on the right.

Alternately, you can click the file name at the top of the document that you've opened and select "Version History" from the pop-up menu.

No matter which method you choose, a new pane labeled "Version History" will open up on the right-hand side of your presentation in PowerPoint.

Microsoft PowerPoint sorts older versions of the document by date and time here. To load a previous version of the presentation, click the "Open version" button below the version that you need to go back to.

This will open a read-only file that shows an older version of your PowerPoint presentation. Right below the ribbon menu, you'll see a button labeled "Restore." Click it to go back to the previous version.

Note that this will overwrite your PowerPoint presentation. You can always repeat the same steps to visit the modified version of your document in case you want to copy any additional changes to the older version.

If you use Microsoft 365 apps frequently, you might also be interested in knowing how to restore previous versions of Excel workbooks or Word documents .

Related: How to View and Restore Previous Versions of a Word Document

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PowerPoint Tips  - Recover Unsaved Presentations

Powerpoint tips  -, recover unsaved presentations, powerpoint tips recover unsaved presentations.

PowerPoint Tips: Recover Unsaved Presentations

Lesson 7: recover unsaved presentations.

/en/powerpoint-tips/spell-check-and-thesaurus-shortcuts/content/

Recover unsaved presentations

Sometimes you don’t get the chance to save your presentation before your computer crashes or you lose power. Thankfully, PowerPoint can help you recover unsaved presentations .

Watch the video below to see how you can restore your work.

• If PowerPoint recovers any unsaved files when you open it, a Document Recovery window will appear.
• Click on the file to open it and then close the window.
• If the Document Recovery window does not appear, click on the File tab in the PowerPoint menu.
• Select Open at the bottom of the recent presentations.
• Click on Recover Unsaved Presentations .
• Select the unsaved file that you want to recover and open it.

We also recommend saving the recovered file in order to prevent losing it in the future. Keep this shortcut in mind next time you have computer trouble, and hopefully, your hard work won't be lost!

Now let’s go over the steps for compressing media files in PowerPoint. 

/en/powerpoint-tips/compress-media-files/content/

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How to Recover Deleted or Unsaved PowerPoint File

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Have you lost your PPT file due to a system crash or deletion and aren’t sure how to retrieve it? Don’t worry, this is the place for you. Data loss scenarios are quite common, and several methods are available to help recover your PPT file back. Follow our instructions for quick and easy methods to restore your deleted files.

What is the PowerPoint File Type (PPT, PPTX)

PPT stands for the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation binary format, and it is the main file extension that saves PowerPoint presentations. The software is widely used to design presentations for educational and business purposes. All slides, videos, texts, images, etc., are stored within the PPT file.

Introduced in 1987 with the release of PowerPoint, the PPT extension used to be the primary file type to save your presentations for versions 2003 and older.

How to Recover Deleted PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX) Files

There are many possible fixes to assist you in restoring your lost PPTX files. Go through the table below for an overview of available recovery methods:

While these solutions can be convenient, it is also important to keep certain practices in mind while working on your PPTX file. A few tips and tricks that can be helpful in data-loss situations are:

• 💾 Keep more than one backup of your PPTX file. In case of an unexpected file loss, having backups would ensure a smooth recovery process.
• ❌ If your device crashes or you want to retrieve your file, avoid writing new data to that drive. It can lead to complications while restoring the desired file.
• ⏩ Start the data recovery process as soon as you can. The longer you wait to attempt getting the file back, the restoration chances would become more uncertain.
• 💯 Try the most sure-shot method of file recovery first. It would increase the possibility of successful recovery and might prevent permanent file damage.

Being mindful of these pointers can help avoid severe data loss and make the recovery process quite efficient.

How to Recover PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX) Files with Software

Although various data recovery methods are available to help you restore your PPTX files, third-party software is perhaps the most effective. Instead of relying on temporary folders, these solutions can permanently retrieve your files. While it may seem challenging at first, most file recovery software like Disk Drill is relatively user-friendly.

Steps to recover your PPT, PPTX files with Disk Drill:

• While it is faster than most recovery software, Disk Drill will take some time to scan your device for lost data. You can choose your recovery method — Quick Scan or Deep Scan . ⏯️ You can also pause and resume scans halfway to glance through the files found.

Recover PPT, PPTX Files from Windows Recycle Bin and Mac Trash

If you wish to retrieve your deleted PPT, PPTX files, there’s a simple solution to help you get them back. You can use the Windows Recycle Bin or Mac Trash to restore your files to their original location.

Both these folders in your system temporarily store your deleted files. This makes it easy to recover your data without much effort.

Recovering PPT, PPTX files from the Windows Recycle Bin

• Once you’ve opened the folder, find and select the PPT or PPTX file you wish to recover.

Recovering PPT, PPTX files from Mac Trash

Restore from a Recent Files Folder

While the Windows Recycle Bin and the Mac Trash folders offer effortless data recovery, they can only recover deleted files — whether accidental or voluntary. However, you don’t necessarily need to download software to retrieve your data. There are other solutions within your system that can help you restore your lost PPT, PPTX files.

Let’s go through both the options one by one:

Recovering Files Using Windows File History

• Make sure you have turned on the File History option. If not, select an internal or external drive to which you want to backup your information, and turn it on.

• Go through available backups and locate the PPT or PPTX file you want to recover.

Recovering Files Using Mac Time Machine

• Navigate through the folders to locate your PPT or PPTX file from available backups.

Having backups of your data is a valuable practice that always comes in handy in the long run. The techniques mentioned above can assist you with the convenient recovery of your PPT, PPTX files only if you’ve saved them. It may seem like a limitation in comparison with the data recovery efficiency of software. However, there is a bonus feature on PowerPoint that can help recover your lost files.

Recover PPT, PPTX Files using Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is Microsoft’s command-line recovery utility and is available for free download from the Microsoft Store. Since it doesn’t have a graphical user interface, users must enter the corresponding command prompt to recover lost files. This utility supports various file systems and types and is a helpful tool for data recovery. 

Here’s how you can recover PPT, PPTX files with Windows File Recovery:

• Download Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store and Install it on your PC.
• Launch Windows File Recovery and click the Run as administrator option.
• Once the Command Prompt window opens, enter the command in the following format: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]
• You need to specify a mode in the format mentioned above, according to what’s suitable for your file system. You can use two basic modes to recover files – Regular and Extensive .
• You can also mention any specific file extensions according to the files you wish to retrieve. For instance, enter a similar command to retrieve PPT, PPTX files: winfr C: E: /extensive /n *.ppt /n *.pptx
• Note that the source and destination drives must be different. After you’ve entered, Microsoft automatically creates a recovery folder on the destination drive.

Recover PPT, PPTX Files from your Temporary Files Folder

Another method that you can use to retrieve your unsaved PPT, PPTX files is through the temporary files folder. Windows has this temporary folder dedicated to saving files from various applications. Here’s the path to the temporary files folder: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp

There are other ways to access this folder as well. Follow these steps to recover your lost or unsaved PPT, PPTX files from the temporary files folder:

• Once you run the command, the folder window will open in File Explorer. To narrow down your search options, you can filter through the results by using the following extensions – *.pptx, *.ppt, ppt*.tmp . 

Recover PPT, PPTX File from a Local Backup

An easier way to retrieve your PPT, PPTX files is to look for them in a local backup. However, turning to this method will only be feasible if you’ve created backups of your files either on hard drives, or on the cloud. In this article, we shall look at the steps to recover PPT, PPTX files from a local backup:

• Connect your backup drive to your computer.
• Open it using File Explorer.
• Look through the data to find your PPT presentation.
• Copy it to your computer and access the backed up version. 

Recovering PPT, PPTX Files with PowerPoint Features

Did your presentation disappear? PowerPoint provides features that can help recover your unsaved or deleted files. All versions from 2010 and onwards have the Auto Recovery feature and the Recover Unsaved Presentations option. The former saves the file you’re working on at regular time intervals. Both features help the user ensure they have a place from which they can retrieve their lost files.

Auto-Recovery

If you haven’t saved the PPT or PPTX file you’re working on; PowerPoint creates a temporary folder to save these files. You can navigate to the Auto-Recover File Location and look for your file there. However, to enable this feature, you must ensure that the AutoRecover information option is turned on.

Recover Unsaved Presentations

If PowerPoint or your system crashes while you’re working or before you have the chance to check a saved version, you can use this feature. Once you click on the Recover Unsaved Presentations option, it will open your missing file.

On Windows: Open File > Info > Manage Versions > Recover Unsaved Presentations .

You can find more information on these features at the Microsoft Community.

How to Open PPT, PPTX on Mac and Windows

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most suitable application to open your PPT, PPTX files. It supports all the texts, transition effects, images, clipart, videos, etc., which are vital assets to format the presentation. It is available on both Windows and Mac operating systems as well as on Android and iOS. You can purchase a subscription to Microsoft 365 from Microsoft’s official website.

You can also view PowerPoint files in several other presentation programs. Some examples are Apple Keynote, Corel Presentations, or PPTX viewer. If you have a Microsoft Account or a Microsoft 365 account, it will allow you to view and edit your presentations in the web browser.

Programs that Open PPT, PPTX Files

While Microsoft PowerPoint works best, multiple applications can support PPT, PPTX files. You may not be able to edit them using these applications, but you can view them easily. Some programs that support PPT, PPTX files are:

On Windows: Microsoft PowerPoint 354 Corel Presentations 2021 File Viewer Plus

On Mac: Microsoft PowerPoint 354 Apple Preview Apple Keynote

Android: File Viewer by Android Microsoft Office Microsoft PowerPoint Google Drive Google Slides

iOS: Microsoft Office Microsoft PowerPoint Google Drive Google Slides

Tips to Avoid PPT, PPTX File Loss

While it is quite possible to recover your lost PPT, PPTX files conveniently, it is advisable to try and avoid data loss situations. Here are a few tips you can follow to keep your files safe:

• 💿 Save your work manually – While technological advancements have made it easier to recover files, it is good to keep saving your file manually while working. If the system crashes or an unforeseen problem arises, you can seamlessly get back your precious presentations.
• 💾 Keep multiple backups – Ensure that you have backups of your files. You can either backup your PPT, PPTX files to a different storage device or use the backup features on your systems. Both Windows and Mac OS offer some advanced features that allow you to back up your files safely.
• ☁️ Enable AutoRecover and AutoSave – Verify that AutoRecover has been turned on in PowerPoint. This feature can help you recover your deleted or unsaved files without hassle. A lot of users fret that they forgot to save their presentations. This is where the AutoSave option is a real gamechanger: It automatically saves the changes you continue to make onto the OneDrive cloud storage.
• 🩺 Install a good Antivirus – It is crucial to have reliable antivirus software installed on your computer. It will protect your files from malware and prevent file corruption.
• 🔋 System and Power compatibility – It is suggested that you ensure your system’s compatibility with the software. With constant technical developments, outdated software versions would not work on newer systems. To avoid data loss due to sudden power outages, invest in an Uninterrupted Power Source (UPS).
• 🗄️ Separate software from other data – You should keep your software and other data, including your media files and documents on different drives. If this isn’t followed, your system can crash, or you risk disk failure. It can thus result in significant data loss.

This information can help you avoid losing your data. However, if a data-loss situation arises, the methods mentioned above can help you recover files or other data.

How to recover unsaved PowerPoint files in Windows 11?

PowerPoint comes ready with features that actively work to keep a record of your presentations, even if you haven’t saved it yet. To do this, PowerPoint takes regular snapshots of your file, which allows you to recover it in the event of sudden power or application failure.

To recover an unsaved PowerPoint file, follow these steps:

• Open PowerPoint .
• Click File , then Open . At the bottom of the recent files list, click Recover Unsaved Presentations .
• Select the unsaved presentation file in the UnsavedFiles folder, then click Open .

Once opened, save the presentation file like normal.

Where are PowerPoint AutoSave files stored?

If you’re not a Microsoft 365 user, the AutoSave feature that automatically saves your presentation almost immediately after any change won’t be available to you. Instead, you must rely on the AutoRecover feature.

AutoRecover, when enabled, will automatically make a copy of your file every 10 minutes by default. The path to this AutoRecover folder is typically C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\PowerPoint\ , but the below instructions will show you how to find the exact location for you.

• Click File , then Options .
• Click Save .
• Copy the path in the AutoRecover file location box and open it in File Explorer .

How to recover unsaved PowerPoint files on OneDrive?

If your PowerPoint presentation crashes before you get a chance to save it in OneDrive, you may still be able to recover it from a version that was automatically saved. To do so, follow these steps.

• Click File , then Open .
• Click Recover Unsaved Presentations .
• Select your unsaved presentation and click Open .

Going forward, if you’re a Microsoft 365 user, consider saving your file in OneDrive immediately after creating it. This way, the AutoSave feature will be enabled from the beginning, which will save your file every few seconds.

How do I recover PowerPoint history?

Follow these steps to recover PowerPoint file history:

• Open the file you want to view.
• Click File > Info > Version history . 
• Select a version to open it in a separate window.
• If you wish to restore a previous version you’ve opened, select Restore .

Where are temporary PowerPoint files stored?

Temporary PowerPoint files are stores under the following path: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp

Follow these steps to recover temporary PPT, PPTX files:

• Press Win + R and type in %temp% in the Run prompt.
• You can filter through the results in File Explorer by using the following extensions – *.pptx, *.ppt, ppt*.tmp . 
• If the presentation is located within the temporary files folder, it should show up in the results and you can recover it.

How to recover PowerPoint files that were not saved on the iPad?

All PowerPoint presentations are saved automatically on iOS devices. In the event that the AutoSave feature was manually disabled, there will be no way to recover an unsaved presentation.

Joshua Solomon

Technology, SaaS, and digital marketing are Joshua's go-to niches. He understands the need for simple and easy-to-read articles on the internet. As technologies grow in complexity, guides and how-to pieces must remain com...

Brett Johnson

This article has been approved by Brett Johnson, Data Recovery Engineer at ACE Data Recovery. Brett has a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Systems and Network, 12 years of experience.

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• Basic Features and Usage

How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint?

Written by: Bill Whitman

Last updated: April 9, 2024

Recovering an Unsaved PowerPoint Presentation

Losing an unsaved PowerPoint presentation can be frustrating. Whether it happened due to a sudden shutdown, crash, or simply forgetting to save your work, there are several methods to recover your unsaved PowerPoint file. One effective way is by using the AutoRecover feature in PowerPoint, which automatically saves a backup copy of your presentations at a set interval. Additionally, checking the Temporary Files folder on your computer can also yield potential recovery options. Here at LearnPowerpoint.io, we provide you with trusted advice on how to navigate this issue effectively.

Quick summary

• Use the AutoRecover feature in PowerPoint to recover unsaved files.
• Check the Temporary Files folder for backups of your presentation.
• Utilize Document Recovery to restore unsaved changes when PowerPoint restarts after a crash.

Step-by-Step Guide to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Presentations

Using autorecover to retrieve your presentation.

AutoRecover is a feature designed to protect your work in case of a power outage or crash. To recover your unsaved presentations through AutoRecover, follow these steps:

• Open PowerPoint and navigate to File > Open .
• Click on Recover Unsaved Presentations at the bottom of the menu.
• Select the presentation you wish to recover and click Open .

Remember, AutoRecover needs to be enabled in the settings for this to work. You can verify or adjust the settings by going to File > Options > Save and ensuring that the AutoRecover option is checked.

Finding Your Presentation in Temporary Files

Sometimes, your unsaved work might end up in the Temporary Files folder. Here’s how to access it:

• Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R .
• Type %temp% into the box and press Enter . This will open the Temporary Files folder.
• Look for files with a .ppt extension or a similar name to your lost presentation.
• If you find a relevant file, open it with PowerPoint and save it immediately.

Utilizing Document Recovery

If PowerPoint crashes or shuts down unexpectedly, the Document Recovery pane might appear when you restart the program. This pane displays any recovered files. Simply click on the file you wish to recover, then save it promptly.

Tips for Preventing Future Loss

To minimize the chances of losing important presentations in the future:

• Enable AutoSave if you are using PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.
• Regularly save your work by pressing Ctrl + S .
• Adjust the AutoRecover interval to a shorter time frame to ensure more frequent automatic saves.

At LearnPowerpoint.io, our trusted advice aims to not only help you recover your unsaved PowerPoint presentations but also to educate you on measures to prevent similar issues. Remember, regular saves and taking advantage of PowerPoint’s built-in recovery features can significantly decrease the risk of losing your precious work.

Recovering an unsaved PowerPoint presentation is usually manageable with the right steps. Whether through the AutoRecover feature, checking the Temporary Files, or using Document Recovery, it’s often possible to retrieve your work. By following the advice provided by LearnPowerpoint.io and enabling preventive measures like AutoSave and regular saving habits, you can safeguard your presentations against future losses.

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• Advanced Features and Interactivity
• Media and Design
• Slides and Organization
• Text and Formatting

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint

How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint

Losing unsaved information when making PowerPoint presentations can result in a massive loss of time and effort in an instant. You can use different methods to recover unsaved PowerPoint presentations and file versions. In the methods listed below, you can learn how to recover unsaved PowerPoint files and return them to specific file versions.

Method 1: Recover PowerPoint Files Offline

If your system or PowerPoint app randomly crashes, you are usually provided with the option to recover an unsaved file version. If such an option does not occur, you can recover your files using a recovery file. For this purpose, you should first ensure that file recovery is enabled in PowerPoint.

Enable File Recovery in PowerPoint

To enable file recovery, go to File -> Options . In the dialog box that opens up, configure your recovery settings.

You can set your newly created files and the PowerPoint templates you are editing to be saved after a set period of time (e.g., every 1 minute), enable recovering the last version of the file if PowerPoint is closed without saving the presentation, pick the default file location for saving the recovered files, and choose to keep copies of the files online or offline.

Autorecover PowerPoint Files

To recover a PowerPoint file, go to File -> Open and click Recover Unsaved Presentations or via File -> Info -> Manage Presentations -> Recover Unsaved Presentations .

Select the file version to recover from the list to autorecover PowerPoint.

Method 2: Recover PowerPoint Files using OneDrive

Enable autosave for powerpoint files to onedrive.

The new version of PowerPoint comes with an AutoSave option where your presentations can be autosaved to OneDrive. You can enable autosave using this option or enable OneDrive via File -> Save As .

If you aren’t logged in, you will be asked to Sign in and select OneDrive to save the file automatically online.

Recover AutoSaved Files from OneDrive

You can recover files by going to File -> Home and selecting the file name from the list.

The autosaved version of the file can also be found online by logging into your OneDrive account and searching for the file, by going to recent files, or via My Files -> Documents .

Method 3: Recover a File Version in PowerPoint

Sometimes, you don’t need to recover an unsaved file but a specific file version of the PowerPoint file. To recover a file version, go to File -> Info -> Version History .

This will display the versions available for the file for recovery in PowerPoint.

You can also recover file versions by logging into OneDrive and selecting Version History via right-click context menu.

Other Methods for Recovering Unsaved PowerPoint Files

There are also several methods that might be useful to autorecover PPT. These methods might be used when you have exhausted the means to recover PowerPoint files through conventional means.

Restore PowerPoint from Recycle Bin: Sometimes, a file might be accidentally deleted and placed in the Recycle Bin. Restoring a file from there might be your best option at times to recover an accidentally deleted file.

Restore PowerPoint using System Backup: Restoring a system backup might be viable if you have lost an important PowerPoint file due to an operating system reload or if the file might be saved in an older backup.

Recover PowerPoint using Data Recovery Software: There are a wide number of data recovery software that can be used to find and restore permanently deleted files from your hard drive. Some examples include EaseUS free data recovery software, Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery, and Recuva.

Restore PowerPoint using Cloud Storage App: If you’re unfamiliar with OneDrive, you might use alternative cloud storage apps such as Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox to save files. If you have a PowerPoint saved to these apps which were deleted or are missing, you can look to recover it via your cloud drive by logging into your cloud storage account and sifting through deleted files.

Temp Folder: you can also recover an unsaved PowerPoint via the Windows Temp folder by going to Windows+R and entering %temp% in the dialog box. This folder is usually located at C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Temp .

Final Words

To ensure that you can recover PowerPoint files, it is advised to enable autosave either offline or online via OneDrive. This will ensure that you can recover your PowerPoint file and a specific version according to need. Suppose you are unable to recover your PowerPoint files using conventional methods. In that case, the options available require a bit of heavy lifting, such as restoring a system backup, using data recovery software, or sifting through the Windows Temp folder. If you’re really lucky, restoring the file via the RecycleBin might be all you need to do.

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How to Recover Unsaved PPT in Windows 11: Step-by-Step Guide

Recovering an unsaved PowerPoint (PPT) in Windows 11 might seem like finding a needle in a haystack, but it’s actually quite simple. By using AutoRecover, temporary files, or previous versions, you can easily retrieve your work. Below, I’ll guide you through each step for a smooth recovery process.

How to Recover Unsaved PPT in Windows 11

First, we’ll explore the different ways to recover your unsaved PowerPoint. Follow these steps, and you’ll have your presentation back in no time.

Step 1: Open PowerPoint

Launch PowerPoint on your Windows 11 device.

Once PowerPoint is open, it will automatically try to recover any unsaved files. Look for a Document Recovery panel on the left side of the screen.

Step 2: Check the Document Recovery Panel

If PowerPoint found any unsaved files, they will be listed here.

Click on the file you want to recover. This will open the unsaved file in PowerPoint, allowing you to save it immediately.

Step 3: Use the "File" Tab

If you don’t see the file in the Document Recovery panel, click on the "File" tab.

In the "File" tab, select "Open," then "Recent," and finally "Recover Unsaved Presentations" at the bottom of the list.

Step 4: Browse for AutoRecovered Files

A window will appear showing all the unsaved files PowerPoint could recover.

Select the file you need and click "Open." This will open the file, and you can save it properly from here.

Step 5: Check Temporary Files

If the previous steps didn’t work, search your computer for temporary files.

Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder: C:Users[YourUsername]AppDataLocalMicrosoftOfficeUnsavedFiles. Look for PowerPoint files in this location, and open them to check if they are the ones you lost.

After you complete these steps, your unsaved PowerPoint should be recovered, and you can continue your work without losing any progress.

Tips for Recovering Unsaved PPT in Windows 11

• Always save your work frequently to avoid data loss.
• Enable AutoRecover in PowerPoint by going to "File" -> "Options" -> "Save" and setting the AutoRecover interval to 10 minutes or less.
• Use cloud storage options like OneDrive for real-time saving and backup.
• Check the recycle bin for accidentally deleted files.
• Maintain regular backups on an external drive or another safe location.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does autorecover save files in powerpoint.

AutoRecover saves files at intervals set by the user, typically every 10 minutes by default. You can adjust this interval in PowerPoint’s options.

Can I recover a deleted PowerPoint from the recycle bin?

Yes, if you accidentally deleted a PowerPoint file, you could recover it from the recycle bin unless it has been permanently deleted.

What if I can’t find the AppData folder?

The AppData folder is hidden by default. You can make it visible by going to File Explorer, selecting "View," and then checking the "Hidden items" box.

Are AutoRecover files saved indefinitely?

AutoRecover files are temporary and will be deleted if you close PowerPoint normally without saving your work.

Can I use third-party software to recover unsaved PowerPoint files?

Yes, but it’s usually best to try the built-in methods first. Third-party software can be helpful but might not always be reliable.

• Open PowerPoint.
• Check the Document Recovery Panel.
• Use the "File" tab.
• Browse for AutoRecovered files.
• Check temporary files.

Recovering an unsaved PowerPoint in Windows 11 doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By following the outlined steps and utilizing built-in features like AutoRecover and temporary file locations, you can easily find and restore your lost work. Always remember to save your work frequently and consider setting up automatic backups to prevent future data loss.

Stay diligent, and make use of the tips provided to ensure your PowerPoint presentations are always safe. If you often find yourself in this situation, it might be worth looking into additional resources or tools to help streamline your workflow and backup processes.

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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How to Recover Deleted/Unsaved PowerPoint Files (Multiple Methods for Windows)

No robots used , our articles are crafted by humans under strict Editorial Guidelines .

In that situation, you can use the methods below to recover the PowerPoint file and save yourself a lot of time.

Quick Navigation

How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint File

Forgetting to click the save button when creating a PowerPoint presentation is a fairly common problem, which is why Microsoft made it possible to recover unsaved presentations directly from PowerPoint.

Method #1: Click Recover Unsaved Presentations

As soon as you create a presentation, PowerPoint saves it in a special folder, called UnsavedFiles. The presentation is stored in this folder until you click the Save button and provide your own directory. Here’s how you can recover unsaved PowerPoint presentations that are still located in the UnsavedFiles folder:

• Launch PowerPoint.
• Open the File menu and click Open.

• Open your presentation and save it someplace safe.

If the UnsavedFiles folder is empty, then you need to try the other methods described in this article.

Method #2: Use the AutoRecover Feature

Located inside the Save section of PowerPoint Options is the AutoRecover feature. When enabled, this feature stores information about opened PowerPoint files every X minutes, and when PowerPoint is closed without saving.

The recovery files created by the AutoRecover feature can be found in the following location (USERNAME = your username):

You can recover them from this location by copying the path and pasting it in the File Explorer address bar.

Then, simply move the PPT or PPTX file to a safe location.

Method #3: Check the Temp Folder

Windows allows any application to store temporary inside the following folder:

You can quickly open this folder by pressing Windows key + R on your keyboard and typing %temp% in the Run prompt.

Since the Temp folder tends to be rather messy, we don’t recommend you go through it manually. Instead, enter the following search queries in the search box located in the top-right corner of File Explorer:

If these search queries fail to yield any results, then it’s possible that your PowerPoint files are deleted. The good news is that there are several ways to recover deleted PPT files, and we explore them in the next section of this article.

How to Recover Deleted PowerPoint File

The three methods we’ve described so far can help you recover a presentation that was closed without saving, but what about presentations that were saved, only to be deleted? Well, that’s where the following three methods come in.

Method #1: Look Inside the Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin should be the first place you look for lost PowerPoint files:

• Press Windows key + R to open the Run prompt.
• Enter: explorer.exe shell:RecycleBinFolder

• Find your PowerPoint file.

No luck finding your PowerPoint document inside the Recycle Bin? Then it’s most likely permanently deleted .

Method #2: Retrieve Your File from a Backup

It would be beyond the scope of this article to describe all popular backup applications available to Windows users, so we decided to narrow them down to just three:

• Local backup:
• OneDrive backup:
• File History:
• Connect your backup drive to your computer.
• Open it using File Explorer.
• Find your PPT presentation.
• Copy it to your computer.
• Open a web browser.
• Visit:  https://onedrive.live.com/
• Log in with your username and password.
• Download it to your computer.
• Open the Start menu.
• Type “file history.”
• Select Restore your files with File History.
• Navigate to where your PPT file was located and restore it.

Don’t have a backup of your lost PowerPoint file? Don’t despair! There’s still one method that you can try, and it works even if you don’t back up your files.

Method #3: Use Data Recovery Software

Data recovery software can undelete even permanently deleted files, as long as they haven’t been overwritten by new data. Such software applications are available from many different vendors, some of which are targeting enterprise customers, while others are focusing on individual home users.

To recover a PowerPoint presentation with Disk Drill :

• Add the lost PPT/PPTX file to the recovery queue by clicking the checkbox next to it.

Tips to Avoid Losing PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX) Files

Creating PowerPoint presentations is hardly ever fun, but having to recreate a lost presentation from scratch can be a torturous ordeal. Here’s what you can do to avoid losing your PowerPoint files:

• 💾 Enable AutoSave : If you’re using the latest version of PowerPoint (2016 or 2019) and have a Microsoft 365 subscription, then you can enable the AutoSave feature to save your files automatically, every few seconds, as you work. All you need to do is sign in with your Microsoft account and click the AutoSave button in the top-left corner. Unfortunately, the AutoSave feature is not present in PowerPoint 2003/2007/2010/2013.
• 💻 Back up your presentations : It’s never a good idea to keep just a single copy of an important presentation. Instead, consider using the 3-2-1 backup strategy , which states that you should always have three copies of your data, stored on two different media, with one copy off-site.
• ⚡ Buy a UPS : An uninterrupted power supply, or UPS for short, is essentially a battery that sits between your computer and the wall outlet the computer draws power from. In case of a power outage, the UPS quickly turns on to power your computer, allowing you to save your work.
• 💀 Avoid pirated versions of PowerPoint : Obviously, you should never use a pirated version of any software, but it’s especially dangerous to use a pirated version of PowerPoint and other Office applications because you never know if it hasn’t been tampered with and infected with malware.
• 🔧 Maintain your system : Unless your operating system is rock-solid, there will always be a chance of PowerPoint crashing at the worst possible moment. That’s why you should avoid installing dubious software applications from the internet. Instead, try to keep your system as clean as possible by following basic system maintenance tips .

How to recover deleted PowerPoint files?

Follow these simple steps to recover deleted PowerPoint presentations:

• Download, install & run Disk Drill on your PC.
• Select the disk containing the deleted PowerPoint files.
• Start the scan & wait for it to finish.
• Select the PPT files you want to recover & click “Recover”.
• Choose a safe recovery destination & hit “Confirm”.

How to recover a PowerPoint file after a crash?

To recover a PowerPoint file after a crash, open PowerPoint on your computer, click the File menu > Open > Recover Unsaved Presentations.

Can you recover deleted slides from PowerPoint?

No, even the latest version of PowerPoint doesn’t make it possible to recover deleted slides. The best you can do is restore an older version of the PowerPoint file, which can be easily done using OneDrive.

How to recover a corrupted PowerPoint file?

PowerPoint has a built-in file repair option, and you can access it by opening the File menu and selecting > Open > Browse > Open and Repair (accessible after clicking the small arrow next to the Open button).

How to recover a PowerPoint file that was saved over?

Unfortunately, you can’t recover a PowerPoint file that was saved over unless you have a backup safely stored somewhere on your computer or in the cloud.

In this article, we’ve described multiple methods that you can use to recover deleted and unsaved PowerPoint files, so all you need to do is pick the one that best fits your situation by consulting the Quick Navigation section at the start of this article.

This article was written by David Morelo , a Staff Writer at Handy Recovery Advisor. It was also verified for technical accuracy by Andrey Vasilyev , our editorial advisor.

Curious about our content creation process? Take a look at our Editor Guidelines .

Can You Recover Previous Version of PowerPoint? [Here’s How!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Sometimes, while working on a PowerPoint presentation, users accidentally delete important content or make unwanted changes that they cannot undo. In such situations, the ability to recover a previous version of PowerPoint can be extremely useful.

To recover the previous version of PowerPoint, go to the “File” tab and click on “Version History” in the “Info” screen. Finally, click on the “Restore” option from the dialog box of “Version History” to restore the selected previous version.

In this article, you will also learn how to recover the unsaved PowerPoint presentation with minimal loss of data. Let’s learn the steps below to restore your files and avoid losing important data:

1. Can You Recover Previous Version of PowerPoint?

The “Version History” feature in Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to access multiple previous versions of a PowerPoint file. You can then restore any of the previous versions that you want. However, to access the previous versions of a PowerPoint presentation in the “Version History” screen, you have to first connect your OneDrive to automatically upload all versions of your Office files.

2. How to Recover Previous Version of PowerPoint?

In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can recover a previous version of a presentation using the “Version History” feature in the “File” menu. To recover a previous version of a presentation, follow the 4 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “File” tab

The first step is to open the “File” menu. To do so, click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen.

Step-2: Click on the “Info” option

The next step is to click on the “Info” option. It is the fourth option in the sidebar on the left side of the screen in the “File” menu.

Step-3: Click on the “Version History” option

In the “Info” screen, all you have to do now is to click on the “Version History” option. This will open the “Version History” dialog box.

Step-4: Click on the “Restore” option

In the “Version History” dialog box, click on the previous version that you want to restore. It will open in a new window. The final step is to click on the “Restore” option to restore the selected previous version of the PowerPoint presentation.

3. How to Recover Previous Version of PowerPoint for the Web?

The Microsoft PowerPoint for the web application offers the “Version History” feature to view and restore previous versions of a presentation. To recover previous versions of a PowerPoint presentation on the web, follow the 5 quick steps.

Step-1: Click on the “File” menu

In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “File” tab. This will open the “File” menu.

In the “File” menu on the left side of the screen, click on the “Info” option. This will open the “Info” sidebar next to the “File” menu.

In the “Info” sidebar next to the “File” menu on the left side of the screen, you have to now click on the “Version History” option. This will open the “Version History” sidebar on the right side of the screen.

Step-4: Click on your preferred previous version

Now all you have to do is click on the previous version that you want to restore from the list of all the available previous versions in the “Version History” sidebar on the right side of the screen.

Step-5: Click on the “Restore” button

When you select a previous version of the presentation file in the “Version History” sidebar, it will open in the current window. Now all you have to do is click on the “Restore” button at the top of the screen to restore the previous version opened on the screen.

You can also click on the “Save a Copy” option if you want to restore the previous version without losing the current one.

4. How to Recover Previous Version of PowerPoint 2016?

In Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 and Office 2019, the “History” feature allows you to restore a previous version of a presentation slide. All you have to do is follow the 3 easy steps.

The first step is to open the current version of the PowerPoint presentation that you want to restore. Then click on the “File” tab in the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen.

Step-2: Click on the “History” option

In the “File” menu, click on the “History” option from the sidebar on the left side of the screen. This will open the “History” s creen.

Step-3: Click on the “Save” button

The final step is to click on the previous version that you want to restore from the “History” screen. The previous version of the PowerPoint presentation will open in a new window. All you have to do is to click on the “Save” button at the top left corner of the screen in the new window.

Alternatively, you can press the “Ctrl+S” keys on your keyboard to save the previous version.

5. How to Recover Previous Version of PowerPoint on Mac?

On a Mac device, you can recover a previous version of a PowerPoint presentation using the “File” menu. To do so, all you have to do is follow the 3 easy steps.

Step-1: Click on the title bar

The first step is to open the current version of the presentation file that you want to recover. Then click on the title bar to select the name of the document.

Step-2: Click on the “Browse Version History” option

In the toolbar at the top of the screen, you have to now click on the “Browse Version History” option. Now you can access all the previous versions of the presentation file.

Now all you have to do is click on the previous version that you want to restore. It will open in a new window. Click on the “Save” button at the top of the screen to save a copy of the previous version of the PowerPoint presentation.

6. How to Recover Unsaved Version of PowerPoint?

The “Recover Unsaved Presentations” feature in Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to access and restore recent PowerPoint presentations that failed to save to your device. To recover an unsaved presentation file, follow the 5 simple steps.

The first step is to open any PowerPoint presentation file on your device. In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “File” tab to open the “File” menu.

Step-2: Click on the “Open” option

The next step is to click on the “Open” option in the sidebar located on the left side of the screen in the “File” menu.

Step-3: Click on the “Recover Unsaved Presentations” button

At the bottom of the “Open” screen, click on the “Recover Unsaved Presentations” button. This will open the pop-up file browser window.

Step-4: Click on the “My Slide Libraries” option

In the “Open” pop-up window, click on the “My Slide Libraries” option to open the folder containing all recent unsaved presentation files.

Step-5: Click on the “Open” button

The final step is to select the unsaved PowerPoint presentation file that you want to recover from the “My Slide Libraries” folder in the “Open” window. Then all you have to do is click on the “Open” button at the bottom of the window to open the recovered presentation file.

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How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

We’ve all been there: working on a presentation in PowerPoint, when suddenly, the app crashes!

Remember that moment of panic, thinking all of your hard work has been lost? You need to know how to recover unsaved PowerPoint  files to save you time and a headache.

Not every PowerPoint is recoverable. But with a few steps, you can recover unsaved PowerPoint files in most cases. We'll cover that in this tutorial. Plus, you'll learn how to avoid lost PowerPoint files altogether.

How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Files

When you learn how to recover unsaved PowerPoint slides, you can avert a crisis. In moments, you can be back to work, without losing content. 

Consider times when you need to know how to recover unsaved PowerPoint presentations. You may accidentally close a file before saving, resulting in lost changes and edits. Or PowerPoint might crash. This could be caused by the app itself, or another issue.

When you learn how to recover unsaved PowerPoint decks, you can work stress-free. Even if an incident happens where PowerPoint closes, you’ll be comfortable knowing that you can recover your work. 

Recovering unsaved PowerPoint files helps you save the best presentations you build. But how do you build amazing presentations? Easy.

With the   Novate PowerPoint Presentation Template , you can build stunning slides every day. It's part of Envato Elements , an all-you-can-download creative subscription. We’ll use the Novate template to learn how to recover unsaved PowerPoint files. Download it today to follow along.

No matter which operating system you use, PowerPoint attempts to recover unsaved files. This will occur automatically when you reopen the app. In many cases, this instantly brings back your lost work. But sometimes, you have to dig deeper. Keep reading to learn how. 

1. Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Files on Windows

First, we’ll learn how to recover unsaved PPT decks on Microsoft Windows. The first step I like to take doesn’t always solve the issue, but it’s quick and easy. That’s because sometimes, you may actually have a saved copy of your slide deck.

Does PowerPoint autosave? Let's find out.

To check, click on the File tab in PowerPoint. Then, on the Home tab, look under Recent . If your presentation is listed there, click on it, and save it under a new name to start editing again.

Unfortunately, chances are that unsaved PPT files won’t appear in your Recent list. But you’re well on your way to getting them back. 

Stay in the File > Home > Recent section, now scrolling to the bottom. You’ll see a message there labeled Recover Unsaved Presentations. Go ahead and click on it.

Depending upon how many PPT decks you’ve opened recently, you may not see this option. The Recover Unsaved Presentations button hides when you've got many recent files. To find it, click on More Presentations , and you’ll now see it at the bottom of the list of files.

PowerPoint launches the Open file browser. It's pointed to the folder where unsaved, temporary PPTX files are kept. In many cases, this file path is AppData > Roaming > Microsoft > PowerPoint. If you have an unsaved file here, click it, then choose Open . Your missing slides open. 

Before doing anything else, be sure to go to File > Save As. Rename the presentation and save a new copy. Now, it’s safe to start working and editing again. 

This recovery technique uses a powerful PPT feature called AutoRecover. It's built to help you get back lost work. In essence, it answers "does PowerPoint autosave?" By default, the app saves a recovery file every ten minutes that you have the slide deck open. 

2. Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Files on macOS

PowerPoint works great on macOS, too! It’s growing more popular, and you may find yourself with an unsaved file on your Apple computer. Luckily, there are good Mac-based options to recover your unsaved work. Let’s work through some of them now.

To begin, you can check your Recent files, just in case there's a saved copy of your slide deck on your Mac. With PowerPoint back open, go to the File drop-down menu in the upper left. Click it, then hover over Open Recent. 

If you see your missing slides, click on them and PowerPoint opens the deck. Again, you’ll want to save a new copy of the file to ensure it’s editable and won’t become lost once more. 

When you cannot find your missing file in your Recent list, you’re not out of options. Your next best step is to find where PowerPoint stores temporary files on your Mac. There’s a good chance that your lost PPT will be held there.

To get started, open Terminal on your Mac. To reach Terminal, open your Other folder in Launchpad. Or, you can simply launch it by opening a Spotlight search and typing in Terminal .

With Terminal open, paste in the following where the cursor is positioned by default:

echo $TMPDIR

Then, press Return on your keyboard. Next, paste in the following and hit Return again:

open $TMPDIR

Your Mac launches the T (Temporary) folder, which contains many subfolders. Scroll down until you see the one labeled com.microsoft.Powerpoint. Open it up, and inside, you’ll see the TemporaryItems folder. 

If PowerPoint has kept a recovery copy of your slides, you'll find it there.

As you can see, there are good options to recover unsaved PowerPoint files. They vary between operating systems, but they’re available for both Windows and Mac. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with these techniques before you need them. That way, you can act fast when a slide deck goes missing! 

How to Prevent Loss of PowerPoint Files

In PowerPoint, there are two distinct ways that files are saved or archived. These are the AutoSave and AutoRecover options. AutoSave is the easiest and best option. 

It does exactly what the name suggests. Whenever you make a change to your slide deck, a copy is automatically saved. Even if PowerPoint (or your computer) crashes, you’ll be able to easily retrieve your slides. However, AutoSave isn't enabled by default in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Turning on AutoSave works identically on both Windows and Mac. With PowerPoint open, look in the upper left corner of the screen, on the orange menu bar. You’ll see a toggle button labeled AutoSave . To enable AutoSave , click on the button so that it reads On .

Now, any time you make a change in your PPT slide deck, it'll be saved automatically. If PowerPoint crashes, your finished presentation is saved and ready to work with.

Windows and Mac both support PowerPoint’s other leading way to retrieve lost files. That’s AutoRecover , and you saw it demonstrated above where we retrieved temporary files.

As mentioned, by default, AutoRecover saves files every ten minutes. That means that if you’ve made just a few quick edits, you might lose your work if PPT crashes. 

Fortunately, you can change the interval so that AutoRecover saves a backup of your PPT more often. To do this, use the following steps on Windows:

• Go to File > Options .
• Click on the Save tab in the PowerPoint Options sidebar.
• In the Save Presentations group, ensure that the S ave AutoRecover Information box is checked. Then, lower the time from the default of 10 minutes to a lower value, like every 2 minutes.

Now, an AutoRecover file of your PPT will be retained more frequently. This enables you to rescue your lost PPT files easily.

Working on a Mac? To step up the pace of AutoRecover , follow these steps:

• Click on the PowerPoint button in the top left corner of your screen.
• From the drop-down, choose Preferences.
• In the Output and Sharing group, click Save .
• Change the time interval using the arrow buttons.

As you can see, it’s easy to avoid the loss of PowerPoint files. Before you get to work building presentations, be sure to enable AutoSave.

Does PowerPoint autosave? With this tweak, absolutely!

And it’s always a good idea to generate AutoRecover save points more frequently. When you do, you can work with peace of mind knowing that you’ll never lose any work in Microsoft PowerPoint. 

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By joining Envato Elements, you'll have unlimited access. That includes professional PowerPoint templates that'll help you create engaging, visually appealing presentations.

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Keep Learning Microsoft PowerPoint

Now, you know how to recover unsaved PPT files. This valuable skill is a great one to build on with more helpful articles. Keep learning, even after you've mastered how to recover unsaved PowerPoint files.

Check out more top tutorials with the links below. We've compiled the best PowerPoint resources in our guide, How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide.)

More Top Templates for Microsoft PowerPoint

Let's say that our steps for how to recover unsaved PPT files didn't work. It's regretful, but unfortunately, it happens.

What you  can  do at this point is rebuild in an efficient way. That means starting not from scratch, but with the help of a template. These templates have most of the work done  for you . Just fill them in with your content. See more of the best templates in these articles:

Now You Know How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Presentations

You know now how to recover unsaved PowerPoint files if at all possible. Remember: if you lose your PowerPoint, restart with a premium template. It helps you make your deadline without starting from a blank slate.

You may not need this skill today, but it's an important one to know for the future. Bookmark this tutorial on how to recover unsaved PPT for when disaster strikes. You might just be able to save the time versus rebuilding your slide deck!

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Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

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Computers don’t always work the way they’re supposed to. Nothing is more frustrating than when a program locks up and stops responding, or worse, completely crashes—especially if you lose progress on an important presentation that you’re working on.

Fortunately, PowerPoint will try to automatically save backup copies of your presentations. If PowerPoint 2019 encounters a problem and stops responding, you can restart PowerPoint or your computer and try to recover your lost presentations.

Recover a Presentation

If an unsaved presentation can be recovered, a Recover unsaved presentations heading will appear on the Welcome screen.

The Document Recovery pane appears, listing all recovered presentations that were found.

The last autosaved version of that presentation opens.

The Document Recovery pane closes, and you can get back to work.

AutoRecovery Settings

You can further protect your work by using the AutoRecover feature to periodically save a temporary copy of the presentation you're working on. To recover work after a software failure, you must have turned on the AutoRecover feature before the problem occurred. You can set the AutoRecover save interval to occur more frequently than its default setting of every 10 minutes.

• Click Save .
• Make sure the Save AutoRecover information check box is checked.

You can’t specify the interval if the check box is not selected.

Even with PowerPoint’s recovery features, the best way to ensure that you don’t lose much progress is to save your work regularly.

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How to Recover a Deleted or Unsaved PowerPoint Presentation

Last update: March 22, 2023

PowerPoint is very popular presentation software. It can be disastrous to lose or delete an important PowerPoint file. Fortunately, there are ways to get lost PowerPoint presentations back. Read on to see how you can recover your valuable data.

Ways to Recover Deleted or Unsaved PowerPoint Presentations

There are multiple ways to recover deleted or lost PowerPoint files. Let’s take a look at the various methods you can use to get back deleted or unsaved PowerPoint files.

Method 1: Use Operating System Features

The first place to look for any lost files is in the special folders that the Windows and Mac operating systems provide to temporarily store deleted items.

To recover a PowerPoint presentation from the Windows Recycle Bin , follow these steps:

• Open the Recycle Bin by clicking on its icon.
• Find the file you wish to restore.
• Click or tap on Restore to recover the file to its original location.

Mac users can use the Trash to recover recently deleted PPT files with these steps:

• Open the Trash by clicking on its icon.
• Locate the item you want to recover.
• Right-click on the PowerPoint file and click Put Back.

Method 2: Try Native PowerPoint Features

PowerPoint provides two powerful native methods of recovering data. You can use the PowerPoint Autorecover feature or the Recover Unsaved Presentation feature. Here’s how they work.

AutoRecover – PowerPoint automatically saves files temporarily via the AutoRecover feature. Recovering them requires navigating to the appropriate folder and searching for your file. To see where PowerPoint is storing the files, use the following steps in PowerPoint.

• Open File > Options > Save.
• The file is specified in the AutoRecover file location field.

You can also  enable or disable AutoRecover  from this window and modify the elapsed time between automatic saves of your PowerPoint files.

Recover Unsaved Presentation  – If PowerPoint crashes before you have a chance to save your presentation, you can use this feature to recover your work. Just follow these steps:

• Open the File tab in PowerPoint.
• Select Recent.
• Click on the Recover Unsaved Presentation icon on the bottom-right of the window.

Recover from temporary PowerPoint files  – You may be able to manually save files that have been temporarily saved by the application. Look in these locations for your operating system if you have lost a PowerPoint file.

• Windows – C :\ Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp
• Mac – /Users/<username>/Library/Containers/com.Microsoft.Powerpoint /Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery

Method 3: Use PowerPoint Recovery Software

In cases where the previous recovery methods are not successful, specialized software may help you restore a lost PPT file. Data recovery software works by taking advantage of the way modern operating systems delete data. When a file is deleted on a Windows or Mac machine, the data is not immediately removed from a disk-based storage device. The operating system disables logical access to the deleted data but it remains on the disk until it is overwritten by new information.

Our editorial team has extensively used licensed copy of Disk Drill data recovery software, which has proven to be a reliable solution for various data loss situations. The steps with other recovery applications will be similar to the following procedure that we use with Disk Drill for Windows.

• Download and install the software. Don’t use the disk that contained the lost PowerPoint files or you risk overwriting them.
• Launch the application and select the disk with the missing PowerPoint presentations from the list of available devices.

• Click the  Recover  button to сhoose a safe storage location that is not on the disk being recovered.

There are many data recovery software solutions available for Mac and Windows computers. Some are freeware applications while others are commercial products. When you are tasked with recovering a lost PowerPoint file, you want to choose the right software tool. Here are some things to keep in mind when making your choice.

Freeware solutions such as Disk Drill data recovery software provide more features than free alternatives.The only real benefit of free tools is the price. The features included with a commercial solution are generally far superior to free alternatives. When faced with a data loss situation, you want to use the best tool available, and a paid/freeware solution will give you a better chance of successful recovery.

Method 4: Recover PowerPoint Presentation From a Backup

If you are following accepted best practices and backing up your computer regularly, you may have a copy of the lost PowerPoint available on backup storage media. Whatever tool you choose to use for making backups, the recovery process is essentially the same and will follow these general steps.

• Connect the storage media containing the backup files to your computer.
• Start the backup and recovery application.
• Search for the PowerPoint presentation you want to recover.
• If found, restore the file to your computer.

The fact that the last resort may be to use a backup copy to recover your files demonstrates the importance of making it a regular practice to back up your data. Take the time to do it. Someday you will be very happy that you did.

Why Do PowerPoint Files Get Deleted?

Just as with any other type of file living on your computer or laptop, there are many ways that PowerPoint presentations can be lost or deleted. Here are some of the most common reasons you might lose one of these important files.

• Human error is involved in a large majority of data loss incidents. It’s very easy to inadvertently delete the wrong file and then empty the Trash or Recycle Bin. You may also accidentally format a drive or partition that contained some PowerPoint files.
• An infection with a virus or malware can be responsible for the loss of data on a Mac or Windows 7/8/10/11 machine. Files may be randomly deleted or the filesystem can become corrupted depending on what type of malware has entered your system.
• Physically damaged disks will often exhibit lost and deleted data. Disks can be damaged due to simple wear and tear or by treating them badly and exposing the devices to excessive moisture or heat.

Protecting Your PowerPoint Files

There are several measures that you can take to protect your PowerPoint files.

The information presented in this section should help you protect your PowerPoint presentations and recover them if you are impacted by a sudden data loss. Here are a few more points of interest regarding recovering deleted PowerPoint files.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i recover a powerpoint that i have overwritten.

Once you have saved a PowerPoint over an older copy, the best way to recover it is with a backup. Windows users may also be able to use the Restore Previous Version feature that also depends on restore points being saved by the operating system.

How can I recover deleted PowerPoint files from an iPad?

Data recovery software can be used to restore a PowerPoint file deleted from an iPad. Connect the iPad to your computer and let the recovery software scan it as it would any other disk-based device.

How can I recover a file if PowerPoint crashes?

Use the Recover Unsaved Presentation feature to recover files that you were working on when PowerPoint stopped responding or crashed. Alternately, you can use PowerPoint’s Autorecover feature which can be configured to automatically save presentations on a time-frame of your choosing.

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Robert is a freelance writer and technology enthusiast who graduated from Pace University in New York with a degree in Computer Science in 1992. He is a former computer specialist at IBM. During his long career in IT, he has worked for a number of major service providers in various roles related to data storage, management, and protection.

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Yevgeniy Tolkunov is Hardware Engineer at ACE Data Recovery. Yevgeniy has a Master's Degree in Physics, Information Technology; 15+ years of experience.

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2 Easiest Ways to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint (Step-by-Step Guide)

Working with PowerPoint and other office software is becoming increasingly popular, especially since the onset of COVID-19. Alongside this trend, users facing challenges have become more common, with their presentations occasionally getting lost due to errors or unexpected interruptions in PowerPoint. However, there's no need to worry; PowerPoint presentations can be recovered. In this article, we will discuss methods to recover unsaved presentations on both Mac and Windows. So, let's proceed to recover your presentation!

How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint on Windows (In Easy Steps)

In this section, we will learn how to recover unsaved PowerPoint files on Windows, so, let's get started!

Method1: Using the “Recover Unsaved Presentations” Feature in PowerPoint

In this method, we will utilize PowerPoint's built-in feature called "Recover Unsaved Presentations:

Step 1: Open the PowerPoint app on your Windows system and go to the "Open" tab in the sidebar. There, you will find the option for "Recover Unsaved Presentation".

Step 2: The system will then prompt you to the location of unsaved files within File Explorer. You can also manually navigate to the directory.

Step 3: In the directory, you will see a list of recoverable PPT files. Select the latest version to restore.

Step 4: Make sure to save your recovered PowerPoint file in a safe and easily accessible location. It's recommended to save it as a copy.

Method 2: Using the AutoRecover Feature to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint

Step 1: Open PowerPoint, click "File" in the upper left corner, and select "Options" from the dropdown.

Step 2: In the PowerPoint Options window, choose "Save" from the left-hand menu, locate "AutoRecover file location", and copy the following path:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\PowerPoint

Step 3: Open File Explorer, then paste and browse the copied path to locate the unsaved file you need.

Step 4: Copy the unsaved file to a secure location, change its file extension to .pptx or .ppt, and attempt to open and save it in another location.

How to Recover Unsaved PowerPoint on Mac (Easy & Quick)

Mac users can recover their unsaved presentation files easily as follows:

Method 1: Check Recent Files on Mac

Step 1: Start the PowerPoint application on your Mac.

Step 2: Navigate to the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click on "File" and select "Open Recent" from the dropdown menu. Click on Presentation to move forward.

Step 3: Choose the file you need, and it will open in PowerPoint.

Step 4: Now, go to "File" again, but this time, select "Save As" and pick your desired location to save the file.

Method 2: Using AutoSave Feature on Mac (If Enabled)

Step 1: Open PowerPoint on your Mac, then go to "Preferences".

Step 2: In the Preferences menu, click on "Save" in the Preference window.

Step 3: Make sure the box next to "Save AutoRecover info every" is checked, this enables AutoSave.

To Find the AutoRecovery Folder:

Step 1: Quickly locate the PowerPoint AutoSave folder on your Mac. Open Finder, click "Go" in the menu, and select "Go to Folder".

Step 2: Copy and paste the following folder path in the search field, replacing "username" with your username:

/Users/username/Library/Containers/com.Microsoft.Powerpoint/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery

Step 2: Once you find the necessary file, you can either drag and drop it into a different folder or open the PPT presentation and click "File" > "Save as".

How to Avoid PowerPoint from Being Unsaved Again

What is wps office and why choose it.

Unexpected power outages and computer crashes can disrupt your work at any moment. To maintain productivity and safeguard your work, it's crucial to utilize the right resources. WPS Office offers a solution by providing cloud storage options that automatically save your work as you progress. This comprehensive office suite is highly compatible, allowing you to seamlessly work on documents, presentations, and spreadsheets without any concerns. Plus, its compatibility with Microsoft Office ensures smooth collaboration and hassle-free document sharing.

Edit Your PowerPoint Presentations with WPS Office

Step 1: To kickstart the editing process, the initial step involves downloading WPS Office. Head to the official WPS Office website to initiate the download.

Step 2: Open the WPS Office application once it has been successfully downloaded.

Step 3: After launching WPS Office, choose "Slides" from the Side Bar, and then you’ll see the “Open” icon, click on it to open your PowerPoint Presentation.

Step 4: Elevate the quality of your presentation with ease by making use of the diverse editing tools available in WPS Presentation!

Step 5: Once your presentation is ready, click on the menu in the top left corner. Then, select the "Save" option to store your presentation safely on your computer.

Use Cloud Storage Service

WPS Cloud is a comprehensive document storage and management service integrated with WPS Office. It offers users 1GB of free storage space for files and rich media. Documents are automatically saved to WPS Cloud, allowing file roaming and cross-device accessibility.

Creating a New Folder:

Step 1: In WPS Office , click on "Files" in the sidebar menu.

Step 2 : Select "WPS Drive." You'll see all your files stored in WPS Cloud. Now, click on "New" and then choose "Folder" to create a new folder in WPS Cloud.

To delete a single file:

Step 1: Go back to "WPS Drive" and locate the file you want to delete.

Step 2: Right-click on the file, then choose "Delete" from the context menu to remove it from WPS Drive.

Downloading Files:

Step 1: In "WPS Drive", locate the file you wish to download.

Step 2: Right-click on the file and select "Export" from the context menu.

Step 3: Choose the location to save the file and click "Save".

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Q1. What is the standard storage space provided for a WPS account?

A standard WPS account comes with 1 GB of storage in the cloud. You can save documents, spreadsheets, and other files there. But if you need additional space, you can get a Premium account. You get 20 GB of storage with a Premium account. You have to pay for Premium every month for a monthly subscription. It is practical if you usually make and save big files using WPS.

Q2. Do PowerPoint presentations save automatically?

Yes, PowerPoint presentations do have an autosave feature. By default, PowerPoint autosaves your work every 10 minutes. This feature protects your work in case of unforeseen issues like power outages or program crashes. But it's still a good practice to save your work yourself regularly. If you want to retrieve an autosaved file, you can do so from the Backstage view in PowerPoint.

Q3. How do I change the AutoSave frequency in PowerPoint?

To modify how often PowerPoint saves your work automatically, follow this straight-forward step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Open PowerPoint and click on the "File” menu. You can locate this on the Left side.

Step 2: From the menu that displays, select "Options".

Step 3: In the Options window, click on "Save".

Step 4: Look for the "Save AutoRecover information every [X] minutes" field under "Save presentations".

Step 5: Adjust the number in this field to set how often PowerPoint saves your work automatically.

Remember that saving more frequently will secure your work but may slow down the PowerPoint. Therefore, find the ideal option that suits your preferences.

Empower Your PowerPoint Journey with Recovery and Enhancement

However, sometimes, due to power outages or app malfunctions, our hard work in crafting a presentation isn't saved. In this article, we have explored how to recover our unsaved presentations. WPS Office offers the convenience of cloud storage, allowing you to seamlessly recover unsaved presentations. Download WPS Office today and streamline your presentation-making process.

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Quick Guide to Recover Unsaved/Deleted PowerPoint for Windows

PowerPoint is an amazing Office tool that many people use on daily basis for work, education or entertainment need. However, as is often the case with other Office programs such as Excel and Word, accidents happen from time to time, resulting in files unsaved or deleted mistakenly.

Whenever you have forgotten to save your PowerPoint file or accidentally deleted it, you may get anxious as the presentation is simply too precious to be lost in the void. Don't panic! Using Microsoft Office for Windows 11/10 as an example, this article will present to you 2 quickest in-app methods to recover unsaved PowerPoint , and another effective method to help recover the lost presentation files .

Method 1: Using "Recover Unsaved Presentations" Function

Method 2: Using AutoRecover Feature on Windows 11/10

Method 3: Using AnyRecover on Windows 11/10

User tips on microsoft powerpoint, a quick video tutorial.

Method 1. Using "Recover Unsaved Presentations" Function

One of the simpliest way to recover unsaved ppt might be doing it via PowerPoint's Recover Unsaved Presentation function.

Step 1 . Launch Microsoft PowerPoint on your Windows PC.

Step 2 . Navigate to File > Open > Recent . On this section, find and click on  the "Recover Unsaved Presentations" option shown in the bottom-right corner.

Step 3 . After the above steps, you will see the UnsavedFiles folder. Browse and find the PowerPoint file you are looking for, open it, and then manually save the file.

The UnsavedFiles folder stores the unsaved presentations temporarily . Therefore you should recover your unsaved presentation as quickly as possible before it is removed.

Method 2. Using AutoRecover Feature on Windows 11/10

Apart from the "Recover Unsaved Presentations" function, there is another bulit-in feature of Microsoft Office that enables users to recover PowerPoint files not saved- AutoRecover . It is designed to recover files automatically in the event of a crash by periodically saving a copy of the ppt file in the background. 

Before starting to recover unsaved PowerPonit files using AutoRecover Feature, make sure you have enabled it:

Step 1 . Launch Microsoft PowerPoint and open a  presentation.

Step 2 . Navigate to File >   Options > Save .

Step 3 . Now check the two boxes labeled as "Save AutoRecover information every x minutes" and "Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving" . This way the AutoRecover feature will enable you  to recover unsaved PowerPoint files.

Follow these instructions to recover your PowerPoint file using AutoRecover feature:

Step 1 . First, copy the path from the file location of AutoRecover.

Step 2 . Paste the path on the address bar of Windows File Explorer and press Enter.

Step 3 . Now find the lost unsaved PowerPoint file, open it, and manually save it to a secure location.

While AutoRecover feature is good, you shouldn't heavily rely on it. It's always the best to form a habit of frequently saving the document while you are working on it.

If unfortunately, your PowerPoint gets deleted permanently and you cannot find it in the Recycle Bin, or the above-mentioned methods don't work to recover the unsaved file, you can try using a professional data recovery tool to recover your lost PowerPoint file.  AnyRecover serves as a powerful tool that'll help recover your lost files quickly and efficiently.

To recover unsaved/deleted PowerPoint with the help of AnyRecover, simply follow these 3 steps below:

Step 1 . Download and install AnyRecover first. After that, launch this program and select the location from which you want to recover data.

Step 2 . Click the "Start" button. An all-round and deep scan will begin in order to dig out all the files recoverable. You can pause or resume the process anytime you want.

Step 3 . Once the scan is completed, all files will be displayed including your lost or unsaved PowerPoint. Preview first to make sure nothing goes wrong and selectively recover what you want.

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Windows 11/10/8/7/XP and macOS supported

Q1. Where are PowerPoint AutoSave files stored?

AutoSave is a different feature from AutoRecover. It automatically saves the changes made to the file every few seconds as you work so that you don't have to worry about saving manually during the working process. AutoSave is enabled by default  when a file is stored on OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint Online. 

Q2. How do I recover an unsaved PowerPoint presentation on 2007/2010/2016/2019/Office 365?

The ways to recover unsaved PowerPoint are pretty much the same for different versions of PowerPoint. Just try the methods mentioned in this article or use AnyRecover to do the job.

Q3. How to recover unsaved PowerPoint on Mac?

Recovering unsaved PowerPoint on Mac is not that hard. We've also got a full tutorial , in which AnyRecover for Mac can also be considered a good choice.

PowerPoint files are some of the most valuable files on your computer and losing them could be a headache. Fortunately, you can recover unsaved/deleted PowerPoint easily via certain in-app methods mentioned above. In addition, saving a professional data recovery tool like AnyRecover for a rainy day would also be a good idea if you deal with file-heavy work on a daily basis.

Related Articles:

• Top Ways to Recover Word 2010/2007 Documents [100% Work]
• 4 Ways You Must Try to Recover Excel Document [100% Work]
• 3 Quickest Ways to Recover Unsaved/Deleted PowerPoint on Mac

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How to Fix a Corrupted PowerPoint PPTX File

Last Updated: January 5, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 308,496 times. Learn more...

A corrupt file can bring your well-prepared presentation to a screeching halt. There are several ways you can try getting a corrupted file to load, including moving it to a new location, extracting the slides from inside of it, and loading PowerPoint in Safe Mode. If you’re able to recover some or all of the corrupted presentation, you can use the recovered slides to make it again. This wikiHow teaches you some helpful techniques to get your PowerPoint presentation back up and running.

Using Open and Repair (Windows)

• If the presentation opens but didn't before, you should be able to click the Presentation icon at the top to start the slideshow.
• If you need to make changes to the presentation, click Enable Editing at the top to do so.

Inserting Slides into a New Presentation (Windows and macOS)

• Click the File and select Save As , and then save the file with a different name as a backup. [9] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
• Click the Design tab, select More (or the down-arrow with a horizontal line above it) on the Themes panel, and then click Browse for Themes .
• Select your damaged presentation file and click OK . This will load the slide master from your damaged presentation, which will restore the theme.
• Switch back to your backup copy of the recovered presentation if it stops

• To be extra safe, save it to a different location than the original corrupted file was stored.

Adding a New Trust Location (Windows)

• You can now close the File Explorer window.

• Keep clicking ' OK until you've returned to the blank presentation.

• If it does, continue to work with this version of the file.

Moving the Presentation to a Different Drive (Windows and macOS)

• To open File Explorer on Windows, right-click the Windows Start butting and select File Explorer . [16] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
• To open Finder on macOS, click the two-toned smiley face icon on the Dock.

• If the file doesn’t allow you to copy it, the file or the drive itself may be corrupt.

• Windows - Open your Computer/This PC window, right-click the disk that was giving you problems, and select Properties . On the Tools tab, select Check now in the "Error Checking" section. Check both boxes and click Start .
• Mac - Open the Disk Utility program in the Utilities folder. Select the problematic disk from the left menu, then click First Aid . Click Run or Repair Disk . [18] X Research source

Opening PowerPoint in Safe Mode (Windows)

• If the presentation opens in Safe Mode but not normally, you may need to reinstall PowerPoint.

Community Q&A

• If all of your presentation files are getting corrupted, there is likely something wrong with the storage device. Try the disk checking methods outlined in the first section, and avoid saving new files there in the future. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/open-a-document-after-a-file-corruption-error-47df9d48-2165-4411-a699-1786ac734bc3
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-and-delete-slides-in-powerpoint-8bf2b58d-df6c-4e5f-90e3-ade289a2d64d
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/reuse-import-slides-from-another-presentation-c67671cd-386b-45dd-a1b4-1e656458bb86
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-multiple-slide-masters-in-one-presentation-dc684a1d-9d14-4ead-9bb5-2303d4fedba8
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/save-your-presentation-file-34377c9c-a1e5-44e1-9c3f-e6e72ee6c541
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/927477
• ↑ https://thegeekpage.com/repair-corrupt-powerpoint-files/
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-remove-or-change-a-trusted-location-in-microsoft-office-7ee1cdc2-483e-4cbb-bcb3-4e7c67147fb4
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/find-and-open-file-explorer-ef370130-1cca-9dc5-e0df-2f7416fe1cb1
• ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/powerpoint/damaged-presentation
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210898
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/open-office-apps-in-safe-mode-on-a-windows-pc-dedf944a-5f4b-4afb-a453-528af4f7ac72?ui=en-us&rs=en-us&ad=us

About This Article

1. Open the folder with the corrupt file. 2. Connect a storage device. 3. Open a folder on the storage device. 4. Drag the corrupt file to a folder on the storage device. 5. Open the file from its new location. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Repair a Corrupt PowerPoint Presentation

Learn how to repair a corrupt PowerPoint presentation with this step-by-step guide, restoring your slides quickly and effectively.

Symptoms of a Corrupt PowerPoint Presentation

• Error Messages When Opening a File : Messages like "This is not a PowerPoint Presentation," "PowerPoint cannot open the type of file represented by <file_name>.ppt ," or "Part of the file is missing" may appear.
• System Errors : You might encounter system errors such as "General Protection Fault," "Illegal Instruction," "Invalid Page Fault," "Low system resources," or "Out of memory."
• Unexpected Behavior : The presentation may fail to open, or you might experience unexpected crashes or errors while editing the slides.

How to Determine if Your PowerPoint Presentation is Damaged

Method 1: open the presentation on another computer.

• Transfer the File : Copy the PowerPoint file to another computer with PowerPoint installed.
• Open the File : Try opening the file on the other computer. If it opens without issues, the problem may lie with your computer, not the file.

Method 2: Create a New Presentation

• Open PowerPoint : Launch PowerPoint on your computer.
• Create a New Presentation : Go to the "File" menu, select "New," and choose a template to create a new presentation.
• Save and Open : Save the new presentation, close PowerPoint, and then try reopening it. If you encounter the same issues, PowerPoint itself may be damaged, requiring a repair of the software (discussed later).

Methods to Repair a Corrupt PowerPoint Presentation

Method 1: drag the presentation to the powerpoint program icon.

• Locate PowerPoint : Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing your PowerPoint installation (usually in Program Files or Program Files (x86) ).
• Drag the Presentation : Drag the corrupted PowerPoint file onto the PowerPoint executable icon ( Powerpnt.exe ).
• Open the File : PowerPoint will attempt to open the file. If unsuccessful, proceed to the next method.

Method 2: Insert Slides into a New Presentation

• Create a Blank Presentation : Open PowerPoint and create a new blank presentation.
• Insert Slides from the Damaged File : Go to the "Home" tab, click the arrow next to "New Slide," and select "Reuse Slides." Browse to the damaged file and select "Open."
• Copy Slides : Insert each slide from the damaged presentation into the new one.
• Save the New Presentation : Once all slides are copied, save the new presentation with a different name.

Method 3: Open the Temporary File Version

• Find the Temporary File : Search for files named PPT####.tmp (where #### is a random number) in the same folder as your original presentation or in the temporary files folder.
• Rename and Open : Rename the temporary file extension from .tmp to .pptx , then try opening it in PowerPoint.

Method 4: Make a Copy of the Damaged Presentation

• Copy the File : Right-click on the damaged presentation and select "Copy." Paste it into a different folder.
• Open the Copy : Try opening the copied file in PowerPoint. If it opens, you can attempt to save it with a new name or try other repair methods.

Method 5: Run Error Checking on Your Hard Disk

• Open File Explorer : Right-click on the hard drive containing your presentation and select "Properties."
• Run Error-Checking : Go to the "Tools" tab and click "Check Now" under Error-checking. Select the options to automatically fix file system errors and scan for bad sectors.
• Restart : After the scan, restart your computer and try opening the presentation again.

Additional Methods If You Can Open a Damaged Presentation

Method 1: apply the damaged presentation as a template.

• Create a New Presentation : Open a new blank presentation in PowerPoint.
• Reuse Slides : Follow the steps mentioned in Method 2 above to insert slides from the damaged presentation.
• Apply the Template : Save the new presentation, then apply the damaged presentation as a template from the "Design" tab. This might restore some of the original formatting.

Method 2: Save as Rich Text Format (RTF)

• Save as RTF : Open the damaged presentation, go to "File," select "Save As," and choose "Outline/RTF (*.rtf)" as the format.
• Recover Text : Open the RTF file in PowerPoint, which will only display the text content from the original presentation.

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