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If your Inkscape has crashed while you were in the middle of the project, you may worry you won’t be able to find the file again. As long as you have the AutoSave feature on, you’ll be able to locate Inkscape’s attempt to salvage the file.
The AutoSave file for when you have a crash will be in “Windows (C:)\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\inkscape”. If you don’t have AutoSave on, you may need to use a program to recover the file.
We’ll cover more in-depth how to locate the files, how to enable AutoSave, and several other important pieces of information that you may find helpful for making sure you never lose hours of an important project!
Where does Inkscape Save Crashed Files?
Finding your Inkscape crashed files isn’t too difficult. The crashed files should always appear on the C drive. Unless you’ve set up a completely different pathway, this is the default place the files will show up.
“Windows (C:)\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\inkscape” is the default location. The “YourUserName” portion is just selecting which windows account you are looking for the crashed files on. If you have only one account, there will only be one actual name. Ignore the folder that says default or public.
The AppData folder is hidden by default. You’ll have to unhide it in order to access the folder. This is how you get to the work that you’ve been working on when the crash happened. Make sure you turn on AutoSave to access these files.
How to Unhide AppData Folder
For Windows 10/11 this process is very easy. I’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to do this:
- Open file explorer on the bar at the bottom. It looks like a yellow folder.
- Click View at the top of the box.
- Go down to where it says “view”.
- Click on “show”.
- Check “hidden items”.
There you have it, the hidden AppData folder should now be accessible.
Recover a Lost/Deleted File
There are several programs that can go and attempt to recover a file that may have been lost or deleted completely. You may have to look around for one you feel suits your needs.
For example, this one has paid and free options for the program. They also include the process of how to run and use the wizard as it’ll attempt to recover the file that is no longer there. However, there is no guarantee it will be able to get the file back.
Where does Inkscape Save Recovered Files
Inkscape saves the recovered files in the same folder above. You’ll see them labeled as AutoSaves. You can also manually save things you want, wherever you want.
The AutoSave is good in case of crashes or if you are bad at remembering to save. However, if you prefer to manually save and want them in a specific folder, all you need to do is select “save as” and choose the directory where you’d like the files to be saved too.
Keep these in an easy-to-locate folder so you don’t lose track of where you keep all your projects. Windows search for specific files is sometimes hit or miss on if it can find the file, so it’s easier to stay ahead of any potential future headaches.
How do I Turn on Autosave in Inkscape
Turning on AutoSave is highly recommended in case you run into any issues such as crashes, or even power failures. Losing all your hard work can be hard to deal with, so it’s always a good idea to make sure it’s turned on.
- Go to “edit.”
- Then click on “preferences”.
- Select “input/output”.
- Finally, select “AutoSave”.
There you have it, AutoSave will now be turned on for you.
How do I Save in Inkscape
Saving in Inkscape is easy. As mentioned above you can use the AutoSave feature or the save as an option. It’s a good idea to use both together, just in case you end up with a corrupted file. There is a keyboard shortcut as well. To do this, hit “Ctrl+S” to have it use a quick save.
Now, you may be wondering about the “.svg” save extensions. Well, there are a few and each one means something different. These extensions are important if you are trying to save the file for Inkscape use or if you want to export it into another program.
SVG (Inkscape)
There are two types of the “.svg”. This one is for saving to use with Inkscape. That means you can only open it properly with everything working with Inkscape. Using this should be fine as long as you plan to keep it only in the program.
This includes all the data associated with the file that only matters when using Inkscape.
SVG (Plain)
This is useful when you want to share your project and the recipient doesn’t have Inkscape but does use the “.svg” file option. Saving it as plain will allow them to view it properly and even edit/work on it.
SVG Compressed
This one will save as “.svgz”. This means it’s saved as a compressed version of your project. If you are low on hard drive space, or you just want to keep the files smaller as a personal preference, this is the best option.
You won’t lose quality or anything either. It’s simply making the file smaller, but once you open it, everything will still look the same as if you had saved it without the compression.
Conclusion
As you can see, it’s not overly complicated how to find the crashed files. However, it can be difficult or nearly impossible if it crashed without the AutoSave feature. You may end up losing some work if you only use manual saves. It’s important to turn AutoSaves on, not just for Inkscape, but for anything where you are putting hours of work into something. This prevents most future headaches and problems that may arise during a system or power failure.
