How To Recover Unsaved Data In AutoCAD?

Recovering Unsaved Data in AutoCAD

AutoCAD can occasionally experience unexpected shutdowns or crashes, leading to potential loss of important design work. Fortunately, there are methods to recover unsaved data. This guide provides a systematic approach to retrieve your lost files effectively.

Identifying AutoCAD Autosave Location

To begin the recovery process, it’s essential to know where AutoCAD saves its autosave files.

1. For Windows Users:

   • Open AutoCAD and navigate to the Files tab within the Options dialog.
   • Look for the Automatic Save File Location folder to find the directory where autosave files are stored.
   • You can also check this path using the SAVEFILEPATH variable in the command line.

2. For Mac Users:

   • Open AutoCAD, then go to Application > Preferences to locate the autosave directory.

Knowing this location will assist in identifying where your autosaved files might be found.

Recovering Unsaved Files in AutoCAD 2025

In the event that a file was not saved, follow these steps to recover potentially lost work:

1. Accessing Temporary Files:

   • Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the temporary folder:
     C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Temp.
   • Alternatively, you can use the Run dialog (WIN + R) and enter %temp% to quickly access the temp folder.

2. Finding AutoCAD Autosave Files:

   • Look for files with the extensions .SV$ (autosave files) or .BAK (backup files).
   • These files will often share the same name as your original drawing.

3. Opening Autosave Files:

   • Rename the .SV$ file to an extension of .DWG (e.g., YourFile.SV$ to YourFile.DWG).
   • Open AutoCAD and load this renamed file to access your work.

4. Using the Drawing Recovery Manager:

   • In AutoCAD, type DRAWINGRECOVERY in the command line to launch the Drawing Recovery Manager.
   • This manager will show all available backup files and autosave sessions. You can double-click any file to attempt a recovery.

Setting Up Autosave for Future Projects

To prevent future data loss, it’s advisable to configure the Autosave feature within AutoCAD:

1. Adjusting Autosave Settings:
   • Right-click on the drawing area and select Options.
   • Navigate to the Open and Save tab and find the File Safety Precautions section.
   • Ensure the Automatic Save checkbox is checked.
   • You can specify the interval (in minutes) for how often AutoCAD should autosave your work.

FAQs

1. What should I do if I can’t find my autosave files?
If your autosave files are not located in the temporary folder, ensure your settings are correctly configured for autosave in AutoCAD. Additionally, check any other possible locations where AutoCAD might save temporary files based on your specific configurations.

2. How can I ensure my AutoCAD files are regularly backed up?
Automate file backups by enabling the AutoCAD backup options under the Open and Save settings. You can also manually create backups by periodically saving your work to different locations.

3. Can I recover data from a crashed AutoCAD session without losing any work?
AutoCAD is designed to autosave periodically; therefore, if the application crashes, the last autosave session should contain most of your recent changes. Use the Drawing Recovery Manager immediately after reopening AutoCAD to restore the most recent drawing state.