How to Restore a Previous Version of a Document in Microsoft Office Applications

If you've made changes to a document in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) and need to restore an earlier version, Microsoft 365 has a built-in version history feature that allows you to view and restore previous versions. Follow this guide to recover earlier versions of your documents using Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

Requirements

You must be using OneDrive or SharePoint to save your documents in order to access version history. Local file storage will not support this feature.
The document should have been saved previously in OneDrive or SharePoint to have any previous versions available for restoration.

Steps to Restore a Previous Version in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

Step 1: Open the Document

Open the Microsoft Office application (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
Open the document you want to restore.

Step 2: Access Version History

For Microsoft 365 Applications (Windows & Mac):
- Click on the File tab in the top-left corner.
- On the left sidebar, click Info.
- Under the Info tab, you will see an option called Version History. Click on it to view previous versions of the document.
For Microsoft Office Web (Office Online):
- Click on the document name at the top of the page.
- A drop-down menu will appear. Select Version History from the list.

Step 3: Review Previous Versions

A pane will open showing a list of previous versions with dates and times they were saved.
Click on any of the versions listed to view that specific version.
- The selected version will open in a new window, where you can review it without affecting the current version of the document.

Step 4: Restore the Previous Version

If you want to restore a specific version, click the Restore button at the top of the pane.
The older version will replace the current version as the active document.
- Don’t worry—this does not delete the current version. It will now be listed in the version history, and you can revert to it if needed.

Step 5: Save the Restored Version

Once you restore the desired version, save the document to ensure all changes are updated.

Accessing Version History in OneDrive or SharePoint

If you don't have the document open in Microsoft Office, you can still restore a previous version directly from OneDrive or SharePoint.

Step 1: Sign in to OneDrive or SharePoint

Go to OneDrive or your organization's SharePoint site and sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.

Step 2: Locate the Document

Find the document in your OneDrive or SharePoint library.
Right-click on the document or click on the three dots (...) next to the file name to open the context menu.

Step 3: View Version History

From the context menu, select Version history.
A list of previous versions will appear, along with their modified dates and times.

Step 4: Restore a Version

Click the drop-down arrow next to the version you want to restore and select Restore.
The older version will be restored, and the current version will be kept as part of the version history.

Tips for Managing Document Versions

Regularly Save Your Work: Automatic saving via OneDrive ensures that version history is created each time significant changes are made.
Name Your Versions: When saving versions manually, you can rename them for easier identification.
Check Before You Restore: Always preview a previous version before restoring to avoid losing any critical updates.

By following these steps, you can quickly access, review, and restore earlier versions of your Microsoft Office documents. This feature is especially useful when working on important files that undergo multiple revisions.