Forced Windows update while typing in Word - lost everything

@Pinecone
See if this works: Click one of the recovery options below and follow the steps to try to get things working again. Remove an installed Windows update


If you've recently installed a Windows update, uninstall the update to try to resolve the issue.

1. Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update >
   
   View your update history > Uninstall updates.
2. Right-click the update you want to remove, and then select Uninstall.

Click one of the recovery options below and follow the steps to try to get things working again. Remove an installed Windows update


If you've recently installed a Windows update, uninstall the update to try to resolve the issue.

1. Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update >
   
   View your update history > Uninstall updates.
2. Right-click the update you want to remove, and then select Uninstall.

Try this: Click one of the recovery options below and follow the steps to try to get things working again. Remove an installed Windows update


If you've recently installed a Windows update, uninstall the update to try to resolve the issue.

1. Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update >
   
   View your update history > Uninstall updates.
2. Right-click the update you want to remove, and then select Uninstall.

Click one of the recovery options below and follow the steps to try to get things working again.
Remove an installed Windows update

If you've recently installed a Windows update, uninstall the update to try to resolve the issue.

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update >

View your update history > Uninstall updates.
View update history settings

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...#bkmk_section6

Hello @Jacee, I think you post went a bit wonky!

Pinecone said:

I have Windows 10 Version 2004 (OS Build - 19041.746) and MS Office 365.

I was typing a huge amount of data into an existing Word document. Phone rang and I left my desk and then got distracted by a few other things. When I returned to my computer 20 minutes later, there was a Windows update in progress! When it got done, my Word document was no longer open and all my recent work was gone. Nothing came up saying I had unsaved work and did I want to recover it, etc. It's just gone. Yes, I should've saved my work. Lesson learned. I had no idea Windows would just start spontaneously updating while I was away from my desk.

I've been looking in Documents for a recovery option but no luck. I tried to restore a previous version of the document, but nothing came up. This document is also password protected. Not sure if that's why I can't recover anything?

Is there ANY way to recover this unsaved data?

Hi Pinecone, have you checked your settings to see if the Save AutoRecover is enabled and where the destination folder is?

This is Word settings in Office 365.

@Paul Black,
Yup!

Jacee said:

@Paul Black,
Yup!

You can Edit the post if you so wished.

In addition, set 18 hours long window, during which Windows will NOT be allowed to auto-restart.

Change Active Hours for Windows Update in Windows 10

Pinecone said:

Thanks all for the advice! I tried to uninstall the update, but Windows simply reloaded it when my computer restarted. Tried to recover the document in Word, but there was no .asd document to be found. I will definitely enable autosave for future! Still annoyed that this update started spontaneously and didn't even allow me to save my work first.

Many users have decided to take control and prevent these surprise updates from Microsoft. I live in the country and only have access to a costly wireless internet service.

A simple fix that is usually successful is to set your connections to metered. Whenever large updates are available, you will see a warning, asking you to switch to a non-metered connection or accept the download of x MB.
*Caveat - There has been at least once (possibly more than once) in the past where MS has forced a feature update with a metered connection anyway.

Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10

Set Ethernet Connection as Metered or Unmetered in Windows 10


To further reduce the risk and take full control of updates there are several popular methods listed in this tutorial.

Enable or Disable Windows Update Automatic Updates in Windows 10


I've tried a few methods before I decided on this solution from Matthew Wai, a member here at Ten Forums.