Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Saving Your Work Automatically.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 9, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
We've all done it. You're working along for several hours on a document, when suddenly the power goes out. Or you kick the reset button on your computer, or your three-year-old pulls the power cord out of the wall. The list goes on, but the bottom line is that you lost the past couple of hours of work. Many things spring to mind at a time like this. Most of them can't be printed in a nice, family-oriented newsletter like this. But hopefully you learned a lesson when this happened to you.
Word allows you to protect yourself by automatically saving your work for you. To set the automatic saving feature, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Save tab of the Options dialog box.
When designating an AutoSave frequency, you should probably not select a time under 10 minutes. More frequent saves can waste time and become counterproductive.
You should also note that AutoSave does not really save your file. What it does is to save information that Word can use to try to recover your file if Word stops unexpectedly.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1009) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Saving Your Work Automatically.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
When you save a file, the information from the start of the file is saved in the properties for the document, and can be ...
Discover MoreNeed to combine quite a few text documents? A macro may be the easiest way to stuff them all into a single Word document.
Discover MoreOpen a Word document file, and you can start to make edits and changes to your heart's content. But what happens if the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here:
Comments