how do you recover a powerpoint 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. 

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How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

Get that PowerPoint presentation back

• Western Governors University

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• 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 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>\ AppData\Roaming \ 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 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 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. 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 .

• Files & Documents

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.

• 12 publishings

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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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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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/

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 an unsaved PowerPoint file: 5 different methods

If you’ve accidentally deleted a PowerPoint file or forgot to save your progress, you can recover PowerPoint in Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2021, PowerPoint 2019 and PowerPoint 2016. Each version comes with built-in features that you can use to restore presentations.

• Step 1: Search for the file
• Step 2: Rename the file
• Step 3: Recover an unsaved PowerPoint file
• Step 1: Show last-used files
• Step 2: Recover a PowerPoint file that wasn’t saved
• Restoring previous versions of a PowerPoint file
• Recovering old versions from cloud storage
• Step 1: Open the recycle bin
• Step 2: Search for the unsaved PowerPoint file
• Step 3: Recover PowerPoint file
• Step 1: Save the file in a temporary location
• Step 2: Copy the file into another folder
• Step 3: Open the file
• Step 1: Open a new presentation
• Step 2: Recover unsaved PowerPoint
• Step 3: Save file
• The safe mode
• Option 1: Activation in the menu bar
• Option 2: Activation via Options

The easiest and fastest way to restore a PowerPoint is to use the built-in feature under Open > Recent > Restore Unsaved Presentation .

How to recover an unsaved PowerPoint file ¶

If you try to close an unsaved PowerPoint file, the program will display a warning message. This message lets you know that changes to the file still need to be saved. Despite this precaution, it can happen that open programs are closed without saving and data is lost. Unforeseen situations can also cause the program to close without saving. Luckily, there are various ways to recover a PowerPoint.

Recover a PowerPoint file with temporary files ¶

In the “temp” folder, Windows saves temporary files on an ongoing basis. There’s also a possibility that unsaved contents of your PowerPoint can be found in this folder.

Step 1: Search for the file ¶

Open File Explorer and enter the term “PPT*.tmp” into the search bar. Now wait and see if the search comes up with anything.

When saving, PowerPoint adds a random number to the filename. Since you don’t know this number, you can use * as a placeholder.

Step 2: Rename the file ¶

If a PowerPoint file shows up in File Explorer, you can now rename it with .ppt at the end.

Step 3: Recover an unsaved PowerPoint file ¶

Next, open the file to check whether it’s actually the unsaved PowerPoint file you want to recover. To recover the file, simply save it to another location on your computer.

Recover a PowerPoint presentation using the integrated PowerPoint feature ¶

PowerPoint provides a feature to recover an unsaved PowerPoint. To make use of this feature, proceed as follows:

Step 1: Show last-used files ¶

Open the presentation program, click on the menu point Open and then select Recent from the left menu bar.

Step 2: Recover a PowerPoint file that wasn’t saved ¶

Now, you can click on the button Recover Unsaved Presentations .

A folder will now open where you can find all saved drafts. If the file you’re looking for is there, left-click on it and select Open . Save the file. You can now continue to work on your presentation.

How to recover an old version of a PowerPoint file ¶

While working on a PowerPoint presentation, unwanted changes can quickly be reversed with the key combination [Ctrl] + [Z]. Using this shortcut, deleted paragraphs of text can be brought back with just a few clicks. But as soon as you save a file and close it, data that you have deleted will be lost. Follow the steps below to recover an old version of a PowerPoint file.

Restoring previous versions of a PowerPoint file ¶

Use the right side of your mouse to click on a file and select Previous Versions from the menu bar. A new window will open with the corresponding tab. In this window, previous versions of your PowerPoint file can be found, but only if a recovery point is marked. Select a previous version to restore an old version of your PowerPoint.

Recovering old versions from cloud storage ¶

If you automatically save your files to Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive or another cloud storage service, you have another option for recovering an unsaved PowerPoint. Search for previous versions, manage your old files, and recover the file you’re looking for.

How to recover a deleted PowerPoint file ¶

It’s generally a good idea to delete files that you no longer use or that are outdated. This allows you to maintain a clear overview of your file system. But what if you accidentally delete an important PowerPoint file? No need to worry. When you delete a file, it’s not completely deleted from your computer.

Step 1: Open the recycle bin ¶

To recover a deleted file from your recycle bin , double-click on the waste bin icon.

Step 2: Search for the unsaved PowerPoint file ¶

Enter the name of your PowerPoint file into the search field of the recycle bin program.

Step 3: Recover PowerPoint file ¶

Now, use the right side of your mouse to click on the file and select the option Undo Delete from the menu. Your presentation will now automatically reappear in the folder where you deleted it.

Use the full Office suite Microsoft 365 for your business and enjoy benefits such as SSL/TLS encryption and secure storage.

How to recover a damaged PowerPoint file ¶

You’ve saved a PowerPoint file, but can’t to open it? We’ll show you different ways to recover a damaged PowerPoint.

Move a Presentation to recover a PowerPoint file ¶

In most cases, it’s not possible to tell whether the location or the file itself is damaged. If the file can be restored with the following instructions, the location is affected. In this case, it is best to restore and back up all files from this folder.

Step 1: Save the file in a temporary location ¶

Open the folder where the damaged file is located. Open the context menu with a right-click on the file. Select Copy option to save the file to the clipboard.

Step 2: Copy the file into another folder ¶

Next, open any folder or create a new one. Paste the file by right-clicking on a free area and selecting Paste from the context menu. You can also copy the file to the folder by using the key combination [Ctrl] + [V].

Step 3: Open the file ¶

Try to open the file by double-clicking it. If you can do this without encountering any problems, it may be the original location itself that is damaged.

Paste slides into a new presentation ¶

In many cases, however, it’s not the location that’s damaged, but the PowerPoint file itself. In this case, the program offers a handy function to insert the slides into a new and undamaged file.

Step 1: Open a new presentation ¶

Open up a blank PowerPoint document.

Step 2: Recover unsaved PowerPoint ¶

In the menu, select Start and select New Slide from the drop-down menu. Using the left side of the mouse, choose the option Reuse Slides .

A field with the same title will appear on the right. Click on the Browse button and select the file you want to restore in Explorer. A thumbnail preview of all slides will appear. Click on the slides with the left mouse button to insert them into the new presentation. To restore the entire unsaved PowerPoint file, right-click to open the context menu and click the Insert all slides option.

Step 3: Save file ¶

As soon as you’ve transferred all slides, make sure that you save the file in a new location.

The safe mode ¶

If a PowerPoint file cannot be opened in normal mode, try starting it in safe mode. To do this, hold down the control key [Ctrl] and then double-click on the PowerPoint file to select it. Click Yes in the confirmation window to open the presentation in safe mode.

Most Office programs can be opened in safe mode using this technique.

Now, you can look for any issues with the file before saving it under a new name.

How to avoid losing PowerPoint files ¶

Despite the many options to recover a PowerPoint file, a successful recovery isn’t guaranteed. That’s why it’s important to use the shortcut [Ctrl] + [S] throughout your work. With this shortcut, you can regularly save your file, ensuring your work isn’t lost.

PowerPoint comes with a function that automatically saves open presentations. We’ll show you how to activate the function and avoid losing your files.

Option 1: Activation in the menu bar ¶

Activate the feature in the PowerPoint menu bar by moving the switch to AutoSave On .

Option 2: Activation via Options ¶

If you activate the feature in the Options area, additional custom settings are available. Select the File button in the menu. Then click on Options followed by Save. Activate the function Save AutoRecover information every… and enter the desired time interval. If you enable the Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving option, you avoid losing data if you accidentally close the PowerPoint file without saving it. If necessary, you can also adjust the location of the file to make it easier to find the backed-up file.

Files from other Microsoft 365 programs can also be recovered. Find out more about “ How to recover an Excel file ” and “ How to recover unsaved Word documents ” in our dedicated tutorials.

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How to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin

Did you accidentally delete a file in Windows? Don’t worry, Windows initially moves deleted files to the Recycle Bin, which you can easily access. The files are not permanently deleted until you empty the Recycle Bin. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to recover files from the Recycle Bin or a deleted folder.

How to recover unsaved Word documents

If either Word or your PC crashes while working on a Word document, don’t panic! Recovering unsaved Word documents is easy to do; even damaged or deleted files are not always lost. Microsoft has numerous tools built into its popular text program which allow you to retrieve the edited or in-progress file. And if these tools don’t work, Windows and special repair and recovery tools offer plenty of…

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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 File Recovery: How To Recover Unsaved or Deleted PPT Files

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Since its release in 1987, PowerPoint has been a go-to platform for creating presentations that support speeches with graphical data. The app first used the PPT format, which was replaced by PPTX in 2007 and brought numerous improvements.

However, neither the PPTX format nor the PowerPoint app are perfect. The files are prone to corruption and viruses, and forgetting to save your work or experiencing a system crash when working with PowerPoint can lead to data loss.

Fortunately, Microsoft has fixed most issues with AutoSave and AutoRecovery features, but there's still a need for a reputable data recovery solution.

Table of Content

How powerpoint files get lost.

• Recover Deleted/Lost/Unsaved PPT With Wondershare Recoverit
• Look for Your Unsaved PowerPoint Files in Temporary Folder
• Use PowerPoint's Recover Unsaved Presentations Feature
• Recover an Unsaved PPT File Using PowerPoint AutoRecover
• Recover a Deleted PowerPoint File From Recycle Bin
• Recover a Lost PowerPoint File Using Windows File History

How To Ensure You Don't Lose PowerPoint Files in the Future

To help you navigate various data loss scenarios, we've created a detailed table explaining how PowerPoint files get lost, the causes behind these issues, and their appropriate solutions.

How To Recover Deleted or Unsaved PowerPoint Files

Now that we know more about the possible issues related to PowerPoint files and their respective causes and solutions, we can dive straight into the steps for applying each solution. In this article, we are focusing on recovering a deleted or unsaved PPT file on Windows 11/10. If you are a Mac user, you can refer to our guide for PowerPoint file recovery on Mac .

Method 1. Recover Deleted/Lost/Unsaved PPT With Wondershare Recoverit

Situations where your deleted or unsaved PowerPoint files are gone can be particularly frustrating. Fortunately, dedicated data recovery solutions like Wondershare Recoverit can help and work wonders in numerous data loss cases.

• Recover deleted, unsaved, or lost PPT/PPTX files effectively, safely, and completely.
• Manages over 500 data loss situations, such as accidental deletion, app or system crashes, virus infection, and hard drive failure.
• Repairs corrupted PowerPoint file automatically in the preview process.

Using the app is also incredibly straightforward. Here's how you can do that:

Accidentally deleting data like PowerPoint presentations can be scary. Still, there's nothing to fear when you have a dedicated data recovery tool like Wondershare Recoverit. Recovering deleted files is quick and effortless - as you can see, it only takes a few clicks and minutes of your time.

It can recover over 1,000 file types, including photos, videos, music, and documents, and works wonders with over 2,000 different storage devices like internal and external drives, NAS servers, USBs, etc.

Method 2. Look for Your Unsaved PowerPoint Files in Temporary Folder

Windows and macOS systems have a temporary file folder, also known as a cache folder, which stores the most recent data the user or system uses. This folder is often filled with recently downloaded Windows or macOS updates, files downloaded through the browser, and items currently in use, like PPT/PPTX files.

Therefore, looking into these folders on either operating system for PowerPoint presentations is an excellent idea. On Windows, you can access the folder by following these steps:

• Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\ YourUserName \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft .

• Copy and paste these files to the desktop and change their extension from ".tmp" to ".ppt" or ".pptx" depending on your Microsoft Office version, with PPTX being the default format for versions from 2007 and newer.

For macOS, you'll need to follow different steps:

• Close down all your active applications.
• In Finder, click on Go > Go to Folder , and enter the following command: ~/Library/Caches
• Once inside the cache folder on Mac, locate PPT/PPTX files and drag them to the desktop, or open them and save your presentations elsewhere.

It's worth noting that deleting temporary files and cache is also an excellent way to increase your storage space, but it should only be done after you've found the data you need.

Method 3. Use PowerPoint's Recover Unsaved Presentations Feature

Temporary or cached PPT/PPTX files can also be found in the Microsoft PowerPoint app through the Recent feature, which requires similar steps on Windows and macOS. Here's how you can find it:

• Launch the Microsoft PowerPoint app after it or the system has crashed.
• Click the File menu and then select Open .

• Choose the unsaved recent PowerPoint presentation and open it.

It's highly recommended that you save the file to a safe location as soon as you open it to avoid app or system crashes affecting your files again.

Method 4. Recover an Unsaved PPT File Using PowerPoint AutoRecover

The last few versions of PowerPoint include a nifty little feature called AutoRecover. Microsoft added this feature into a few Office apps to allow users to recover files in case of system or app crashes. You can find the AutoRecover feature by following these steps on Windows or macOS:

• Open a PowerPoint presentation and navigate to File > Home > Options > Save .

• Open Windows Explorer, paste the path on the address bar and hit"Enter" to search the lost unsaved PowerPoint file.

You can also change the frequency of the Autorecover feature by modifying the Save every X minutes box. The AutoRecover File Location box is also here, allowing you to change the location where PowerPoint files are saved.

Method 5. Recover a Deleted PowerPoint File From Recycle Bin

If you've accidentally deleted PowerPoint presentations that you still need, these PPT or PPTX files have likely wound up in Windows' Recycle Bin, so you can effortlessly recover them. Here's how:

• Open the Recycle Bin.

• Find the restored PPT/PPTX files in the folders they've previously occupied before deletion.

If you have emptied the Recycle Bin , you'll need to go back to the Wondershare Recoverit solution and use that, as a dedicated data recovery app is the only thing that can help in such situations.

Method 6. Recover a Lost PowerPoint File Using Windows File History

If you're a Windows user, you're likely aware of the built-in backup and recovery tools by the name File History. This tool is handy in situations related to accidental file deletion, failing disk drives, and mistakenly formatted storage devices.

Here's how to use File History on Windows 10 to recover your lost or unsaved PowerPoint presentations:

• Click it, then you will get the list of the backed up files. Find the unsaved powerpoint file you wish to recover, then click the green icon to restore it.

If you have upgraded your system to the latest Windows 11 version, follow these steps:

• If you didn't use File History before, you need to turn it on and select a drive to backup.

• Check the avaiable backup files and find the powerpoint file you are trying to recover.
• Once you find it, click the green icon and restore it.

Remember that you can only use File History if you've previously set up these features and use them as backup options. If that's not the case, you'll have to use the mentioned data recovery method.

Although recovering PPT/PPTX nowadays is effortless, with numerous solutions that can help regardless of how you lost data, prevention is still better than treating. We've included a few tips to help you avoid PowerPoint data loss in the future:

• Manually Save Files - While Microsoft's AutoSave and AutoRecover features are fantastic, and you should undoubtedly keep them enabled on supported apps, manually saving your work is still relevant and necessary. Creating a habit of hitting CTRL + S whenever you get up from the PC or every few minutes can be immensely helpful.
• Use Reliable Backup Software - Windows and macOS provide decent and helpful built-in backup tools like Backup and Restore , File History , and Time Machine . However, a dedicated backup tool like Wondershare UBackit is even better, providing more options and features like scheduled and automatic backups.
• Install a Trustworthy Antivirus - Keeping a reliable AV or anti-malware tool on your computer is vital for protecting yourself from digital threats. And since viruses and malware can cause chaos, delete data, encrypt files, and lead to corruption, there are even more reasons to get a proper security app.
• Invest in a UPS - System crashes are often caused by power loss, and if you live in an area where power surges are common, investing in a UPS is a terrific idea. Not only will it save you from losing valuable data, but it'll also keep your hardware components healthy, as power surges can damage them.

Separating your OS, applications, media, and vital or work files is also a great option, and you can do that by dividing your disk drive into partitions. Alternatively, you can invest in multiple HDD/SSDs, each with different types of files.

Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most widely used applications for creating graphical presentations that support speeches. It uses PPT and PPTX files, which, although massively improved over the years, are still prone to accidental deletion, viruses, or corruption. The app can also suffer from power losses and system crashes, resulting in deleted or unsaved PowerPoint presentations.

There are numerous culprits behind PowerPoint presentation data loss, and we've included a detailed table with the most common cases and their causes and appropriate solutions.

From utilizing PowerPoint's AutoSave and AutoRecover features to looking through temporary files to using dedicated data recovery tools like Wondershare Recoverit, there are numerous methods for retrieving PPT/PPTX data, and we've included the top solutions for recovering deleted and unsaved PowerPoint files.

Easily recover deleted or lost files from 2000+ storage devices like HDDs, SSDs, external drivs, USB drives, memory cards, and more. The software confidently retrieves all data types, regardless of how they went missing.

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How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

Lee Stanton Lee Stanton is a versatile writer with a concentration on the software landscape, covering both mobile and desktop applications as well as online technologies. Read more May 18, 2023

If you’ve ever faced the devastating prospect of losing a PowerPoint presentation due to a computer crash or accidental deletion, we get you. This guide will walk you through the steps to recover unsaved PowerPoint work and keep your ideas and data safe. With these instructions, your hard work to create a fantastic presentation won’t be in vain.

Recovering Deleted or Crashed PowerPoint Files

PowerPoint presentations can be lost due to various reasons. You might accidentally delete a file, suffer a software crash, or even fall victim to a virus attack. In such situations, there are several recovery methods to try:

• Use the AutoRecover feature.
• Use “Recover Unsaved Presentations” in PowerPoint.
• Check the Temp folder, where temporary files are stored. You can locate it at C:\Users[User]\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows or use the Run command and type %temp% .
• Restore from the Recycle Bin or a backup if you have one. Open the Recycle Bin, locate your file, right-click, and select “Restore.”
• Use data recovery software such as Recuva or Disk Drill to scan your system and recover various file types, including PowerPoint presentations.
• Restore from the Recent Files Folder, which stores a list of recently accessed files.

In case of an operating system malfunction or device corruption, you might need to use Windows File Recovery.

Recovering Unsaved PowerPoint Using AutoRecover

Setting up Microsoft PowerPoint’s AutoRecover is a straightforward way to help ensure your work isn’t lost in an unexpected shutdown or power outage. This handy feature will offer to open any recovered files for you after you restart PowerPoint, though it’s important to remember to save them manually before making any more changes.

If you want to open AutoRecover files without waiting for the program to do it for you, here’s what you need to do (for Office 365 and later):

With Office 2021 or earlier, a Document Recovery pane will immediately pop up when you turn on your computer and list all recoverable files.

In some cases, you might need to check the AutoRecover folders manually. Here’s where to find them:

• On Windows: C:\Users[User]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\PowerPoint.
• On Mac: Users/[User]/Library/Containers/com.Microsoft.Powerpoint/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery.

Of course, replace [User] with your actual username.

Adjusting AutoRecover Settings

To ensure your presentations won’t get lost in case of a data accident, you might want to change how often AutoRecover saves files and where it keeps them.

To switch on AutoSave in PowerPoint, you just need to press the AutoSave toggle switch in the top left. You can also visit the File, then Options, and then Save and tick the AutoSave box for this. Here you can also experiment with personalizing it. Having the AutoSave feature switched on will periodically and automatically save your work, giving you extra protection.

Operating System-Specific Tips

Recovering an unsaved PowerPoint can vary slightly depending on your operating system.

Don’t forget about the Temp folder. Windows creates temporary files that could contain your unsaved work. To find this folder, go to C:\Users[User]\AppData\Local\Temp or use the Run command and type %temp% . Look for files with a .ppt or .pptx extension.

If you’ve set up Time Machine on your Mac, it’s another good place to look for lost presentations. Just enter the Time Machine, navigate to the folder where your presentation should have been saved, and return to it before the file is lost. From there, you can restore the file with a few clicks.

Recovering Deleted Presentations

If you’ve mistakenly deleted a PowerPoint presentation, don’t panic. The file may still be recoverable. On Windows, deleted files usually get thrown into the Recycle Bin. To restore these files, find them in the folder, right-click, and select “Restore.”

If you’ve permanently erased the file or if it has been lost due to formatting or corruption, data recovery software is your best bet.

Data Recovery Software

Sometimes, you may find yourself up a creek without a paddle regarding data recovery. Thankfully, third-party software exists and can help salvage any effort gone awry. Recuva and Disk Drill are two popular programs specializing in retrieving data from disks that have either been formatted or damaged. These programs can scan through your computer’s drives for traces of missing documents and attempt to bring them back from the brink of deletion.

Though these should be a last resort, they can often save the day after exhausting other options.

Recovering from Major Mishaps

Sometimes, you might find yourself in the middle of a severe computer problem like an operating system crash or hardware malfunction. In those cases, Windows File Recovery can be a lifesaver. This Microsoft tool is powerful enough to restore files lost from a disk formatted or corrupted beyond repair. Although it takes more effort than other methods mentioned here, it can bring relief in desperate circumstances, but it should only be used by experienced tech users.

Data Loss Prevention Tips

Prevention is better than cure. To prevent such nerve-racking scenarios in the future, consider these tips:

• Create multiple backups of all your important PPTX documents. For example, storing them in the cloud is a great way to make sure they never get lost. Microsoft Office has built-in integration with OneDrive.
• Save early and save often. Make it a habit.
• If your system crashes, don’t use it until you’ve retrieved any lost data. This will reduce the risk of overwriting or deleting what you’re trying to recover.
• Start attempting to restore your files as quickly as possible after the data gets lost. The sooner you start, the higher chances you have of success.

Understanding PPT and PPTX Files

Microsoft PowerPoint presentations come in two file types: PPT and PPTX. The newer PPTX is the standard as of 2007. It combines XML and ZIP to compress the presentation, making it less bulky and more easily recoverable, which is nice when you’re dealing with misplaced presentations. As a bonus, all its content is stored as individual XML files inside the ZIP archive.

Road to Recovery

Losing your hard work on a PowerPoint presentation can be extremely disheartening, but if you act fast and use this guide, you may be able to recover your lost file. Try the less complex methods before attempting more advanced techniques.

But preparation and prevention are best – back up your files regularly, keep AutoSave enabled, and know where the AutoRecover folder is located. Also, remember to save your changes often while working on the presentation.

Have you lost any critical PowerPoint files? Got any other recovery tips? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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How to Recover an Unsaved PowerPoint

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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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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EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard   11582 Reviews

[Fixed] Recover Unsaved PowerPoint with 4 Possible Solutions

Many accidents can cause PowerPoints not to be saved on the computer. How do we recover unsaved PowerPoint? In this passage, you'll learn how to use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to recover unsaved PPTs and other 3 methods.

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Unsaved PowerPoint Recovery Is Possible or Not

Hi there. I was working on a PowerPoint presentation and had to leave urgently, which resulted in me shutting my laptop without saving the file (it was never saved, hence no previous file; it is also unnamed). Is there a way for me to recover it? -  Microsoft Community

You'll lose essential PowerPoint data when your computer suddenly runs out of power, the operating system accidentally crashes, or the Microsoft PowerPoint encounters unexpected errors and forces you to quit.

In most cases we have mentioned, you don't have a chance to click the Save button to save the PowerPoint files. Don't worry! The PPT files are still on your computer, and you can  recover unsaved PowerPoint  files with multiple methods. Have a quick look at the four solutions in the following table:

By the way, you can restore lost PowerPoint files from recent backups. If you have none, keep reading to find unsaved files without backups.

Method 1. Restore Unsaved PowerPoint with Recovery Software

The most direct way is to use powerful file recovery software to restore unsaved PPT or PPTX files. You can  recover PowerPoints  that are deleted or unsaved with reliable Microsoft recovery software. The following button can help you download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Pro and install the trial version directly.

  Download for Win  Recovery Rate 99.7%   Download for Mac  Trustpilot Rating 4.7

What can EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard help you do? Check the following main functions of this Windows recovery software.

• ⭐ Recover unsaved Word documents , Excel, PPT, and other files. Unsaved data recovery is not impossible if you download EaseUS data recovery software.
• ⭐ Recover deleted files on Windows 10  and Windows 11. Recovering deleted documents, images, videos, emails, and audio will be simple with this software.
• ⭐Support PPT recovery from various storage devices, including local C/D drives, external hard drives, USB flash drives, and SD cards.

Are you afraid you cannot operate this software and recover unsaved .ppt files? We can offer a detailed tutorial for you! Keep reading to learn more:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on the computer. Choose the disk where you lost the unsaved files, and click "Scan".

Step 2. You'll see the Path and Type tab on the left side,  click "Type" and "Unsaved Files". You can double-click the folder to open it or click "Open". This unsaved file recovery software will help you recover unsaved Word, Excel, PPT, and other files with ease.

Step 3. Choose target files and click the "Preview" button. Then, click "Recover" to restore these unsaved files. Be careful not to revert the recovered files to the original location, as this may overwrite the file.

Want to share this product to help more PPT users? Click the following buttons to start sharing!

Method 2. Use PowerPoint Recover Unsaved Presentations Option

Two options in Microsoft PowerPoint can help you recover unsaved PPTs: "Recover Unsaved Presentations" and "Auto recover" utilities. Check the manual way first to recover unsaved presentations after the  PowerPoint stops working :

Step 1.  Re-open MS PowerPoint on your Windows operating system and click "File".

Step 2.  Click "Open", and you'll see a button under your older presentations. Select "Recover Unsaved Presentations".

This method is super simple, and you can move on to check how to restore unsaved PPTs automatically in the next method.

Method 3. Retrieve Unsaved PowerPoint with Auto-Recovery

Losing essential presentations after an unexpected computer shutting down? Everything will be OK if you have enabled the AutoRecover option in advance.

Let's see how to check if you have turned on AutoSave in Microsoft PowerPoint:

Step 1.  Launch PowerPoint on the PC and click the "File" tab.

Step 2.  Find "Options" at the bottom of the sidebar.

Step 3.  After the PowerPoint options window pops up, click the "Save" tab.

Step 4.  In the "Save presentations" section, check the "Save AutoRecover information every…". You can adjust the save frequency by changing the number.

Note: If you need to use AutoRecover to  recover Excel files not saved , you can launch Excel and follow the similar steps as in PowerPoint.

Method 4. Recover Unsaved PowerPoint Files from Temp Folder

Windows always keeps temporary files of different programs, and all these temporary files are stored in a specific folder. How do I access this Temp folder? Check the following steps:

Step 1.  Press the Windows and R keys together to wake up the Run program.

Step 2.  Type in  %temp%  in the search box and click "OK ", or press Enter after typing.

Step 3.  After opening the Temp folder, you can search for unsaved PowerPoint files with file names or file extensions like pptx and ppt.

You can also locate the Temp folder with this path: C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Temp. If you accidentally delete the temporary files, you can follow the tutorial in the following passage to retrieve them.

How to Recover Deleted Temp Files - EaseUS

If you have lost the temp files by accidental deletion, you can use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to recover deleted temp files without effort. Read more >>

All the mentioned solutions are effective; remember to share these methods with your friends!

If you have learned all the unsaved PowerPoint recovery solutions after reading the passage, you should have noticed that applying the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best solution.

With EaseUS, you can easily  recover deleted files without backup ! Don't forget to turn on Microsoft PowerPoint AutoRecover to avoid unnecessary data loss.

Unsaved PowerPoint Recovery FAQs

Check more essential questions about unsaved PowerPoint recovery in this part:

1. How do I recover unsaved PowerPoint on Mac?

The methods to  recover unsaved PowerPoint on Mac  are:

• 1. Recover with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac
• 2. Recover unsaved PPT from AutoRecover folder\
• 3. Restore PPT from the Temp folder on Mac

2. Where are PowerPoint temp files located?

All the created PPT files are located in the Microsoft folder. You can follow this path: C:\ Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Microsoft.

3. Can I restore unsaved PPT with software?

Yes, although many programs cannot successfully recover unsaved files, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can definitely help:

• 1. Launch this unsaved recovery tool and select a disk/folder to scan.
• 2. Choose "Unsaved Files" from the sidebar, and you can select a folder and click "Open".
• 3. Click "Preview" to check the files, and click "Recover" to save them.

4. Can PowerPoint recover unsaved PPT automatically?

After an unexpected shutdown, PowerPoint will restore your work the following time you open the program. It accomplishes this by automatically accessing any AutoRecover files that are found.

Was This Page Helpful?

Updated by Dany 

Dany is an editor of EaseUS who lives and works in Chengdu, China. She focuses on writing articles about data recovery on Mac devices and PCs. She is devoted to improving her writing skills and enriching her professional knowledge. Dany also enjoys reading detective novels in her spare time.

Read full bio

 Product Reviews

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a powerful system recovery software, designed to enable you to recover files you’ve deleted accidentally, potentially lost to malware or an entire hard drive partition.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best we have seen. It's far from perfect, partly because today's advanced disk technology makes data-recovery more difficult than it was with the simpler technology of the past.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Pro has a reputation as one of the best data recovery software programs on the market. It comes with a selection of advanced features, including partition recovery, formatted drive restoration, and corrupted file repair.

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• WINDOWS DATA RECOVERY

How to Recover a Deleted PowerPoint Presentation on Windows

Losing a PowerPoint presentation can undo hours of hard work, and could impact you professionally too. Whether you deleted the presentation accidentally or it went missing due to other reasons—it’s often possible to recover it. But, how? Well, that’s where this guide comes in. The following sections contain all you need to know about recovering a deleted PowerPoint presentation using easy-to-follow methods.

Table of Contents

What Caused the PowerPoint Presentation to be Deleted

There could be several reasons behind a deleted PowerPoint presentation. It’s recommended you diagnose what caused the deletion, so you can choose the appropriate recovery method.

Here are some possible reasons why your PowerPoint presentation was unexpectedly deleted:

How to Recover a Deleted PowerPoint Presentation

There are multiple ways to recover a deleted PowerPoint presentation. We’ll take a look at all of these methods below. Keep in mind, these methods are only applicable to drives that are physically working. If you notice signs of physical damage on your drive, it’s best to contact a professional data recovery service.

Option 1: Check the Recycle Bin for the PowerPoint Presentation

Do you suspect that you may have accidentally deleted the PowerPoint presentation? If so, the first place you should look in, is the Windows Recycle Bin, which stores deleted files until you empty it. Keep in mind, files deleted using the Shift + Delete shortcut do not go to the Recycle Bin.

Here’s how to restore your deleted PowerPoint presentation from the Recycle Bin:

• Double-click on the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop, or search for the Recycle Bin in Windows Search ( Windows Key + S ).
• Look for the PowerPoint presentation and right-click on it.

• The PowerPoint presentation will be restored to its original location.

Option 2: Recover your PowerPoint from a Windows Backup

Windows has two major backup features—Windows File History, and Backup & Restore (Windows 7). If you had set up any of the features beforehand, you can use the backup to restore your PowerPoint Presentation.

Here’s what the restore process looks like in Windows File History:

• Ensure the drive used to set up File History is connected to your PC.
• Search for “file history” in Windows Search ( Windows Key + S ). Click on Restore your files with File History from the search results.
• Locate and open the folder where the PPT was saved (usually the Documents folder). Use the navigation buttons at the bottom to browse through the backups and find one that contains the PPT.

Option 3: Look Through the Temporary Files Folder

Windows has a dedicated temporary files folder, usually located at C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp which may contain a cached version of the PowerPoint presentation. The folder might contain an older version of the PPT, but it’s still better than nothing.

• Click Start and select Search from within the Windows Start-Up Menu.
• Type in the name of the file that you’re wanting to look for and then hit enter to search your Windows computer for the deleted file.

Option 4: Use the Built-in Unsaved Presentation Feature

Built right into PowerPoint is a recover feature that allows you to restore a presentation should something happen to it. This is perfect if you made changes to your work and then forgot to save it before something happened to it.

Steps to restore unsaved presentations:

• Launch PowerPoint on your Windows Machine.

The “Recover Unsaved Presentations” folder only saves these PowerPoints for a short period of time. If you need to recover a lost PowerPoint Presentation, act fast!

Option 5: Use the Built-in AutoRecover Feature

Built into PowerPoint and turned on by default is a feature that will create AutoRecover information that will save your presentation at different time intervals. This is a handy feature to use if you’re forgetful when it comes to clicking on the “Save” option from within PowerPoint which can happen if you’re in deep thought about your work.

It will allow you to recover your PowerPoint and load it back into the state that it was at when it was last saved. As mentioned this feature is on by default, but in the steps below we will look at how to access it, use it, and change your time interval settings.

• Launch PowerPoint.

• If this feature was already on, then you can go to the AutoRecover file location and open the recovered PowerPoint from there.

Option 6: Use Third Party Software to Recover Your Presentation

If none of the above steps worked in recovering your presentation, then it’s time to move onto data recovery which can retrieve a file even if you have removed it from your computer.

• Download and install Disk Drill for Windows. When using Disk Drill, it is best to install it onto an external hard drive or thumb drive as putting it on your Windows machine could overwrite the PowerPoint Presentation that we’re trying to recover. Also, try to limit installing other software or downloading other files as that can lower the chances of a successful recovery.

With how busy our schedules are today, being able to recover a lost PowerPoint stops interruptions to your workflow. It will allow you to make sure that things are being completed on time and that computer mishaps won’t be able to get in the way of that. Nothing is worse than losing your data when you thought it was saved and now, that is no longer something to worry about.

Recovering a PowerPoint presentation is usually a simple affair and you don’t need to resort to third-party tools. You can restore the file from the Recycle Bin, Windows Backup, and the temporary folder. The PowerPoint app itself has features like the Autorecover feature that lets you restore a PowerPoint presentation. If all else fails, then data recovery tools like Disk Drill are almost guaranteed to help you recover a deleted PowerPoint presentation. But do remember, that you need to act quickly to maximize your chances of data recovery.

• Download Disk Drill and install it.
• Open Disk Drill, select your drive and click Search for lost data .
• Click on Review found items .
• Select your PPT file and click Recover .
• Choose a recovery destination and click Next .
• Go to the OneDrive website and log in using your Microsoft Account.
• Right-click on the PowerPoint file and choose Version History .
• Click on the ellipses next to the version you wish to restore and click Restore .
• Search for “file history” in Windows Search (Windows Key + S). Click on Restore your files with File History in the search results.
• Browse through the backups until you find one that contains the required version of your PowerPoint file.
• Select the PPT and click on the green restore button.

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Recovering a deleted Powerpoint side

I accidently deleted a slide from a saved Powerpoint presentation. How can I recover that slide?

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Replies (1) .

• Microsoft Agent |

Thank you for querying in this forum.

From your description, it seems that you have deleted a slide accidently from a saved PowerPoint file and you want to recover that slide.

If my understanding is right, for the situation you encountered, we do understand the inconvenience caused and apologize for it, and we will also provide some suggestions below and hope that will help you:

If you have not closed that PowerPoint file after deleting slide, you can click Undo button to undo your action.

If you saved this PowerPoint file in OneDrive for business, you can refer to this article to restore older versions of your files stored in OneDrive for business. For your reference: Restore a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive

If you saved your file on the local and have closed the file after deleting the slide, we’re afraid that you may not recover that slide. We also understand that you want to recover that slide, however, on the local, we don’t have such option to recover a deleted slide in PowerPoint. And to avoid such situation in the further, we’d suggest you save your file in OneDrive for business, and you can check version history of file in OneDrive and restore specific version you want.

Your understanding and patience will be highly appreciated. I hope that you are keeping safe and well!

Best Regards,

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