Have you ever spent hours working on an AutoCAD project, only to have your computer crash or the software unexpectedly close before you had a chance to save? It can be a frustrating experience, but fear not!
AutoCAD has a built-in feature that can help you recover unsaved files. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of recovering an unsaved AutoCAD file.
Step 1: Open the Options Menu
To begin, open AutoCAD and navigate to the “File” menu in the top left corner of the screen. From there, select “Options”.
Step 2: Access the Files Tab
In the Options menu, you will see several tabs at the top. Click on “Files” to access the file settings.
Step 3: Locate the Automatic Save File Location
In the Files tab, you will find an option called “Automatic Save File Location”. This is where AutoCAD saves temporary files as backups in case of unexpected closures or crashes.
Note:
By default, this location is set to a folder called “Autosave” within your user profile folder. However, it is possible that this location has been changed by your system administrator or by yourself.
Step 4: Open Windows Explorer
To access your automatic save files, open Windows Explorer by pressing Windows Key + E, or by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting “File Explorer”.
Step 5: Navigate to the Automatic Save File Location
In Windows Explorer, navigate to the location specified in Step 3. By default, it should be something like C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Temp\ACAD. If the location has been changed, search for the folder specified in the “Automatic Save File Location” option in AutoCAD.
Step 6: Sort Files by Date
Once you are in the automatic save file location, sort the files by date to easily find the most recent ones. The files should have a naming convention like “ACADAutoSave” followed by a series of numbers and letters.
Step 7: Open and Verify the File
Select the most recent file and open it with AutoCAD. Once opened, verify that it is indeed the file you were working on before the unexpected closure or crash.
Note:
It is important to note that these automatic save files are temporary backups and should not be relied upon as permanent versions of your work. Always remember to regularly save your work using Ctrl + S or the “Save” button in AutoCAD.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we have walked you through the process of recovering an unsaved AutoCAD file. By accessing the automatic save file location and opening the most recent backup, you can quickly recover your work after an unexpected closure or crash.
However, it is crucial to remember that these automatic save files are temporary backups and should not replace regular saving practices. Happy designing!