Losing a Photoshop file due to accidentally closing it without saving is a common issue, but there are several ways to recover your unsaved work. This article walks you through the available recovery options. Whether you're looking for built-in tools or a powerful recovery software solution, this guide ensures that your important Photoshop files can be restored.
I was a complete dumbass who somehow managed to close photoshop without saving, not it crashing. Every ask I've come across is about what to do if it crashes, so, is there a way to recover an unsaved file from just accidentally closing everything?
- Question from Dylan
Adobe Photoshop is an indispensable tool for designers, photographers, and digital artists. However, like any software such as PowerPoint, Excel, CAD, etc., it's prone to unexpected crashes or accidents. One of the most frustrating situations is when you accidentally close Photoshop or experience a crash without saving your work.
Accidentally closing a Photoshop file without saving can lead to the loss of hours of hard work. But don't worry, just like recover unsaved PowerPoint files, there are multiple ways to recover unsaved Photoshop files on both Windows 10 and 11.
This section will provide several methods to recover unsaved Photoshop file on Windows 10/11. Whether your file was accidentally closed without saving, or your computer crashed unexpectedly, you can use these methods to recover your work.
Photoshop keeps track of recently opened files, even if they haven’t been saved. You can check the unsaved Photoshop files from the recent files list. This is the easiest and most effective way to recover unsaved files.
Step 1. Launch Photoshop on your computer.
Step 2. Locate "File" > "Open Recent". A list of Photoshop files that have been opened recently will be displayed.
Step 3. If your file appears there, simply click it to reopen it and save to a safe location.
Photoshop has an AutoSave feature that automatically saves your progress at regular intervals. If Photoshop was accidentally closed without saving files, you might be able to recover the most recent version of your work through this feature. Once you have enabled this feature before data loss, follow these steps to access autosave files:
Step 1. Open Photoshop and navigate to "Edit" > "Preferences" > "File Handling".
Step 2. Look for the "Automatically Save Recovery Information Every" option, and note the location where Photoshop saves autosave files.
Step 3. Navigate to that location on your computer:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [version]\AutoRecover
Step 4. Look for the files with extension ".psb" or ".tmp", and open it in Photoshop to recover your work.
If your unsaved file is completely new and you’ve never saved it before, Photoshop’s auto-save might not apply to it. But Photoshop saves temporary files on your computer while you're working. In such case, the unsaved Photoshop file might be stored in the Temp folder linked to the program.
Step 1. Press "Win" + "R" to open the Run dialog, input "%temp%" and hit "Enter".
Step 2. Look for a file with the extension ".psb" (Photoshop's temporary file format) or ".tmp".
Sep 3. Rename the file to a ".psd" or ".psb" extension and try opening it with Photoshop.
If you accidentally deleted a Photoshop file, or if your file is missing entirely, you're unable to recover your Photoshop files through the methods mentioned above, you can turn to the reliable data recovery tool like MyRecover. MyRecover can scan your hard drive for lost or deleted Photoshop files and allow you to restore them with ease. It adopts AI-embedded file identification and recovery technology to ensure that no files are missed during the recovery process.
Here are some stunning points of MyRecover:
✅500+ Devices Support – Recover files from all types of devices like SSD, HDD, USB flash drive, SD card, cameras, game console drives and more.
✅Handle 500+ Data Loss Scenarios – Recover from deleted partition, formatted hard drive, emptied Recycle Bin, system crash, virus attack, etc.
✅Supports over 1,000 file types – Including documents, photos, videos, audio, archives, and Outlook data files.
✅Higher Success Rate – Advanced deep scan for NTFS/FAT32/exFAT drives.
✅Smart Filtering – Recover files by type, date, or size with precision.
✅OS Compatibility – Work not only on Windows 11 /10, but also on Windows 8.1/ 8/ 7 and all Servers.
Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from Microsoft Store, avoid installing it on the drive with lost Photoshop files.
Step 2. Run the app and select your target drive to scan for lost files, then click "Scan". After the quick scan is completed, you can click "Deep Scan" to find more lost file fragments.
Step 3. Once the scan finishes, you can preview the files and select the ones you want to recover, then click "Recover".
Step 4. Save the recovered files to safe location (not the original drive).
When the process is done, the message "Files have been recovered successfully" will pop up. Then, you can check the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or "Browse" button.
Accidentally closed Photoshop without saving files on Windows can be stressful, but with the right tools and methods mentioned above, you can often recover your work. Whether you're using Photoshop’s recent files feature, checking for autosave backups, or utilizing the temp folder, there are several ways to bring your project back to life.
But for the deleted Photoshop files, the professional recovery tool like MyRecover is an excellent option. MyRecover offers a user-friendly solution to recover deleted or lost files from your computer, ensuring that you can restore your Photoshop work without the hassle. Ideal for home and business users alike, MyRecover Technician edition lets you deploy it across unlimited devices with a single license.
Q1: Where are temporary Photoshop files stored?
Temporary Photoshop files are typically stored in a hidden folder within your system’s AppData directory or the Temp folder. On Windows, you can find them by navigating to:
C:\Users[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Temp
Alternatively, you can open this folder using Run dialog like mentioned above.
Q2: How do I recover a file I accidentally deleted?
If you’ve accidentally deleted a file on Windows, the first place to check is the Recycle Bin. If the file isn’t there, you can try to recover it from backups (if available). Alternatively, you can use data recovery software like MyRecover to scan for and recover deleted files from your drive without backup.
Q3: How to recover lost unsaved documents?
If you’ve lost an unsaved document due to an unexpected shutdown or accidental closure, you can try using methods similar to those in Photoshop to recover them, such as auto-save and temporary folders.