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

[nektariosk99045490]

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

[Bojan Živković]

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.

[nektariosk99045490]

I was able to find the file in my recycle bin. somehow, after clicking, Done ACR moved it into the recycle bin.

[defaultvt3awgr5oe2i]

Samething happened to me. Found in trash.

[JohanElzenga]

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'.

[nektariosk99045490]

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]

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.

[nektariosk99045490]

Same here. I was stunned. The only thing I can think of is that something else deleted it. I have disc caching in my system with delayed writing. Maybe something went wrong with that? Basically my slow SATA D drive is cached against an .m2 SSD.

[RobinManford]

Hard to believe or not, it happens. It just happened to me.  I was using Camera Raw, manipulating vertical transforms, pressed delete to delete one of the guides.  However, the guide was not selected at the time, so instead the image was marked for delete and I had to retrieve it from the bin and start again.

[Andrew Whettam]

This has just happened to me several times in succession. I opened a previously edited .orf (Olympus raw file) file in Camera Raw, made some changes, then clicked 'Done'. Both the image file and the .xmp file disappeared from the folder. The image file turned up in the Recycle bin, but not the .xmp file. I tried again several times with the same result each time. Very frustrating! Photoshop 26.10.0 on Windows 10, all available updates applied very recently.

[MichelBParis]

Version: Adobe Photoshop 2023

By @nektariosk99045490

If it's Adode Photoshop Elements 2023 (version 21), then, clicking 'Done' will exit the ACR plugin dialog and close the raw file. The raw file will still be there, unchanged for the original raw data, but with a companion xmp sidecar file as described above.

In that case, just click 'Open' instead of 'Done' so that the rendered version opens directly in the normal pixel editor of PSE to create a rendered jpeg, tiff, psd or other photo format version (instead of closing the raw file).

[nektariosk99045490]

The version was not elements. I want to make this clear.

I perfectly understand the workflow with ACR. I have been using it for years. 

I was able to find the file in my recycle bin. somehow, after clicking, Done ACR moved it into the recycle bin.

[Atelier Ekström AB]

This just happened to me aswell. I opened a .raf file directly from the SD card (I know.. I know...). Did a quick edit in Camera Raw, and pressed "done". The file were nowhere to be found on the SD card! The .jpg was still there (i usually shoot RAW+JPG), but the .raf was missing. It was not in the trash bin either (since it being a SD card). 

In the end I downloaded a file recovery tool called "Recuva" and managed to find that the file indeed was deleted on the SD, card. I managed to recover the file with the program. Screenshot of the Recuva UI below.

This is a SERIOUS bug. It shouldn't even be possible. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

If you can reproduce the issue I guess you should post a bug report over on the Camera Raw Forum. 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/camera-raw/ct-p/ct-camera-raw?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=en&tabi...

[Lumigraphics]

Camera RAW has a "Mark for deletion" feature. Right-click the image and select that, you get a badge that clearly says "Image will be moved to trash" which is exactly what happens.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Do you have any idea how one would accidentally activate that?

It doesn’t seem to have a (default) shortcut after all. 

[Lumigraphics]

Hopefully its not a bug! No idea how it would happen accidentally.

[Sam354123631oo9]

The exact same thing just happened to me...I was editing a photo in Camera RAW on a Mac and accidentally hit Done instead of Open. Once I realized my mistake, I attempted to reopen the file and it was gone...completely. I searched my Mac and it was nowhere to be found.  After reading the comments here, I looked in my Trash and there it was. Very, very strange and clearly not what the Done button is supposed to do.

[Lumigraphics]

Read my comment above.

[SeemsRojical]

The same thing just happened to me with Photoshop 2024. I have the xmp file but not the original RAW photo. 

[Berline_thel94]

The same thing just happened to me! 😢 I had just finished a photoshoot, and while editing a raw image, I clicked "OK," but the file never opened and has completely disappeared. I've checked everywhere, including my recycle bin, but it’s nowhere to be found. I’m honestly afraid to keep using the software now. Does anyone have any advice on what to do?

[Atelier Ekström AB]

See my comment above. I could recover the deleted raw-file by using a software that restores deleted files on the harddrive. I used something called Recuva if I remember correctly.

[defaultvt3awgr5oe2i]

Same just happened to me and, like you, found it in the trash. WTF!

[MK Personal]

This has now happened to me twice.  My expectations are that when I open a RAW file, Adobe does its dance and opens it in ACR for basic edits.  When done, I click OPEN and the image opens in APS and all is good.  First time this happened, about a week ago, APS started but did not open the file.  I went to the file manager and found the file in its expected directory.  I opened it again and it started ACR with my edits, great!  I clicked DONE (OPEN not available) and APS opened the file as expected.  Took the issue as nothing but a one-off glitch.

Today, I opened the file in ACR for the first time, did my edits, and OPEN was not available.  Other options were DONE and CANCEL.  Didn't want to cancel so I clicked DONE.  APS opened blank.  Checked the file system and the Raw was gone, no XMP file existed.  Found this thread and subsequently checked the TRASH BIN.  My RAW was there but I think this was because of my transfer from card to storage system.  All edits are gone this time.  I have to start over.  Could have been worse but this is not why I spend a lot of money on Adobe products.

Trust is a terrible thing to lose.  Once lost it's, difficult, maybe impossible to get back.  I can't risk losing my photos or worse, client photos.  Not planning on using ACR anymore.  Too bad, its a good tool, but if this is even a 1 in a thousand chance, it's not worth the risk.

[ChrisTriTone]

This is a major bug and is the cause of a lot of lost work. I make sure I save my ACR settings in an .xmp file before I press the done button. Then, when the adobe glitch machine (AGM) does its thing I can retrieve the file in recycle bin and reapply the settings from the xmp.