Where Are AutoCAD Temporary Files Stored?

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Where Are AutoCAD Temporary Files Stored?

If you are an AutoCAD user, you may have come across the need to recover a file that was unexpectedly closed or crashed. In such cases, AutoCAD creates temporary files to help you recover your work. But have you ever wondered where these temporary files are stored?

The location of AutoCAD temporary files depends on various factors, including the version of AutoCAD you are using and your operating system. Let’s explore some common locations where these files might be stored:

Windows Operating System

On Windows systems, AutoCAD temporary files can typically be found in the following directories:

  • C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Temp – This is the default location for storing temporary files in Windows.
  • C:\Windows\Temp – Another common location for storing temporary files.

Please note that the actual file names may not resemble your original drawing file names. You may find them with a .bak or .sv$ extension.

Mac Operating System

If you are using AutoCAD on a Mac, the default location for temporary files is:

  • /var/folders/XX/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX/T/ – The X’s represent a unique folder path generated by macOS.

In some cases, you might also find temporary files in the Trash folder if they were not properly cleaned up after closing AutoCAD.

Customizing Temporary File Locations

If you prefer to change the default location for storing AutoCAD temporary files, you can do so by modifying the FILEDIA system variable. Here’s how:

  1. Open the AutoCAD command line.
  2. Type FILEDIA and press Enter. This will display the current value of the FILEDIA variable.
  3. Type 1 and press Enter.

    This will enable the file dialog box for selecting a new location.

  4. Type SAVE and press Enter. This will save your changes to the system variables.
  5. Restart AutoCAD for the changes to take effect.

Once you have customized the temporary file location, AutoCAD will create temporary files in your specified directory instead of the default locations mentioned earlier.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AutoCAD temporary files are crucial for recovering your work in case of unexpected closures or crashes. Understanding where these files are stored can help you locate and recover your valuable drawings.

By default, Windows stores temporary files in specific directories like C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Temp, while Mac uses /var/folders/XX/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX/T/. Remember that you can also customize the temporary file location within AutoCAD by modifying the FILEDIA system variable. Now that you know where to find these temporary files, you can confidently recover your work without any trouble.