"Critical Bug in Word: Save Issues Leading to Document Deletion – What You Need to Know"
A Bug in Word Deletes Documents Instead of Saving Them
Microsoft has acknowledged a significant bug in Word that may lead to the unexpected deletion of documents instead of saving them. Users of the Office apps version 2409 need to be particularly cautious.
- File Names Matter: The issue occurs when saving files with certain conditions, such as files with a capitalized extension (
.DOCXinstead of.docx) or containing the symbol#. - Impact on Users: If these conditions are met, attempting to save the document upon closing it will result in Windows deleting the file.
- Possible Recovery: Fortunately, the deleted files can be recovered from the Recycle Bin, provided the user acts quickly.
- Workaround Solutions:
- Manually save files before closing.
- Enable the "Don’t show the Backstage when opening or saving files with keyboard shortcuts" option in the settings.
- Check file extensions and ensure they are in lowercase.
- Non-impact on Cloud Files: The bug affects only locally saved files; those stored in the cloud are not impacted.
Microsoft is currently investigating this matter and has provided workarounds in their official documentation. For further details, you can read the full article [here](https://www.neowin.net/news/a-bug-in-word-deletes-documents-instead-of-saving-them/).
