How Do I Recover an AutoCAD Autosave File?

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Have you ever encountered the frustrating situation where you accidentally closed AutoCAD without saving your work? Don’t worry, AutoCAD has a built-in feature called Autosave that can help you recover your lost work. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of recovering an AutoCAD Autosave file.

Step 1: Locate the Autosave File Folder

To begin, we need to find the folder where AutoCAD stores Autosave files. The location may vary depending on your operating system. Follow these steps:

  • Windows:
    • Open Windows Explorer.
    • Navigate to the following directory: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Autodesk\AutoCAD \Rxx.x\enu\Support\Autosave (replace Rxx.x with your specific AutoCAD version).
  • Mac:
    • Open Finder.
    • Go to the following folder: /Users/%username%/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/AutoCAD/Rxx.x/enu/Support/Autosave (replace Rxx.

Step 2: Identify the Autosave File

In the Autosave folder, you will find multiple files with names starting with “ac$”. These are the Autosave files created by AutoCAD. Each file represents an Autosave version of your drawing.

Tips for Identifying the Correct File:

  • Date Modified: Check the date and time stamp of the file to find the one that corresponds to the time when your work was last saved.
  • File Size: The Autosave file with a larger file size is likely to be the most recent and comprehensive version of your drawing.

Step 3: Recover the Autosave File

Once you have identified the correct Autosave file, follow these steps to recover it:

  1. Make a Copy: It’s always a good practice to make a copy of the Autosave file before attempting any recovery. Right-click on the file and select “Copy”.
  2. Paste and Rename: Find a suitable location on your computer, right-click and select “Paste”.

    Rename the copied file with a new name and save it.

  3. Open AutoCAD: Launch AutoCAD application.
  4. Open Recover Manager: In AutoCAD, go to the “File” menu, select “Drawing Utilities”, and choose “Recover”.
  5. Select File: In the Recover dialog box, click on the folder icon next to “File Name” field and navigate to where you saved the copied Autosave file. Select it and click “Open”.
  6. Recover Drawing: Click on “OK” in the Recover dialog box. AutoCAD will analyze and attempt to recover your drawing from the Autosave file.
  7. Save Drawing: After successful recovery, save your drawing in a location of your choice using Ctrl+S or by going to “File” > “Save As”.

Congratulations! You have successfully recovered your AutoCAD Autosave file and restored your lost work.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have learned how to recover an AutoCAD Autosave file. By following these steps, you can easily retrieve your lost work and continue working on your drawings without any major setbacks.

Remember to regularly save your work to avoid relying solely on Autosave. Happy designing!