How to Recover Locally Saved Word Files After Reinstalling App on iPad?

Hi JohnLeeQM,

Thank you for posting here in Community.

I totally understand that's a frustrating situation. Losing important documents after reinstalling an app is never fun, and I completely understand why you’re looking for professional recovery options. The fact that your files weren’t synced to iCloud or OneDrive makes this trickier, but there are still steps you can try to retrieve them.

1. Check iPad Backups If you’ve backed up your iPad using iCloud or a computer via Finder/iTunes before the reinstall, restoring that backup could bring back your lost Word files. Be aware that restoring a backup replaces your current data.
2. Use Third-Party Recovery Software Several professional data recovery tools support iPads. Some reputable options include:
   • EaseUS MobiSaver
   • Dr.Fone - Data Recovery (iOS)
   • iMobie PhoneRescue These require a computer connection to scan your iPad’s storage.
3. Check Word's Autosave or Temporary Files Sometimes, Microsoft Word caches autosaved versions temporarily. While iOS generally wipes app data upon uninstallation, using professional recovery tools might reveal lingering temp files.
4. Consult Apple Support or a Data Recovery Specialist If DIY solutions don’t work, Apple Support or a local data recovery service may have advanced tools to dig deeper into your iPad's storage.

To prevent future loss, consider syncing critical documents to OneDrive or iCloud for automatic backups. Also, periodically export or save important files to external storage or email.

I hope you find a way to recover your files—let me know if you need any further help along the way.

Best regards,

Bo | Microsoft Community

Hi John,

Thank you for using Microsoft products and making community posts.

I understands the importance of recovering accidentally deleted files, Don’t worry here are few things you can try:

1. Check the Files App: If your Word documents were saved under "On My iPad," they might still be accessible through the Files app. Open Files, go to On My iPad, and look for any Word documents.
2. Check for AutoRecover Files: If Word’s AutoSave feature was enabled, you might be able to retrieve unsaved documents. Open Word, go to File > Open > Recover Unsaved Documents, and check if any files appear.
3. Restore from iCloud or iTunes Backup: If you have a recent backup, you can restore your iPad to recover lost files. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings, then restore from an iCloud or iTunes backup.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes.

Chan G

Microsoft Community Moderato

Hi JohnLeeQM,

We have noticed that you have not replied to our last response. We would like to know if the issue you have raised to us is still on-going. If yes, please reply to the thread so we can continue troubleshooting your concern. 

Thank you.

Hi  JohnLeeQM,

This my 2nd follow-up regarding your issue on this post. We would like to know if the issue you have raised to us is still on-going. If yes, please reply to the thread so we can continue troubleshooting your concern.

Thank you.

Firstly,thank you for replying.I tried the methods you offered one by one. However, as I mentioned in my question, the file wasn’t in OneDrive, iTunes, or iCloud. So I spent time looking into EaseUS MobiSaver and Dr.Fone - Data Recovery (iOS). They are good software, but EaseUS MobiSaver isn’t available in my region. And I don’t want to buy a 1-month license for Dr.Fone just to recover some not - so - important files.

When I was about to try iMobie PhoneRescue, I found the deleted file in the Word app on my Android phone. At first, I was surprised because the Word file on my iPad and laptop’s OneDrive had actually been deleted. Yet, the file path on my phone indicated it was in OneDrive (file path shows "OneDrive >>..."). I was happy, angry, and even found the situation somewhat ridiculous. This proved that the Word file had been uploaded and saved to OneDrive, but it was deleted from the Word folder on the iPad, which caused the OneDrive document to be deleted along with it. Why? How is this possible? Even more surprisingly, the Word app file on my phone could be viewed through the Word app, but it wasn't saved locally (I checked the folder on my phone).

The Word document on my phone cannot be saved or shared (it says “the resource could not be found”), but it can be saved as a copy using the "Save As" feature.

That's the situation. If you can understand what the bug is, please give me a reply.

P.S.

1. I only found one of the Word files on my phone; others are still missing.
2. Here’s the error code when I tried to share the bugged Word file:

{“error”:{“innerError”:{},”loggableMessage”:{“_value”:”The resource could not be found.”,”_type”:”unsafe”,”__isPrivacyDataWrapper”:true},”name”:”GraphError”,”correlationId”:”d5779f61-54da-4b70-817a-4d371807771d”,”isExpected”:false,”code”:”itemNotFound”,”extraData”:{“apiEventName”:”VroomDataRequest.item”},”response”:{“error”:{“code”:”itemNotFound”,”message”:”The resource could not be found.”,”innerError”:{“date”:”2025-05-28T18:07:35”,”request-id”:”d5779f61-54da-4b70-817a-4d371807771d”,”client-request-id”:”d5779f61-54da-4b70-817a-4d371807771d”}}},”status”:404,”serverStack”:””,”request”:{},”error”:{}}}