How to manage autosave option in Microsoft Office apps?

If you use Microsoft Office apps like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, there is a new feature called AutoSave.

Microsoft introduced the AutoSave option which automatically saves the document you’re working on to prevent data loss.

Anything can happen. Sudden power outages, your system or program could crash, you can accidentally close a file without saving it, or you could spill coffee on your laptop.

The AutoSave and AutoRecover options protect your files from such unexpected outcomes. Today’s guide shows you how to configure AutoSave in Office apps on Windows 10.

How to enable AutoSave in MS Office for documents stored in OneDrive

When you open a document from OneDrive, OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online, one thing you’ll notice is that the “Save As” option has been replaced with “Save a Copy.”

Every few seconds, your work is saved automatically by the new AutoSave feature. However, you must be an Office 365 subscriber running the latest version of Office apps on Windows 10 to see this option.

You can also disable the feature if it interferes with your work. To enable AutoSave for the documents you store in OneDrive?

1. Open Cortana or the Start Menu, and type Excel, Word or PowerPoint. (We’ll use Word as an example).
2. Press Enter.
3. Click the File menu on the upper left corner of the app.
4. Go to Options, and select Save.
5. Under the first section titled “Save documents,” check the box next to “AutoSave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on Word.”

With AutoSave turned on, any future changes you make to the Office document you save in the OneDrive folder will be stored automatically.

Since the changes take effect in real time, you will not be able to adjust the AutoSave time interval.

To disable the AutoSave feature, follow Steps 1 to 4 above. In Step 5, uncheck the box next to “AutoSave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default on Word.”

Please note that AutoSave is only enabled when you work on a file that’s saved to OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint Online. If AutoSave is disabled, one of the following might be the reason.

• The file is saved to a local path (e.g. your local drive).
• OneDrive is paused.
• Your file is saved in one of the old formats like .ppt, .doc, or .xls.
• OneDrive is outdated.

Useful tip: If you want to edit your document but keep the original copy untouched, launch your Office app and go to File > Save a Copy. The changes you make won’t affect your original file.

How to enable AutoRecover in Office for documents you store on your computer

If you’re using the 2016 release of Office Suite for Windows, you must be familiar with the AutoRecover feature. It is useful, especially in a scenario where you accidentally hit the close button of an Office app, and instead of pressing ‘Save’, you click ‘Don’t Save’.

Luckily, with AutoRecover, you can reopen the file you were working on, and your latest changes will still be intact.

To enable AutoRecover in Office 2016:

1. Click Start.
2. Type the Office app you wish to configure the AutoRecover option, and press Enter. (We use Word for reference).
3. Open the File menu
4. Go to Options, and click Save.
5. Under “Save documents,” make sure the box next to “Save AutoRecover information every x minutes” is checked.
6. As an extra safety measure, make sure the box next to “Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving” is always checked.

By default, AutoRecover is set to save Office files every 10 minutes. To increase the chances of saving most of your work in case the program crashes, set the Office app to AutoSave every minute.

Useful tip: You can save your work at any time by hitting the disk icon at the top-left corner on your Office app.

How to Use AutoRecover Option in Office 2016

In the event of a power outage, you don’t have to worry about losing your work. To recover your files, use the following steps:

1. Launch Word.
2. The Document Recovery task pane automatically opens on the left-hand side of the app.
3. Your file will be listed under “Available Files.”
4. If there are multiples files listed, you can use the time and date details below the document name to decide the right file that you want to recover.
5. Sometimes, multiple versions of the same file will open. Select the document showing the most recent time. However, if you’re not sure which document you want, you can open and review each file, and save the one with recent changes.
6. Click Close after reviewing all the files. Only close the Document Recovery panel after you have recovered the correct document.
7. You can either save or continue working on your file.

Undoubtedly, the AutoSave and AutoRecover options are useful features in Windows that help keep your files safe. However, your documents can still be vulnerable to attacks by malicious programs.

Installing a tool like Auslogics Anti-Malware on your PC ensures that your system and folders containing your files, are always protected. The software scans and detects possible threats that could cause a system crash. The program adds a layer of security that works seamlessly with your antivirus to keep your information safe and private.