What Is an .ASD File?
Word crashed and left an .asd file. It is an AutoRecover copy of your document. Here is how to get your work back.
What an .asd file is
An .asd file is Microsoft Word's AutoRecover snapshot — Word saves one every few minutes so it can restore your document after a crash.
How to recover it
Reopen Word; it usually shows a Document Recovery pane on the left with the recovered file — click it and save. If not, go to File → Open → Recover Unsaved Documents (bottom of the recent list).
Where Word keeps them
On Windows they typically live in %AppData%\Microsoft\Word\ or the AutoRecover path shown under File → Options → Save. You can open an .asd directly from there via File → Open.
Is it safe to delete?
Yes, once you have recovered and saved your real document. Old .asd files are just stale snapshots.
FAQ
How do I open an .asd file?
Reopen Word and use the Document Recovery pane, or File → Open and browse to the .asd in the AutoRecover folder.
Where does Word store .asd files?
Usually %AppData%\Microsoft\Word\ on Windows — the exact path is under File → Options → Save.
Can I delete .asd files?
Yes, after you have recovered your document. They are temporary AutoRecover snapshots.