Can't save file 'this file cannot be found' error

[csscms]

Hi There,

I've been working on a file for a cople of days that's on my desktop. Today I opened the file, made some edits and hit CMD + S and saw this error...

Things I've tried...

1. Copying the art into a new document and saving
2. Saving the new document to different disks (all local, no servers)
3. Creating a blank document with nothing in it and saving

Bascially, I can't save anything - has anyone else seen this?

Cheers

Ben

[default2fqe1pld9t1w]

This has happened to me, and sadly quitting the app and hoping it would be there in file recovery, but it wasn't. Lost 2 hours of work, thanks Adobe. Your software is become worse with the increase in prices. Angry.

[DerFremde]

Happend to me as well. First Adobe breaks "save as" in Photoshop and now saving in Illustrator doesn't work at all.  What's happening over there?

[Monika Gause]

Which version, which system, exactly where are your files located?

How often do you reboot the computer?

Can you "Save as" the file elsewhere?

[interesting_Wizard5EBD]

The same thing just happened to me. The task manager trick worked but I had to cross my fingers, say a prayer and say ten Hail Marys while I waited for it to reload. What a gamble!

[mattl63375823 · Accepted solution]

I think I know why this is happening. I have 2 Adobe accounts - one that has full access and one that only has free access. A mistake I made a while back was setting up an adobe stock account using my free account instead of my paid account, so to buy stock images, I have to log out of the account that my Illustrator, Photoshop, etc programs are connected to, log into my free one, get the images I want, save, and log out.

When this same issue happened to me, I was logged into the free account that doesn't have access to programs. As soon as I remembered this, I signed back into my pro account and the issue was solved. So double check that you're signed into your Adobe account.

[ranp10]

Yep, great, that worked! Sign out, sign in and voila!

[Cris at Precision]

This just happened to me too. My workaround was saving as an .eps file, which worked, then shutting down illustrator and re-starting. 

[emilyt3099184]

So I found a very strange solution not sure if it will help anyone else. When you go to save as there is an option to click save on Cloud. Click  on that option and name your document file and then once it is saved to the name you want go back to save as and click the file folder you want to save it too. It works like a charm. No need to click out or exit illustrator.

[klnothstine]

This same error just started happening to me.  This solution of saving to the cloud then to my hard drive worked.

Very frustrating.

[EnzoLH · Accepted solution]

Howdy!

I was having this problem too, but may have found a FIX!, though I don't know how or why it works. I change the document colour mode (RGB/CYMK) from whichever I am using then undo (so my file doesnt look whack) then save again and it works. Would love if someone who is having this problem could attempt this and verify.

Best,

e

[Matthew Gagnon]

This worked for me as well. I went to file, document color mode, and changed it to CMYK. I then switched it back to RGB and was able to save after doing this. 

[BritneyDeveault]

Changing color mode totally fixed it. Weirdest thing...

[JR W]

Worked for me too. You're a saint!

[Martyn19658679]

I've just come across this problem after adding 6 new artboards and a handful of new vectors. Change to CMYK (from RGB) then Ctrl+Z then Save and it works fine. Thanks for the tip.

[JPHiggs]

Worked for me as well. Thank you!

[LiamStrittAPP]

Worked for me as well, thanks!

[Greeshma27770628lrrf]

Thanks ... This worked

[Bob Cal]

Enzo,

Thanks. I was worried I had to rebuild. Your solution worked. 
Thank again,

Bob

[shesurfs]

Wow, Enzo - you saved the day for me, too. Thank you so much for posting this answer!

:)))  ...Super happy not to lose my work this time.

[Bobby28139206b7gy]

I've never come across this problem before today, but your unexpected yet simple fix worked for me too.  Thanks!

[LarrBear]

Worked like a charm!!!

[aleahmach1]

Worked!  Why on earth is this the fix? 

[Erin24416686ypc8]

This worked for me! THANK YOU!

[Chris_Cottages]

Just had the same issue and this workaround did not work for mee while the other proposed workaround of first daving as pdf and then as *.ai worked.

[m00gwai]

Had the same issue.  I was able to save as an .eps (safety measure before force quit).  Then I used the force quit, reopen, and was able to save normally again.  This was not a free account issue for me.