How to recover InDesign files that were lost, deleted, or unsaved on Windows? Find the easy and safe ways on this post to find them back.
An InDesign file is a document created with Adobe InDesign, a professional desktop publishing software used for designing and producing print and digital publications. These files typically have the extension ".indd" and contain a variety of elements like text, images, and graphics arranged in a layout.
However, keeping INDD files safe on your computer is not always an easy task. Users might lose their files for various reasons such as accidental deletion, unsaved operations, file corruption, hardware failure, unintentional overwritten action, etc.
Losing an InDesign file can be a significant setback, especially if the file contains important work or a project that has taken a lot of time to create. But don’t worry, this post aims to help you recover InDesign file with ease. Different recovery ways are listed below with detailed steps. Please check now.
Recovering a deleted or unsaved InDesign file can be a challenging task, but there are various methods you can employ to retrieve the INDD file and back to normal work.
One of the most effective and reliable ways to get back the unsaved/deleted InDesign files is by using a professional data recovery tool like AOMEI FastRecovery.
This professional data recovery tool utilizes advanced algorithms to reconstruct complete files from residual traces. Whether the data is lost or inaccessible, AOMEI FastRecovery can recover it from various storage devices such as internal drives, external drives, USB flash disks, and SD cards. It supports over 1,000 file types, including photos, videos, documents, and audio files. Thus, recovering InDesign files is straightforward and reliable with AOMEI FastRecovery.
Here's how to use AOMEI FastRecovery to recover InDesign files:
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.
Step 2. Then, the recovery tool starts to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first to find your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.
Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".
Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered InDesign files.
Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.
Adobe InDesign offers a built-in "Automatic Recovery" feature designed to help you recover files in the event of an unexpected crash or system failure. This feature automatically generates temporary backup files as you work, providing a safety net to restore your document if an issue arises.
Here’s how to recover deleted InDesign files using the Automatic Recovery feature:
Step 1. Open the Adobe InDesign program. Typically, after an unexpected shutdown, InDesign will start an automatic recovery process. If a missing or unsaved file is detected, it will open within the application.
Step 2. To save the recovered file permanently, navigate to 'File' and choose 'Save As.' If the deleted file doesn't open automatically, you can manually search for it in the recovery folder.
If the Automatic Recovery feature doesn't work or you can't find your unsaved file, you can manually locate the recovery folder where InDesign stores temporary backups. These files are typically saved in a hidden folder on your computer's hard drive.
Here’s how to find the InDesign recovery folder and recover unsaved files:
Step 1. Close Adobe InDesign if it's currently open. Then, navigate to the following folder on your computer:
C:\Users[Your User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign[Version][Language]\Recovered InDesign Files
Step 2. In the "Recovered InDesign Files" folder, you should find a list of unsaved InDesign files, typically named with the date and time they were created.
Step 3. Find the file you want to recover and copy or move it to a secure location on your computer. Open the recovered file in InDesign, and you should be able to continue your work.
By manually accessing the InDesign recovery folder, you can often retrieve unsaved files that the Automatic Recovery feature missed.
Sometimes, you may need to revert to an earlier version of an InDesign file, either due to unwanted changes or the need to return to a previous state before continuing edits. InDesign provides several methods to help you recover an earlier version of your file.
To undo recent changes using InDesign’s built-in options, follow these steps:
Step 1. Go to Edit > Undo to reverse the most recent change.
Step 2. Select File > Revert (in InDesign) or File > Revert Content (in InCopy) to discard all changes made since the last save.
Step 3. If you haven’t closed the file, you can press Ctrl + Z to undo changes even after saving.
After using these options to undo or revert changes, you can easily recover previous versions of your InDesign file.
If you’ve accidentally deleted an InDesign file, you might be able to recover it from the Recycle Bin. Here are the steps:
Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking its icon on your desktop. Find the deleted InDesign file, right-click on it, and choose "Restore".
Step 2. The file will be restored to its original location on your computer.
If you’ve been backing up your files, you can make Adobe InDesign recover unsaved file from a previous backup:
Step 1. Find the folder containing the InDesign file you want to restore. Right-click the folder and select Properties > Previous Versions from the context menu.
Step 2. Under the "Previous Versions" tab, select the most recent version of the folder and click the green arrow next to "Restore".
Step 3. Choose "Restore To" if you want to save the previous version to a different location on your computer.
These steps provide multiple ways to recover an InDesign file, whether you’re undoing recent changes, restoring a deleted file, or retrieving a previous version from a backup.
Recovering a damaged InDesign file is crucial for designers, marketers, and business owners who rely heavily on the software. Losing a project due to technical issues or accidental deletion can be incredibly stressful. Fortunately, there are strategies to recover InDesign files that were not saved, accidentally erased, or had previous versions, helping to prevent a potential disaster.
One effective solution is using AOMEI FastRecovery, a powerful recovery program designed to retrieve lost or damaged files. This tool can be invaluable in recovering your InDesign projects and ensuring your work is not lost.