How To Open an ASD File (With 4 Methods)

There may be instances where you lose unsaved Word documents while you're working, and you can recover them with ASD files. Documents for your career typically contain valuable information, so it's important to know how to restore these lost files. If you create Word documents for your job, then it might benefit you to learn how to open ASD files. In this article, we explain what an ASD file is, explore their uses, list methods to open them and provide tips to help you do so.

What is an ASD file?

An ASD file is a format that Microsoft created to help users recover unsaved documents. Microsoft includes the Auto Recovery feature, which creates a recovery file of the document you're designing. If you ever need to recover an unsaved document, you can use Auto Recover. Word saves the copies of each document as an ASD file. These formats are snapshots or copies of your current document. Even if you open an ASD file, you may have some lost data. However, ASD files significantly reduce data loss. ASD files aren't actual documents, but they help you recover the information you lost.

Related: 21 Types of Files (With Definitions and Common Uses)

Uses for ASD files

There are several uses for ASD files, including:

• Recovering unsaved files: There may be times when you forget to save a document and lose the progress you already had. When that occurs, you can use ASD files to recover your unsaved documents to restore your work.

• Accessing files after a crash: Even if you save your document often, a crash or system failure can occur that causes you to lose your file. In these situations, you can access the document's ASD file to recover your work.

• Finding an old version of a file: Sometimes, you might want to recover an old version of a file. Opening an ASD file allows you to see a snapshot of your document, which can be beneficial if you'd like to refer to an older version of the file.

Related: How To Unprotect a Word Document (Plus Definition and Tips)

How to open an ASD file

Here are four methods you can use to open an ASD file:

1. Use the "Recover Unsaved Documents" feature

The first way you can open an ASD file is to use the "Recover Unsaved Documents" feature. Here are the steps you can take to achieve this method:

1. Open Microsoft Word and click on the "File" tab.

2. From there, locate and select "Open." This prompts a new menu that has several ways to open a file.

3. Press the "Recent" icon and click on the "Recover Unsaved Documents" button, which is at the bottom of the screen. This presents a new window that shows your unsaved files.

4. Find and click on the ASD file that you're looking for and press "Open" at the bottom of the window.

2. Open from "Manage Document"

Another option is to open ASD files from the "Manage Document" feature:

1. Launch Word and select the "File" tab.

2. Click on "Info," which is at the top of the toolbar on the left side of the screen. This opens the "Info" menu where you can find the "Manage Document" button.

3. Click on "Manage Document" and select "Recover Unsaved Documents" from the drop-down menu. This presents the "Open" window, which allows you to find and open files.

4. Choose the ASD file of your unsaved document and select "Open" to restore it.

Related: 11 Tips To Help You Manage Your Electronic Files

3. Locate in "File Explorer" window

Next, you can try opening the ASD file in the "File Explorer" window. This only works if you have the Auto Recover feature enabled in Word. Here are some steps to complete this method:

1. Press "Win" followed by "E" on your keyboard to open File Explorer on your device. You can find the ASD file by copying "C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\" into the File Explorer for Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 or Vista or "C:\Users\UserName\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\" for Windows XP.

2. Once you find the correct ASD file, right-click on it and select "Open With."

3. The new menu asks you how you'd like to open the file, and you can choose "Word."

4. Click the "OK" button to open the file.

4. Open files manually

Finally, try opening ASD files manually by using these steps:

1. Open ASD files manually by clicking the "Start" button on your computer.

2. Type ".asd" in the "Search Programs and Files" field and press "Enter." This opens the File Explorer.

3. Locate the correct ASD file and right-click on it to prompt a drop-down menu.

4. Choose to open the file with Microsoft Word.

5. Copy and paste the content from the ASD file into a new Word document.

6. Rename and save the file to your computer to preserve your work.

Related: How To Open WPS Files in Different Programs (With Tips)

Tips for opening ASD files

Follow these tips to help you open ASD files in Word:

Convert ASD files

Since ASD files aren't technically Word documents, it may help you to convert them. This allows you to open and edit the ASD file as a Word document. To do this, open the ASD file and press "File" followed by "Save As." Locate the "Save as Type" option and click on it. Scroll until you find the "Doc" format it and choose that option. Save the document to confirm your changes.

Use data recovery software

You can use data recovery software to recover your ASD files. Sometimes you might lose your ASD files due to deletion, storage damage or viruses. If you lose your ASD file, then you can't use the Auto Recover function to restore your document. When this occurs, you can download a data recovery software. Once you download your preferred software, follow the provided steps to recover your ASD file. After you recover the file, you can locate it and convert it to a Word document.

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