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: Opening a Backup File.

Opening a Backup File

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 12, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


2

In other issues of WordTips you learned that Word does not automatically save backup files of your documents, but that you can enable such a feature. If you instruct Word to save backup files, there will undoubtedly come a time when you want to open one of the backup files. The process of opening a backup file is very similar to the process of opening a regular document. Follow these steps:

  1. Select Open from the File menu or click on the Open tool on the toolbar. Word displays the Open dialog box.
  2. In the File Name box, type *.WBK and press Enter.
  3. Use the controls in the dialog box to navigate to the folder that contains your backup file.
  4. Select the desired backup file from the list of files.
  5. Click on OK.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1180) 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: Opening a Backup File.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Changing Excel's Starting Date

When keeping track of dates, internally, Excel uses special date serial numbers that are based upon a specific day in the ...

Discover More

Doing Math Using Roman Numerals

Excel allows you to place Roman numerals in your cells, as well as to convert to and from Roman numerals. In this tip you ...

Discover More

Limiting Directories in the FILENAME Field

When you use the FILENAME field in a document, it can include the full path name that leads to your file. This might be ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

MS-DOS with Line Breaks Format in Word 2002 and Word 2003

Finding the built in functionality in Word 2002 & 2003 for saving your document as a MS-DOS format.

Discover More

Read-Only Files

Read-only documents (those that cannot be updated) are part and parcel of working with Word. There are many ways that a ...

Discover More

Formatting Text Files with VBA

Got a bunch of text that you've imported from a text file? Need to make it look better? You can take a stab at it with ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight minus 4?

2019-03-18 16:57:06

Allan

Adam, you have to use the *, ie, *.WBK . This is a carry over from the old DOS days.


2019-02-01 00:46:40

Adam

This doesn't work. ".wbk" turns up nothing.


This Site

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.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.