Why were all my layers merged into one when saving PSD file?

[thomasf99553506]

Help! I had at least a dozen layers in progress when I saved the file at the end of the day's work yesterday. I saved it as a PSD file, just as I always do. But when I opened it this morning, all it has is one background layer with all my work merged together!! 1) Is there any way to get my layers back? 2) what could I have done to cause this to happen?

[Test Screen Name]

This seems to happen when the file is corrupted (e.g. the save fails, a server goes away, software or system bugs... all of these can happen).

Photoshop first writes a merged layer, then starts to save all the other layers. If this now fails, you at least have the merged layer. You will need to use backups to go back any earlier.

[Mike_Gondek]

Make sure layers is checked when you save.

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Have you saved as a PDF at any stage during your work? If so , and you uncheck Preserve Photoshop Editing capabilities then the layers are not saved. No problem for the PDF  but there is a nasty "gotcha". All your layers are still available in the open document and when you then go to save them as a PSD then the layers button in the PSD save dialogue is now unchecked. There is a warning but it is very easily missed.

Dave

[thomasf99553506]

Yes davescm! That's it! That's exactly how it happened. Thank you so much for figuring this out.

[davescm]

You're welcome. Once you know, it only catches you once. 🙂

Dave

[gener7]

That said, having a Backup Plan should never be Rocket Surgery.

[astinar]

Hi Dave,

I know it's been a few years, but now the psd save dialog box doesn't have any checkbox for layers. It only appears for "save as copy", which is annoying/problematic 😕 I never had this problem in previous versions and learned about it very quickly in Photoshop 2021; I hope that this very important "save layers" checkbox is re-added to the dialog box!

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Save as layers is no longer required in the save dialogue as the standard Save As formats automatically save with layers intact and PDF now saves as a copy i.e. it does not destroy the original format. This is a safer soloution to the original issue than many that were discussed here.

Dave

Edit - since posting this reply in September, the original issue was re-introduced when the version with legacy Save As was released. So once again after saving as PDF you can lose your layers in your next save to PSD if you did not preserve editing capabilities in your PDF save. Save a Copy will allow you to recheck 'layers'

[Hjhaverkamp]

Dave, my guy, it surely does not just save as a copy. The PDF thing just nerfed my project, this is absolutely still a problem in Windows 10. But I did have to go digging to recheck the layers box, as it tried to do the same thing on a new document. 

[davescm]

What I wrote was correct at the time. Unfortunately when the legacy Save As was brought back, after demand from users, the old PDF gotcha was also re-introduced.

Dave

[Jon22268612ss2b]

What a load of crock! I have now lost two very large projects by following your exact insructions, Dave.

Very dissapointed in Adobe. I have lost countless hours now.

[Jon22268612ss2b]

And yet, the single layer, "merged" file is still nearly a GB. This is a software and program problem, Adobe...not a user problem like you have been blaming for so long.

[Jon22268612ss2b]

Even Adobe's own staff doesn't know what the right answers are depending on what time it is!

Rant over. Do better!

[astinar]

I'm actually relieved I'm not the only one. Strangely enough my former boss, on the same version of Photoshop, couldn't replicate this "problem" and after reading Adobe Dude's reply, I thought it was some flaw in my software. Tried uninstalling/reinstalling Photoshop 3 times and no improvement. This is a really crappy change in the software that I'm sure will cost many people innumerable hours of work.

[davescm]

@Jon22268612ss2b  Did you read the thread? This was fixed when I posted in September then the problem re-introduced when the update containing  legacy Save As was released.

I am not an employee, just a user that, like many others, was caught out by this in the past. I now double check the Layers box if I have saved as PDF.

I've added an edit to my September post so no-one else is misled if they did not read the rest of the thread.

Dave

[astinar]

Hi Dave,

Yes, I've read the entire thread, but despite you writing in September that this issue was fixed ( that "the standard Save As formats automatically save with layers intact and PDF now saves as a copy i.e. it does not destroy the original format") it wasn't working that way on my computer. My layers continued to get merged in psds, even though the individual layers were/are visible in the open document. Your saying that the problem was fixed didn't mean that it wasn't still happening on my software (and still is). There is no layers box for me to check when I save a psd. 

I think that the certainty with which you responded suggested some involvement in the software/company, but good to know.

Autumn

[astinar]

As a follow up: I just discovered my version has the ability to "Enable Legacy Save As" in Preferences>File Handling and checking that box now enables me to select/deselect Layers when saving. I'm not sure if I already had the updated version when you posted in September, but in any case I'm glad I can now specify to save those layers!

[dennisola]

This is the ticket. Thanks so much for posting. The "Save A Copy" change to Save As was a terrible idea. 

[Meeko89]

Three years later I find this thread and - hallelujah - resolved my problems! Thank you for figuring this out and sharing the solution.

[melissapiccone]

There is no way to get them back...