FIRST STEP Reopen the application and check whether it offers document recovery. WHERE TO LOOK Check recent files, autosave locations, temporary files, recycle bin or trash, cloud version history, and backup folders. SAVE IMMEDIATELY If you find a recovered version, save it with a clear name before continuing work. PREVENTION Enable autosave when available and save early with a meaningful file name. REALITY CHECK Not every unsaved file can be recovered. The best recovery plan is saving before disaster gets creative.