Récupérer des fichiers Illustrator : 7 méthodes éprouvées
.ai file, and a storage problem can make a project disappear. Fortunately, you can often recover Illustrator files if you choose a récupération du disque dur method that matches the cause. This guide explains seven practical solutions, from Adobe Auto-Recovery and Creative Cloud to Magic Data Recovery for files that once existed on storage.Prise en charge de Windows 7/8/10/11 et Windows Server
Table des matières
Can You Recover Illustrator Files? Check the Situation First
Before you begin, identify what happened to the project. An unsaved file needs a different solution from a supprimé définitivement or corrupted file. Therefore, use the table below to choose the safest starting point.
Situation | La meilleure première méthode |
Illustrator crashed | Auto-Recovery |
Unsaved file did not reopen | DataRecovery folder |
Supprimé | Corbeille ou Trash |
Permanently deleted file | Logiciel de récupération de données |
Deleted cloud document | Creative Cloud Deleted |
Overwritten project | Version History or backup |
Corrompu | Content Recovery Mode |
Formatted storage device | Logiciel de récupération de données |
Most importantly, ask whether you ever saved the project. If Illustrator never wrote the artwork to storage and no recovery data exists, disk recovery software has nothing to restore. In that case, start with Illustrator’s own recovery features.
What to Do Before You Recover Illustrator Files
A few precautions can protect recoverable data. First, stop saving new files to the drive that contained the missing project. New data may overwrite deleted file content. Next, avoid formatting, repairing, or heavily using that drive until recovery ends.
Also, install recovery software on another drive and save restored files somewhere else. Finally, confirm whether the project lived on local storage, Creative Cloud, or both. These simple checks can prevent avoidable data loss and help you choose the right recovery path.
Method 1: Recover Illustrator Files Automatically After a Crash
If Illustrator crashes, restart it before trying advanced fixes. Illustrator may detect recovery data and reopen the project with “Recovered” added to the filename.
- Close any frozen Illustrator process.
- Restart Illustrator.
- Wait for the recovery process to finish.
- Open the document marked Récupéré.
- Choisir Fichier > Enregistrer sous and create a new copy.
This is usually the safest way to recover Illustrator files after a crash because Illustrator uses its own recovery data. However, very recent edits may still be missing if the crash happened before the latest backup point.
If nothing reopens, do not assume the project is gone. Instead, check the DataRecovery folder in the next method.
Method 2: Recover Illustrator Files from the DataRecovery Folder
When automatic recovery does not appear, Illustrator’s DataRecovery folder may still contain useful recovery data.
Illustrator Recovery File Location on Windows
Presse Victoire + R, tapez %AppData%, and then open:
Adobe\Adobe Illustrator <version> Settings\<locale>\x64\DataRecovery
Rechercher .ai ou .aid files. If you find a likely project, open it in Illustrator and immediately save a new copy.
Illustrator Recovery File Location on Mac
Dans le Finder, sélectionnez Aller > Aller au dossier, tapez ~/Library/, and navigate to:
Preferences/Adobe Illustrator <version> Settings/<locale>/DataRecovery
Again, open any available recovery file and save it under a new name.
Check Your Illustrator Version Before Recovery
Illustrator versions do not all handle recovery data in the same way. For example, Illustrator 29.2 through 29.8 uses .aishm recovery data, so older manual recovery instructions may not work as expected. In Illustrator 30.0, Save in Background also plays a larger role in backup behavior.
Therefore, always check your exact Illustrator version before deciding that recovery data is unavailable.
Method 3: Recover Illustrator Files from Creative Cloud
If you saved the project as a Creative Cloud document, check Adobe’s cloud tools before scanning local storage.
For a deleted cloud document, open Creative Cloud and go to Fichiers > Supprimés. Restore the project if it still appears there. Meanwhile, if you need an earlier version rather than a deleted file, open the cloud document in Illustrator and check Fichier > Historique des versions.
Cette méthode peut vous aider recover Illustrator files after accidental edits, unwanted changes, or cloud deletion. Moreover, version history can be more useful than disk recovery when you need a known earlier copy instead of raw deleted data.
Method 4: Recover Deleted Illustrator Files from Recycle Bin or Trash
If you recently removed a saved .ai file, check the operating system first.
On Windows, open Corbeille, locate the file, right-click it, and select Restaurer. On macOS, open Poubelle, right-click the Illustrator file, and choose Remettre en place.
This approach gives you the quickest way to recover Illustrator files after a normal deletion. However, it will not help if you emptied Recycle Bin or Trash, used permanent deletion, or formatted the drive. In those cases, move to backups or storage-level recovery.
Method 5: Recover Illustrator Files from a Backup
Backups can restore deleted or overwritten projects without scanning raw storage. On Windows, check Historique du dossier ou Versions précédentes if you enabled them before the loss. On macOS, use La machine à remonter le temps and return to the folder that originally contained the Illustrator project.
Backups work especially well for overwritten files because they preserve known earlier copies. Therefore, check backup history before trying lower-level tools.
If you keep project files in cloud storage, also review that service’s version history. In many real-world cases, a backup offers the fastest and cleanest way to recover Illustrator files without risking further changes to the original drive.
Method 6: Recover Illustrator Files with Magic Data Recovery
If a saved .ai file disappears after permanent deletion, formatting, partition loss, or another logical storage problem, you may need storage-level recovery.
Magic Data Recovery provides a practical Windows option for this situation. It supports AI graphics files, common storage devices, and thousands of other file formats. More importantly, it scans the storage device itself instead of relying on Illustrator’s recovery folder.
That difference matters. Adobe Auto-Recovery focuses on unsaved work after a crash, while Magic Data Recovery targets files that once existed on storage and later disappeared. Therefore, it fits cases where Recycle Bin, backups, and Adobe recovery features no longer help.
Étape 1 : Télécharger et installer Magic Data Recovery
Download Magic Data Recovery and install it on a drive different from the one that contained the lost Illustrator file. This reduces the chance that installation data will overwrite recoverable .ai le contenu.
Prise en charge de Windows 7/8/10/11 et Windows Server
Step 2: Select the Drive Where the Illustrator File Was Stored
Launch the program. Then, from the main interface, choose the partition or storage device that originally contained the missing Illustrator project and start the scan.
Step 3: Scan the Drive for Lost Illustrator Files
Magic Data Recovery automatically starts an Advanced Scan and searches the selected drive for recoverable data. Meanwhile, recoverable files appear progressively as the scan continues.
For the most complete results, let the scan finish, especially after formatting or an older deletion.
Step 4: Preview and Locate the Illustrator File
Next, use filename search, file paths, file types, or available filters to locate the missing .ai project. When preview is available, check the content before recovery so you can confirm that you found the correct version.
This step also helps you avoid restoring unnecessary files when a scan returns many results.
Step 5: Recover the Illustrator File to a Safe Location
Finally, select the Illustrator file you want to restore and save it to a different drive or storage device. Do not save it back to the same location where it disappeared because new data could overwrite other recoverable content.
After recovery, open the restored .ai file in Illustrator and save a fresh working copy.
Magic Data Recovery also offers up to 500MB of free recovery, so you can test the recovery workflow before deciding whether you need more capacity.
Pour les utilisateurs qui essaient de recover Illustrator files after permanent deletion or formatting, this approach is more relevant than Auto-Recovery because it works at the storage level. Still, it cannot recreate a project that Illustrator never saved or backed up.
In other words, use Adobe’s built-in tools for unsaved work and use storage recovery when you need to recover Illustrator files that previously existed on a drive.
Method 7: Repair a Corrupted Illustrator File
Parfois, le .ai file still exists, but Illustrator cannot open it. In that case, you face corruption rather than deletion.
Adobe’s Content Recovery Mode can help repair some damaged documents. First, make a copy of the damaged file. Then enable Content Recovery in Illustrator preferences, reopen the document with the required recovery shortcut, and check the same folder for a repaired copy whose filename begins with an underscore.
Use this method when the file exists but will not open. In contrast, use deleted-file recovery when the file has actually disappeared.
Why You May Fail to Recover Illustrator Files
Even good recovery methods have limits. Illustrator may never have created recovery data before a crash. Likewise, new data may overwrite a deleted .ai fichier.
SSDs can make recovery harder because TRIM may clear blocks after the operating system marks them as free. In addition, a corrupted file needs repair rather than deleted-file scanning. Version differences can also affect the location and format of recovery data.
Therefore, no tool can guarantee every recovery result. The sooner you stop using the affected drive and choose the correct method, the better your chances of finding usable data.
How to Prevent Losing Illustrator Files Again
Après avoir recover Illustrator files, improve your backup routine so the next incident causes less disruption.
First, check Illustrator’s file-handling settings and confirm that recovery or background-saving features are active. In newer versions, Save in Background plays an important role in backup behavior.
Next, keep important projects in at least two locations. Creative Cloud, File History, Time Machine, or another backup system gives you a second copy. Also, avoid editing critical projects directly from unstable removable storage.
Finally, use clear version names such as Logo_v01.ai, Logo_v02.ai, et Logo_Final.ai. This habit makes it much easier to return to an earlier design without relying on emergency recovery.
Conclusion: The Safest Way to Recover Illustrator Files
La meilleure façon de recover Illustrator files depends on how the project disappeared. After a crash, start with Auto-Recovery and the DataRecovery folder. For cloud or overwritten projects, check Version History and backups. If the file still exists but will not open, try Content Recovery Mode.
For permanently deleted, formatted, or lost .ai files that once existed on storage, Magic Data Recovery is a practical next step. It scans the underlying drive, supports AI files, works with common Windows storage devices, and offers up to 500MB of free recovery.
Most importantly, use the least invasive option first. That approach helps protect remaining data and gives you the best récupération du disque dur chance to recover Illustrator files without creating additional problems.
Prise en charge de Windows 7/8/10/11 et Windows Server
FAQ About How to Recover Illustrator Files
Illustrator peut-il récupérer un fichier non enregistré après un plantage ?
Oui, à condition qu’Illustrator ait créé des données de récupération avant le plantage. Redémarrez d’abord Illustrator et recherchez un document portant la mention “ Récupéré ”. Si rien n’apparaît, consultez le dossier DataRecovery. Cependant, il se peut que la version récupérée ne contienne pas vos dernières modifications, car Illustrator ne peut restaurer que les informations enregistrées lors de son dernier cycle de récupération.
Où sont stockés les fichiers de récupération d'Illustrator sous Windows ?
Illustrator stocke généralement les données de récupération dans le dossier %AppData%\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator Settings\\x64\DataRecovery. Recherchez les fichiers .ai ou .aid. Cependant, les versions 29.2 à 29.8 d'Illustrator utilisent des données de récupération au format .aishm ; le processus de récupération diffère donc de celui des versions antérieures. Vérifiez donc votre version avant de suivre d'anciens tutoriels de récupération.
Puis-je récupérer des fichiers Illustrator supprimés après avoir vidé la corbeille ?
C'est possible. Commencez par ne plus utiliser le disque concerné, car de nouvelles données pourraient écraser le contenu des fichiers supprimés. Vérifiez ensuite vos sauvegardes ou analysez le disque à l'aide d'un outil tel que Magic Data Recovery. La récupération dépend de la présence ou non de données .ai exploitables ; aucun logiciel de récupération ne peut donc garantir un résultat positif dans tous les cas.
Puis-je récupérer un fichier Illustrator qui a été écrasé ?
Commencez par consulter l'historique des versions de Creative Cloud, l'historique des fichiers Windows, les versions précédentes, Time Machine ou toute autre sauvegarde. Ces options peuvent vous permettre de retrouver une copie antérieure dont l'intégrité est garantie. Les logiciels de récupération sont moins fiables pour les fichiers écrasés, car les données plus récentes peuvent déjà occuper les blocs de stockage qui contenaient le projet Illustrator d'origine.
Pourquoi mon dossier « DataRecovery » d'Illustrator est-il vide ?
Il se peut qu'Illustrator n'ait pas créé de données de récupération, que les paramètres de récupération aient été désactivés ou que le plantage se soit produit avant le point de sauvegarde suivant. La version d'Illustrator que vous utilisez a également son importance. Par exemple, les versions 29.2 à 29.8 utilisent des données de récupération au format .aishm ; vérifiez donc la version exacte avant de conclure que le projet est perdu.
Magic Data Recovery permet-il de récupérer des fichiers Illustrator à partir d'un disque formaté ?
Il peut analyser les périphériques de stockage formatés à la recherche de fichiers AI récupérables s'il reste encore des données exploitables. Cessez d'utiliser le périphérique, analysez-le dès que possible et enregistrez les fichiers récupérés ailleurs. Cependant, un écrasement intensif ou la fonction TRIM des SSD peuvent réduire les chances de récupération, car ces processus peuvent supprimer les données sous-jacentes dont le logiciel de récupération a besoin.
Un logiciel de récupération peut-il restaurer un projet Illustrator qui n'a jamais été enregistré ?
En général, non. Les logiciels de récupération fonctionnent mieux lorsqu'un fichier existait déjà sur le support de stockage. Si vous n'avez jamais enregistré le projet et qu'Illustrator n'a jamais créé de données de récupération, un analyseur de disque risque de ne rien trouver à restaurer. Dans ce cas, vérifiez d'abord la fonction de récupération automatique d'Illustrator et le dossier « DataRecovery » avant de vous lancer dans une récupération au niveau du support de stockage.
