2024 Tip | How to Recover an Unsaved or Deleted Illustrator File

Losing an unsaved or deleted Illustrator file can be a frustrating and stressful experience. Whether you accidentally closed a file without saving it, overwrote an existing one, or deleted a file without a backup, it can feel like all your hard work has been for nothing. Don't despair, though – it's often possible to recover an unsaved or deleted Illustrator file.

In this article, we'll explore some methods you can try to recover lost files and get back on track with your work. We'll also discuss some best practices to prevent future file loss and safeguard your work. So, if you're searching for how to “recover unsaved Illustrator files,” keep reading!

How to recover lost Illustrator files?

Losing an Illustrator file can be devastating to your work and productivity. But don't despair; there are steps you can take to recover your lost file and get back on track. Before we dive into the recovery process, let's first understand some common reasons why Illustrator files might go missing, such as:

Illustrator crashes: If Illustrator crashes or unexpectedly quits, you might lose unsaved work.

Overwrote an Illustrator file by mistake: If you save over an existing Illustrator file, you might lose the original file.

Unsaved Illustrator files closed unexpectedly: If you close an Illustrator file without saving your changes, you might lose your unsaved work.

Deleted Illustrator file without a backup: If you deleted your Illustrator file without a backup, recovering the file can be difficult.

Damaged Illustrator File: In some cases, an Illustrator file might become damaged, making it difficult or impossible to open.

Now that you know some common causes, you're probably wondering how to fix them. Read on for the next section, which is just for you!

How to Recover Unsaved Illustrator Files in Windows 11/10/8/7

Are you looking for the best way to recover unsaved Illustrator files? This part is for you! In this section, we'll introduce two methods to try recovering your file on Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7. So, if you're ready to learn how to recover unsaved Illustrator files on Windows, let's get started!

Method 1: Recover an Unsaved Illustrator File from Auto-Save

Adobe Illustrator has a feature called "Auto-Save" that, if enabled, saves your work every few minutes to prevent loss in case of a crash or other unexpected situation. Let's look at how to use the Auto-Save feature for recovery.

Step 1: Launch Adobe Illustrator.

Step 2. Wait for the dialog box to appear, then click "OK."

Step 3: Illustrator displays the auto-saved version of the recovered file, with a "[Recovered]" tag in front of the filename.

Step 4: From the File menu, choose Save As.

Step 5: Choose the location where you want to save the recovered files, and click "Save".

Method 2: Recover an Unsaved Illustrator File from the Temp Folder

While you work on a file, Illustrator creates temporary files that might contain your lost work. To recover an unsaved Illustrator file from the temp folder, follow these steps:

Step 1. If Adobe Illustrator is running, quit the application.

Step 2: Open the Start menu, and type %temp% in the search field.

Step 3: Press the Enter key to open the Temp folder.

Step 4: Look for any Illustrator temporary files with the .tmp extension.

Step 5. Rename the temporary file by removing the .tmp extension and replacing it with .ai

Step 6. Open the file in Adobe Illustrator, and then save it to the location of your choice.

How to Recover Deleted Illustrator in Windows 11/10/8/7?

Did you accidentally delete your Illustrator file? Don't worry – this part is for you! Whether you emptied your Recycle Bin or accidentally deleted the file from your hard drive, any of the following options may help you recover your work:

Option 1: Use Software to Recover Deleted Illustrator Files

Data Recovery Wizard is a powerful tool that can help you recover deleted files in Windows 11/10/8/7. Whether you accidentally removed a file or encountered a hard drive issue, this software can assist you in retrieving lost data. Here are some highlights of this hard drive recovery software:

• It can recover various file types, including images, videos, music files, documents, and more.
• The software supports file recovery from a wide range of storage devices, such as hard drives, solid-state drives, USB flash drives, and USB sticks.
• It features a user-friendly interface, making it easy to use even for those who are not tech-savvy.
• Equipped with advanced scanning algorithms, it can help restore files that are severely damaged.
• Data Recovery Wizard is highly effective and has a high success rate in retrieving deleted files.

If you wish to recover deleted Illustrator files in Windows 11/10/8/7, we highly recommend using the tool Data Recovery Wizard. Download the software and follow its user-friendly steps to restore your lost files.

Step 1: Choose a location and start scanning

Launch the tool Data Recovery Wizard, and hover the mouse over the partition/drive where the deleted files were stored. Click “Scan” to look for the lost files.

Select the location where you deleted your files

Step 2: Choose the files you want to recover

When the scan is finished, select the deleted files you want to recover. You can click on the Filter to display only the file types you need. If you remember the name of the file, type it in the “Search for files or folders” box – this is the quickest way to find your target file.

Select the files to recover

Step 3: Preview and recover the deleted files

Preview the recoverable files, select the ones you want to restore, and click “Recover” to save them to a new location instead of the disk where the data was lost.

Option 2: Recover Deleted Illustrator Files from Recycle Bin

Where do deleted files go in Windows 11/10/8/7? When you remove a file from your computer, it is moved to the Recycle Bin in Windows 10, where it remains until you decide to permanently delete it. You can recover them by following these steps.

Step 1: Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop to open it.

Step 2. Locate the deleted Illustrator file that you wish to recover

Step 3: Right-click the file and select "Restore" from the context menu.

Step 4: The file will be restored to its original location on your computer.

Option 3: Recover Deleted Illustrator Files from Illustrator Backup

This section shows you how to recover a deleted Illustrator file from an Illustrator backup. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Adobe Illustrator and go to the Edit menu.

Step 2: Choose Preferences, and then click File Handling & Clipboard.

Step 3. In the AutoRecover section, click the Restore button next to the AutoRecover file location.

Step 4: From the list of available backup files, select the one you want to restore and click “Open.”

Step 5: The selected files will be restored to their original locations. Save the changes to make them permanent.

If your Illustrator file is damaged after recovery, you can refer to this article:

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How to Repair Corrupted Illustrator Files [2023 Guide]

In this comprehensive article, you'll learn practical solutions and how to easily protect your important designs! Read More >>

Conclusions

Losing your Illustrator files can be a frustrating and stressful experience. Hopefully, this article has equipped you with several methods to recover Illustrator files on Windows 11/10/8/7. The most effective method is to use data recovery software to restore deleted videos, images, music files, documents, and other files from various storage devices. If you've lost your Illustrator files, we recommend downloading tools Data Recovery Wizard to try and recover it with a very high success rate.

Frequently Asked Questions on Recovering Deleted Illustrator Files

After learning how to recover deleted Illustrator files, you might have some questions. Find their answers below:

How do I recover a file after Illustrator crashes?

If you've lost an Illustrator file due to a crash, you may be able to recover it using Illustrator's Auto-Save feature or by restoring a previous version of the file from a backup.

Recover a file after an Illustrator crash:

1. Launch Adobe Illustrator, then go to File > Open. 2. In the Open dialog box, navigate to the location where you saved your Illustrator file backup. 3. Select the backup file, and click Open. 4. If the file opens successfully, go to File > Save As, and save the file to a new location.

How do I fix a corrupted Illustrator file?

You can repair a corrupted Illustrator file using professional file repair software. To fix a damaged Illustrator file, follow these steps:

1. Download and install the Tools Data Recovery Wizard on your computer.
2. Launch the software and select the corrupted Illustrator file.
3. Click Scan to initiate the repair process.
4. After the scan is complete, choose the repaired Illustrator file and click Recover to save it to your desired location.
5. Open the recovered Illustrator file and check if it functions properly.

3. Can I recover an unsaved Illustrator file?

If you have the Auto-Save feature enabled in the Illustrator application, there is a chance that your unsaved work can be recovered. If the program crashes unexpectedly, Illustrator will attempt to recover your unsaved files when you relaunch the application and prompt you to save them. Additionally, you can try retrieving the file from a temporary folder, as unsaved work is typically stored there before being saved.

4. Where does Illustrator save recovery files?

Illustrator usually saves recovery files in the same location as the original file. It's important to note that a recovery file is only created if the "Save Recovery Information" option is enabled in Illustrator's preferences. If this option is not enabled, Illustrator won't create a recovery file, and unsaved work cannot be recovered.