‘I cannot find my edited .svg vector file from Adobe Illustrator, saved on my PC. I have to send for printing for a client. Please help!’
Your vector graphic images are important. You may be using them for graphic designs, animations, logo, ad campaigns, brand illustrations, apps building, printing t-shirt designs, or others. Vector image is a computer graphic created using lines and curves. You can increase it to large size without losing quality. AI, SVG, EPS, PDF, DXF, CDR, EVA, EMF, WMF, and EPS are all vector image file formats.
However, vector image files are deleted due to various reasons, such as drive formatting, virus infection, bad sectors on storage drive, or accidental deletion etc.
Addressing this problem faced by graphic designers, web publishers, app developers, and others this post shares the best methods to recover deleted vector files.
How to recover vector images?
It is important to recover vector graphics without hampering the original quality. The efficient solution is an image recovery software that supports vector file recovery. Although there are other methods like recovery from backup, which you can try, but they do not ensure successful recovery.
Let’s discuss all here.
Method 1: Recover deleted vector images from Recycle Bin
If you have deleted the vector graphic files, look for them in Recycle Bin and restore from there. Photos deleted within the span of 30 days are placed in this folder before being permanently deleted from your computer.
Mac users can search in Trash folder.
Method 2: Recover vector images using Windows Previous Versions
Windows Previous versions are the backup or shadow copies of files that Windows automatically saves. These files can be from computer or those shared on your computer on a network. However, this method would work if you have enabled the feature on your system.
Previous versions help to recover vector files that are accidentally deleted, modified, or corrupted. You can either restore a previous version or save the vector file to a different location.
Steps to restore vector files from previous version on Windows:
- Right-click on the folder from vector files are lost.
- Select Restore previous versions
- Choose the previous version when the vector files not deleted. You can select and open the previous version to view your file.
Click ‘Restore’
Method 3: Recover deleted vector images with Stellar Photo Recovery software
Use a proficient vector image recovery software — Stellar Photo Recovery that restores vector graphics without affecting their original quality.
Whether you have lost vector files due to accidental deletion, virus attack on your system, drive corruption, or formatting, Stellar Photo Recovery recovers in all such situations. Users commonly prefer this software to recover the image files from SD card, PC, Mac, SSD, USB, CF card, and more. The 100% secure software supports vector recovery of Adobe Illustrator EPS, SVG, PDF, AI, DXF, CDR, EVA, EMF, and WMF vector file formats.
Key benefits:
- Recovers both vector and raster images.
- Allows customized recovery to restore only the vector files that you want.
- Recovers deleted vector graphics with original file name and date timestamp.
- Also, recovers JPEG and RAW camera files.
- Available for both Windows and Mac.
The software also has a free edition with which you can recover up to 10 vector images free.
Steps to recover vector images:
Step 1: Download and launch Stellar Photo Recovery on your computer.
Step 2: Select the drive to scan for vector image files.
Step 3: (Optional step that helps in quick recovery) To customize the vector files recovery click on ‘Advanced Settings’ icon on top menu bar. In the Advanced Settings box click on the file list icon. Select your vector image file format and click ‘Close’.
Step 4: Click Scan to start the scanning process.
Step 5: After the scanning finishes, you can preview the recoverable files and click Recover.
Step 6: In the dialog box, state the location to save the recovered vector graphics. Click Save.
Method 4: Restore vector files from backup
Backups are ideal way to recover permanently deleted photos from PC or Mac. If you have a backup then no need to worry. Find and save your deleted vector images from the backup drive, Google Photos, Dropbox, iCloud, Time Machine etc.
Wrapping Up
Look for vector files in your backup folders. You may try Windows backup utility —‘Restore Previous versions’ to recover vector images from your computer’s hard drive.
In absence of backup, Stellar Photo Recovery is the best tool to recover deleted vector graphics on Windows PC, Mac, SD card, USB, pen drive etc. You can safely restore all types of vector files as the professional tool ensures the original artwork in the file does not vanish during the recovery process.
However, it is advisable to assess the image recovery success by using the free trail. You can see the preview of the recoverable vector files in the free demo that ensures the software can restore your vector images.
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