How do you recover an Illustrator file after closing without saving it?

[Ute Hiltenkamp]

I recently experienced a frustrating situation with Adobe Illustrator on my Mac. After two hours of work, I accidentally closed a file without saving, mistaking it for a different document. Upon realising my error, I attempted to recover the file, spending an additional two hours searching for a solution. I managed to locate the .aid file but cannot open it.

My questions are:

1. Why isn't Autosave functioning properly in Illustrator?
2. Is there a way to recover my work?
3. How can I prevent this issue from occurring in the future?

Additional details:

• I'm using the latest version of Illustrator on a Mac with up-to-date software.
• The .aid file is visible, but I can't open it.
• I've already spent considerable time trying to find a solution online.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Ute Hiltenkamp,

Thanks for reaching out. If the file is closed without saving, it is likely to be lost. We understand this may not be the ideal outcome, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

To avoid similar situations in the future, we advise saving multiple copies of your active work locally or saving them as cloud documents.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or need assistance. We're here to help.

Thanks,

Anubhav

[Kim Calland]

Astute Graphics offer a third-party free plugin for Illustrator called Autosaviour, maybe of use to you? It can remind you, or auto-backup your work. https://astutegraphics.com/plugins/autosaviour

Kim