Cannot locate saved files from previous work session

[ggreenblum]

I edited and saved many photos in Photoshop Elements 13.  I closed the program and when I re-opened program the next day I cannot find the files/photos from earlier work session.  How / where do I find them?

[Ged_Traynor]

@ggreenblum try posting your query on the Photoshop Elements forum

[ggreenblum]

Thanks, I'm new to this game so trying to catch up!

[Trevor.Dennis]

I'll move it to the Elements forum Ged.

[ggreenblum]

Hello Greg S, when I tried to reply to your message, thank you very much, it defaults to a no response address so I'm trying to respond in this manner, hope it gets back to you.

What OS are you using (Mac or Windows)?   Windows PC

Do you use the Organizer, or are you just editing files opened from the OS browser (Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder)?  I'm working and saving in the "Editor" portion of my Photoshop Elements 13.

How are you saving your edited files?  Are you using the File>Save method to overwrite the original image or File>Save As to save a copy of the file (and possibly change the file format)? I'm using the File>Save method within Ediitor when I have completed my edits.

Or are you closing the edited file (or the program), and saving the file when prompted to do so by a pop-up message? I'm saving the file as a jpg when I have finished editing which then effectively closes the file.

If you are using the Organizer, are you saving the edited file as a copy in a Version Set? N/A

What format are you saving the file as?  The default is to save the file as a .psd file.  I'm saving as a .jpg file

If you are only using your OS to view the files, you will not be seeing any thumbnail of the file.  Is that what you mean by the file being missing?  When I go into the OPEN pull down menu I can see recently used files but when I click on one of the saved files I get a message - "Cannot open the selected item because file cannot be found".  This goes to your note below, except when I click on a file that message comes up instead of the file opening.

Now, having asked all these questions, let me give you some suggestions for finding the edited files:

In the Editor's File menu, there is an option to Open Recently Edited Files.  Do any of your edited files appear there?  If so, you can open them again.  Once the file is opened, you can hover over the document tab and the full path of where the file is stored will appear.  The following screenshot is from Windows.  (I assume something similar exists with Macs.)

If you open a recently edited file, you can also find its location by clicking on the Save or Save As options in the File menu.  The dialog should default to the storage location of the open file.  If there is not an active file opened then when I pull down the FILE tab, the option to Save or Save As is grayed out and not able to open.  I hope my responses make sense, thanks so much for the time to respond.  Hopefully there is a simple solution ahead.  gg

[Greg_S. · Accepted solution]

@ggreenblum, thanks for the detailed reply.  So, as I understand it, you are editing your jpeg files and overwriting the original.  Is that correct?  Since I assume you know where the original file was located and you cannot find the file in the folder, my next suggestion would be to look in your recycle bin.  It is possible that the files have been accidentally deleted or that a temporary file that is created while editing gets deleted.

Were you working on a number of different files at the same time in the Editor before saving them?  Or has this problem arisen with files being edited one-at-a-time?

Are you saving the files to your C drive or a different drive?