Raw File Deleted/Vanished after modifying it on Camera Raw and clicking "Done"

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
November 14, 2022
12 replies
5883 views

I opened a .CR2 raw file with the latest version of Photoshop, which subsequently opened the Camera Raw a[[. I did my various edits on the file and finally clicked "Done". To my horror, the file subsequently was NOWHERE to be found! It was gone... I searched everywhere and it's gone for good. This is extremely upsetting as this was a very valuable photo... 😞 I tried reproducing, and could not reproduce it.... I noticed the file missing immediately after I clicked "Done" in Camera Raw. In addition, the other files that accomodate an edit to a raw file were not there as well.

Version: Adobe Photoshop 2023

OS: Windows 11

Windows

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JohanElzenga

Community Expert

You noticed the file missing how? In which software? If you click 'Done' in Camera Raw, then an .XMP sidecar file will be saved next to the raw file. The raw file itself will never be changed, let alone be deleted. Camera Raw has no routines for file management, so it couldn't delete a file even if you wanted that.

If you are looking for the image in something like Bridge or Lightroom, then it may have moved in the grid if the grid was sorted by 'edit time' or something like that. It could also be filtered out of a view if that view is filtered on 'no edits'.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

N

nektariosk99045490Author

Participating Frequently

Thank you I was using Adobe Photoshop 2023 (not Elements). I have been using the camera raw workflow for years, so I understand it well.
I was able to locate the file in my recycle bin. Somehow, after clicking Done, Camera Raw moved it into the recycle bin. I could not find the edit files (acr) so all my edits are gone.

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

I find it very hard to believe that Camera Raw moved a file to the recycle bin. Like I said, Camera Raw can't move files even if you wanted it. I can't tell you what did really happen, however. Anyway, it's good that you found it again.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

Bojan Živković11378569

Community Expert

So, your .cr2 file is missing? Have you tried to find it on your system? Whatever you tried to do, Photoshop or ACR will open duplicate or copy of your original raw file. You can not save changes back to raw file. Photoshop nor ACR can not delete your files without some script or similar. Look again using Bridge for example because by default on Windows you can not see thumbnails only image names.