Recover a Word Document From a .wbk Backup File

Recover Your Word Document From a .wbk Backup

Lost your Word document and found a .wbk file next to it? That is Word's automatic backup copy and your text is almost certainly still inside. Here is how to open the .wbk and recover your work in two minutes.

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What a WBK file is

A .wbk file is a Word backup document. When you turn on Always create backup copy in Word's options, each time you save, Word keeps the previous version as Backup of <name>.wbk in the same folder. If your .docx is lost or corrupted, the .wbk holds the last-but-one version.

How to open it

In Word choose File → Open, browse to the .wbk, and set the file-type dropdown to All Files so it appears. Open it, then Save As a normal .docx. If double-clicking does nothing, this dropdown trick is the fix.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes, if your main document is fine. The .wbk is only a spare copy. Delete it and you simply lose the extra backup — the working .docx is untouched.

How to open a .wbk file by OS

Windows: .wbk is a Word backup ("Backup of name.wbk"). Open Word → File → Open, set the file type filter to All Files, and select the .wbk; or copy it and rename to .doc.

macOS: Word for Mac opens .wbk the same way via File → Open.

Linux: open it in LibreOffice Writer, which reads the Word backup format.

Common problems

You only get .wbk files if Always create backup copy is enabled in Word Options. If Word won't open it, rename a copy to .docx and use Open and Repair.

FAQ

How do I open a .wbk file?

In Word, File → Open, set the type dropdown to All Files, pick the .wbk, then Save As a .docx.

Where does Word save .wbk backups?

In the same folder as the original document, named 'Backup of <name>.wbk'.

Can I delete a .wbk file?

Yes, as long as your main .docx is intact — it is only a backup copy.

How is .wbk different from .bak?

.wbk is specifically Word's backup format; .bak is a generic backup extension used by many programs.