Search your entire computer for *.tmp and sort by "Date Modified." Look for a file that is roughly the same size as an Illustrator document (usually several MBs). Rename the extension from .tmp to .ai and try to open it. This is the oldest trick in the book, and it works 80% of the time. By default, when you save an .ai file, you have the option to "Create PDF Compatible File." If you (or your past self) left that checkbox ticked, you can recover the vector data via a PDF reader.
We’ve all been there. You’re three hours deep into a vector masterpiece. The bezier curves are perfect. The client just approved the draft. Then, boom —the spinning beach ball of death (or the blue circle of Windows purgatory). The screen freezes. The fan whirs loudly. Then... nothing. Black screen. Crash. illustrator file recovery
Unlike the old "File Recovery" that only triggered after a crash, Illustrator CC now saves incrementally. Search your entire computer for *
Panic sets in. "Did I save?"
If you rely on “muscle memory” Ctrl+S, you might be fine. But for the rest of us (yes, even professionals skip saving sometimes), losing an Adobe Illustrator (AI) file feels like losing a child. By default, when you save an
