How Do I Recover an Unsaved SketchUp File?

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Accidents happen, and it’s not uncommon to find yourself in a situation where you’ve accidentally closed a SketchUp file without saving it. Don’t panic!

There are a few methods you can try to recover your unsaved SketchUp file. In this tutorial, we’ll explore these methods step by step.

Method 1: Recover from the Auto-save folder

If you have the auto-save feature enabled in SketchUp, there’s a good chance that your unsaved file is stored in the auto-save folder. Follow these steps to locate and recover your file:

  • Step 1: Open SketchUp on your computer.
  • Step 2: Go to the “File” menu and select “Open” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+O (Cmd+O on Mac).
  • Step 3: In the file browser window, navigate to the following location: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\SketchUp\SketchUp [version]\SketchUp\Working.
  • Step 4: Look for files with the .skb extension. These are auto-saved versions of your SketchUp files.
  • Step 5: Select the most recent .skb file and open it. This should be a version of your unsaved file that can be recovered.

Method 2: Recover from temporary files

If Method 1 didn’t work or you don’t have auto-save enabled, you can try recovering your unsaved SketchUp file from temporary files. Follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  • Step 2: Type “%temp%” (without quotes) and press Enter. This will open the temporary files folder.
  • Step 3: In the temporary files folder, sort the files by “Date Modified” to find recent files.
  • Step 4: Look for SketchUp temporary files with names starting with “SKP”.
  • Step 5: Copy the most recent SKP file to a safe location, rename it with a .skp extension, and double-click to open it in SketchUp.

Method 3: Recover from backup files

If neither Method 1 nor Method 2 worked, you can try recovering your unsaved SketchUp file from backup files if you have any. Here’s how:

  • Step 1: Open SketchUp on your computer.
  • Step 2: Go to the “File” menu and select “Open” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+O (Cmd+O on Mac).
  • Step 3: In the file browser window, navigate to your backup folder or location where you save backups of your SketchUp files.
  • Step 4:Select the most recent backup file and open it.

In conclusion

Losing an unsaved SketchUp file can be frustrating, but by following these methods, you have a good chance of recovering your work. Remember to enable the auto-save feature in SketchUp to prevent future file loss. Additionally, it’s always a good practice to regularly save your work as you progress to minimize the risk of losing unsaved files.

Now that you know how to recover unsaved SketchUp files, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that your hard work is not lost forever.