If you thought saving your work was always a safe bet, think again! Microsoft has found a new glitch in Word that adds a little thrill to your day. Instead of saving your documents like a responsible word processor, it might just decide to delete them! Word's version 2409 from Microsoft 365 has a quirky bug where saving can lead to poof... no more document.

Under certain circumstances, Word does not save documents when asked to do so, but deletes them instead. Word with version number 2409 from the Microsoft 365 software bundle is affected.

What’s Going On?

A support article from Microsoft explains the problem. The error occurs as soon as a Word document with an RTF extension is saved in uppercase and the program is then closed. The "#" character in the file name can also trigger this error. Administrators and users report significant data loss caused by this software anomaly.

And it's not just RTF files that are affected. DOCX files with uppercase extensions are also in the danger zone! So, if your document management system loves uppercase extensions, it’s time to rethink your approach to file names.

Microsoft investigates the Word problem: Temporary solutions

The good news? Microsoft is investigating the issue and working on a fix. In the meantime, you can avoid the drama by following their suggestions and keeping your file extensions lowercase, or using alternative storage locations. Stay updated on the latest patches and updates, and soon your Word documents will go back to their usual, safe-saving selves.

Until then, admins and users, spread the word (pun intended)! With a little care, your documents will stay right where they belong - safe and sound.