Specifying a Location To Save Automatic Backup Files

Word allows you to always create a backup copy of documents, if desired (Tools | Options | Save | Always Create Backup Copy). This backup copy is nothing more than the old version of the document, renamed with a WBK extension. In other words, Word does a quick rename of the document, thereby creating the backup, and then saves the new document under the regular file name.

Since Word only does a rename to create the backup file, it is not possible to specify a different location for that file--both the document and its backup are stored in the same directory. When you again save the document, the existing WBK file is deleted, the existing DOC file is renamed to WBK, and the document is saved again. The result is that no matter how many times you save, there will only be two files, and they will always be in the same directory.

This behavior of Word in regards to backup documents naturally brings up another point. If you save documents regularly, there may not be a need for automatic backups. Why? Consider my writing scenario: When working on a document, I typically save every five to seven minutes; I have just trained myself to do that. If I have automatic backups turned on, that means I am deleting the old backup file and creating a new one every five to seven minutes. This makes the backup file of minimal worth to me, since it only represents a version of my document that is five to seven minutes old. For me, it just makes sense to turn off the feature.

If you want to use automatic backups and your file storage resources won't allow you to have up to two copies of a document (the document and its backup) in the same folder, then there are two possible solutions: Turn off automatic backups or write a macro that moves the backups to different folder whenever you choose to save the document.