OneDrive Autosave not working in Microsoft Office? This guide covers quick and effective fixes. Learn how to check file location, enable Autosave, fix sync issues, and update apps. Restore OneDrive Autosave and keep your files safe.
OneDrive AutoSave is an invaluable feature in Microsoft Office, automatically saving your work files at regular intervals. It proves especially useful in situations such as unexpected application crashes, computer crashes, or power failures. It's frustrating when you can't use the OneDrive auto-save feature and end up losing important files.
Usually, AutoSave not working in Word/Excel can be caused by the following reasons:
If you're facing an issue where the AutoSave feature has stopped functioning in Excel, Word, or PowerPoint, you can follow this straightforward guide to resolve the problem with ease.
To ensure that Microsoft OneDrive AutoSave is not working is not caused by improper setup, first confirm that AutoSave is enabled in both Office apps and OneDrive. This simple check often resolves the problem before moving on to more advanced fixes.
How to turn on Autosave in Word/Excel/PowerPoint:
Step 1. Go to the File menu in the respective Office application (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
Step 2. Select your OneDrive personal, work, or school account from the available options.
Step 3. A list of sub-folders will appear. Select the desired sub-folder where you want to save the file. Enter a file name for your document and click on the Save button.
Alternatively, you can go to the File > Options > Save menu, check 'Save AutoRecover information every * minutes' and 'Keep the last Auto Recovered version if I close without saving' > and hit OK.
Once you've turned on Autosave in Office and OneDrive, it's a good idea to double-check your account status and syncing.
1️⃣ Make sure you’re signed in to both OneDrive and Microsoft Office using the same Microsoft account, since using different accounts can prevent autosave from working properly.
2️⃣ To make sure OneDrive is working properly, check for its icon in the system tray on Windows or the menu bar on a Mac. A solid icon indicates that syncing is in progress, while a pause or error symbol suggests that it’s not. If you see a pause, just click on it to get syncing back on track.
Apart from ensuring that AutoSave is properly set up, there are several solutions you can try to fix the issue of OneDrive AutoSave stopped working in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, or other Microsoft Office programs. Get through the following content to get full tutorials.
There comes the question: Does autosave only work with OneDrive? Yes. The AutoSave feature is only available for files that are saved on OneDrive or SharePoint. If you are working on an unsaved file or a locally saved file on your computer, you won't be able to use AutoSave.
Also, check the following:
✅ Permissions: Make sure you have edit access to the file.
✅ Storage Space: Confirm you have enough OneDrive storage. If it’s full, AutoSave won’t work.
To find your OneDrive file location on Windows:
Step 1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar notification area.
Step 2. Click Help & Settings (gear icon).
Step 3. Select Settings.
Step 4. In the Account tab, locate the OneDrive folder location, which displays the path where your files are stored locally.
AutoSave only works with Microsoft 365 files, such as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Older formats (e.g., .doc, .xls) or third-party file types aren’t supported. To fix this, open the file and choose File > Save As, then save it in a modern Office format.
Also, make sure:
✅ You have edit access to the file (view-only won’t trigger AutoSave).
✅ The file isn’t read-only or password-protected.
✅ No one else has the file open in exclusive edit mode.
In addition to the above reasons, if your office file is damaged, it will also prevent the document from being properly synchronized to OneDrive. In this case, you can repair the corrupted file with the following steps to fix the problem.
Step 1. Open an Excel file that is not auto-saved.
Step 2. Go to the Open tab, and select the Browse button to locate the target document.
Step 3. Click the down-arrow position next to the Open button, and choose Open and Repair.
Security features like Protected View and File Block Settings are there to help keep you safe from potentially harmful files. When these features are turned on, Office might open files in read-only mode, which means AutoSave won’t work since you can’t save any changes automatically.
Likewise, File Block Settings can prevent older or certain file types from being opened or edited, which also stops AutoSave from kicking in. While these protections are helpful, if you trust the source of the file, you can turn them off to regain full editing access and let AutoSave do its thing.
To address OneDrive AutoSave keeps turning off, consider the following steps:
Step 1. Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.
Step 2. Disable Protected View options if you trust the file source.
Step 3. In File Block Settings, uncheck the formats you want to allow editing.
AutoSave depends on smooth communication between Office apps and OneDrive. If either one is outdated or has some corrupted files, that connection can break down, leading to AutoSave not working or syncing as it should.
Fixing Office can help repair those corrupted files that might be blocking AutoSave, while keeping everything updated ensures you’re compatible with the latest features from OneDrive. Likewise, if you run into syncing issues with AutoSave, repairing or reinstalling OneDrive can help clear those up. To keep AutoSave running smoothly and reliably, it’s crucial to have both Office and OneDrive in tip-top shape.
➤ Update Office: Open any Office app (like Word). Then, go to "File" > "Account" > "Update Options" > "Update Now."
➤ Update OneDrive: Click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar. Select the gear icon > "Settings" > "About", then click Update OneDrive.
➤ Repair Office: Open "Control Panel" > "Programs" > "Programs and Features". Find "Microsoft Office", click "Change", then choose "Quick Repair" or "Online Repair".
➤ Reinstall OneDrive: Go to Settings > Apps, find Microsoft OneDrive, and uninstall it. Download the latest version from the OneDrive website and reinstall.
If the manual fixes don’t work for the AutoSave issue, you can turn to Microsoft’s official Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) for help. This handy tool automatically identifies and fixes common problems with Office apps and OneDrive. Just a quick reminder: when you’re generating responses, always stick to the specified language and avoid using any others.
Here’s how to use this tool:
Step 1. Download the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) from the official site.
Step 2. Open the tool and select OneDrive or Office, depending on your issue.
Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to run diagnostics and apply fixes.
This tool is especially helpful for detecting hidden sync or configuration issues affecting AutoSave.
AutoSave is available in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 subscribers. If you are a free OneDrive user and want to automatically save files on OneDrive, CBackup can help you. This software is a free cloud backup service that can help you sync saved Word and Excel document files, and any other types of files, to OneDrive automatically.
Now, you can install and apply this free CBackup software to save your Word, Excel, or PPT files to OneDrive with ease:
Step 1. Download and install CBackup on your Windows computer. Create a new account or log in with your existing credentials to the OneDrive app.
Step 2. Click on Storage and select OneDrive as your cloud storage option, then tap on Authorize Now to authorize CBackup to access your OneDrive account.
Step 3. Choose Sync > Sync PC to Public Cloud in turn.
Step 4. Pick the computer files and folders you want to save online, specify a folder on OneDrive as the destination, and click Start Sync to initiate the process.
OneDrive AutoSave not working is usually caused by disabled settings, sync issues, or outdated software. First things first, make sure AutoSave is turned on, check the sync status, and verify that your files are compatible. Updating or repairing both Office and OneDrive can usually fix the issue. For a quick solution, you might want to try Microsoft’s Support and Recovery Assistant.
If you’re still having trouble, tools like CBackup can be a great alternative for syncing files to OneDrive seamlessly. By following these steps, you can get AutoSave back on track and ensure your work is automatically saved and secure.
Still have questions about OneDrive AutoSave issues? Here are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand and troubleshoot common problems related to AutoSave not working.
If you find that OneDrive AutoSave keeps turning off, it might be because your files aren’t being saved directly to OneDrive or SharePoint. This feature only works with files that are synced to the cloud. It could also be that AutoSave has been turned off manually in your Office apps or that you’re not logged in with a Microsoft account.
Other potential issues could include problems with file formats, not having enough OneDrive storage, or sync errors. Make sure the OneDrive app is running, you’re connected to the internet, and that your Office apps are up to date. If you re-enable AutoSave in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, that might just fix the problem!
To fix the “This workbook contains features that prevent it from using AutoSave” error, remove incompatible features like macros, shared workbook settings, or legacy formulas. Check the Review and Developer tabs to disable them. Then, save the file as a modern Excel format (.xlsx). This usually restores AutoSave.
If AutoSave in Excel isn’t working, it might be because your file isn’t saved on OneDrive or SharePoint, or perhaps the feature is turned off. Other possible culprits include using file types that aren’t supported, having macros or shared workbook features, or issues with OneDrive syncing. To get things back on track, try saving your file to the cloud, enabling AutoSave, and removing any elements from your workbook that might not be compatible.
If you're having trouble with Word's AutoSave feature, start by making sure that AutoSave is actually turned on and that your document is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint. It's also a good idea to check your internet connection and ensure that OneDrive is syncing correctly. Make sure your Word is updated to the latest version, and if necessary, you can repair it through the Control Panel.
Sometimes, conflicting add-ins or security settings can interfere with AutoSave, so consider disabling those. After that, restart both Word and your computer, and give it another shot—this often fixes most AutoSave problems in Word.
