When working on complex design projects, data preservation is one of the most crucial concerns. Losing work hours due to an unexpected system crash or power outage can be incredibly frustrating. This is particularly true for professionals who rely on Adobe InDesign, a leading software tool designers use to create stunning print and digital media layouts.
In this article, we have discussed whether InDesign has the autosave feature and how you can recover a file using the autosave feature.
Does InDesign autosave feature?
Yes, InDesign has the autosave feature.
Like other Adobe programs such as Photoshop, InDesign automatically saves your document every minute, ensuring your work is protected. If your program closes accidentally or your PC shuts unexpectedly, the InDesign autosave future allows you to recover any changes you made to the file. These saves are stored in an InDesign recovery folder, similar to the recovery folder in Photoshop.
Also read: How to fix Adobe Acrobat internal error?
How to recover an unsaved file using the autosave feature of InDesign?
If the program is closed accidentally and if InDesign saved a version of your file then you will see an automatic recovery dialogue box when you open the InDesign again. Click on the Yes button in the automatic recovery dialogue box. Once the recovery process is complete, InDesign will open the file that has been recovered. It is important to save this file to replace it with the current version, ensuring your progress is saved.
Contents of InDesign Recovery folder
Every user account has a separate InDesign Recovery folder. If InDesign is unable to find the designated Recovery folder during startup, it will generate a new folder in its place.
DBT: A temporary file containing partially saved information is created for each open InDesign document. These temporary files are identifiable by names starting with dbt and on Windows, ending with tmp.
Default settings: The InDesign Recovery folder contains a temporary file that stores default settings. When viewing the folder’s contents by name, this temporary file is the first one listed.
RecoveryData: Within the InDesign Recovery folder, you will find an index that includes the complete path names of all open InDesign documents and crashed documents. It’s important to note that the list of open documents contains actual paths, not aliases. This means that if you move or rename files after a crash, InDesign won’t be able to recover them.
ProtectiveShutdownLog: When InDesign experiences a crash caused by an access violation, it generates a log file. This log file is a useful tool for pinpointing the specific plug-in that may be responsible for the error.
If you transfer the document to another system and open it there, InDesign won’t be able to locate the RecoveryData file, resulting in the loss of potential data recovery opportunities. Hence, it’s recommended to initiate the recovery process immediately after a crash by launching InDesign and saving any recovered documents.
Location of InDesign Recovery folder
macOS
Users/[User Name]/Library/Cache/Adobe InDesign/Version[#.0]/InDesign Recovery
Windows
C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#].0\en_US\Caches\InDesign Recovery
Also read: 5 ways to fix Adobe short media token validation error: invalid_signature
