Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Periodically Delete TMP Files.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 18, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
As you work with Word, you may decide to turn on the AutoSave function, which causes Word to save your changes periodically. In saving these changes to disk, temporary disk files are created. (Makes sense, right?) Unfortunately, it is possible for these files to remain on the disk after you finish using Word.
Once you exit out of Word, it is okay to delete any TMP files or ASD files that may remain on your disk. Take a look in your TEMP directory and in any directories where you store Word documents. If you find any such files, feel free to delete them, thereby freeing up space on your hard drive.
You can find more information about how Word uses temporary files at this web page:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/211632/description-of-how-word-creates-temporary-files
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10440) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Periodically Delete TMP Files.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
If you need to work with a copy of a document rather than the original document, you can use Word's Open dialog box to ...
Discover MoreWord allows you to specify where it should start looking for your documents. This setting can come in handy if you store ...
Discover MoreSave a document for the first time, and Word helpfully suggests a filename you can use or change. If you want this ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments