How to Recover Files in Adobe InDesign

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An InDesign crash isn't always a big deal, as you can recover many lost files.

Adobe InDesign is a document and graphics management program. It is primarily used to layout print and digital distribution files, helping users edit images, embed audio, control typography and more. If you use this software for creating complex eBooks, pamphlets, Web documents or other graphic layouts, you know that InDesign's advanced editing features are time-consuming. It's incredibly frustrating to lose hours of InDesign work during a system crash or power failure. Fortunately, Adobe InDesign automatically saves files for hassle-free recovery. You may not get the entire layout back, but you can recover most of it.

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Step 1

Open Adobe InDesign. After an unexpected shutdown, Adobe InDesign usually launches an automatic file recovery process. If the automatic recovery process locates a lost file, it opens in your InDesign window.

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Step 2

Click "File" and "Save Project As" to save a permanent copy of the automatically recovered file. If the lost file doesn't automatically open, don't give up yet. You can still manually search recovery folders for the file.

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Step 3

Return to your computer's desktop if the automatic recovery process didn't yield any results.

Step 4

Browse your computer's primary hard drive for the recovery folder. On a Windows Vista or Windows 7 computer, click on the following folders in order to access the recovery folder: "Users," your user name, "App Data," "Local," "Adobe," "InDesign," "Version," "en_US," "Caches" and "InDesign Recovery." For Mac users, click on the following folders: "Users," your user name, "Library," "Cache," "Adobe InDesign," "Version" and "InDesign Recovery."

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Step 5

Browse the recovery folder. If you notice any drafts of your project, double-click to open the recovery file. If you were working with an unsaved and unnamed project, it will be labeled as some variant of "Untitled Project 1."

Step 6

Click "File" and "Save Project As" to save a permanent copy of the file after you open it.

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