How to Open Photoshop Temp File

There are frustrating moments when Photoshop suddenly closes or crashes due to a technical issue while you are working. You may lose your precious work as the PSD files get corrupted. Learn how to open a Photoshop Temp file on Windows and Mac to recover your real estate PSD files easily.

How to Open Photoshop Temp File on Windows and Mac

To open a Photoshop temp file on Windows, you need to locate the file in the Temp folder, convert the files into PSD format, and then access the PSD file. For Mac users, you simply need to open Terminal, enter open $TMPDIR, go to Temporary Items, and open your desired PSD file.

In Photoshop, computer crashes or accidental closings may hinder your real estate photography editing workflow. Follow these recovery methods so you won't lose the sessions you spent a lot of time and effort on.

Recover PSD Files From Temp Files on Windows

Before anything else, remember that recovering lost PSDs from temp files is not your first line of defense. If your autosave was not turned on, here is what you can do as a Windows user to recover the files and open them in Photoshop.

Navigate to the Temp File 

1. On Windows, open File Explorer, and go to the C Drive.
2. The default path for temp files is C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp.
3. Navigate to Users, and open your User Directory, which is a folder with your username.
4. From here, you will need to open the AppData folder. You can go to the Advanced Settings and toggle on Show Hidden Files and Folders if it is not visible. 
5. Alternatively, search the Local Folder in your User Directory search. When the Local Folder is displayed, double-click on it to open the data of all your applications.
6. Next, you have to open the Temp folder. Remember that this would be hidden if you didn’t turn on Show Hidden Files and Folders.
7. You can locate the applications in the Temp folder. Look for files beginning with Photoshop Temp followed by a number.

Convert the Files Into a PSD Format

The temp files are saved in a .tmp format. To open them in Photoshop, you need to change the file name extensions. It is as simple as changing their format by swapping the .tmp extension with the .psd extension.

1. In the temp folder, click on the View menu on top.
2. Check the box for File Name Extensions.
3. Once the .tmp extension is visible on the file, rename the file.
4. Remove the .tmp extension with the .psd extension and save the files.
5. You can now access your PSD file easily.

Recover PSD Files From Temp Files on Mac OS

If you are a Mac user, you might be aware that although there is a directory that stores temp files, it isn’t safe to access it like on Windows. The directory holds essential system files without write protection.

Your OS might become unbootable if you accidentally delete an important temp file. Follow these steps to open Photoshop temp files if you won't use data recovery software for Mac.

1. Go to the Finder and click on the Application folder.
2. Access Terminal and run it.
3. Next, enter the option open $TMPDIR and hit Enter.
4. Go to Temporary Items and find the PSD file.
5. Open the file with Photoshop and save it on your Mac OS.
6. This will successfully recover your temp files on Mac.

How Are Temp Files Formed?

While running an application, data gets saved as temp files on the computer. Photoshop runs on the same principle. It creates temp files in a deeply buried destination folder on your PC or Mac.

When Photoshop is closed normally, these temp files convert into permanent ones. In case of crashing or abrupt closure of the program, you can find these temp files and manually convert them into permanent PSD files to open them.

In addition, temp files are also created in the temp files folder when you open a Smart Object in Photoshop. Until you save the Smart Object out of Photoshop, this temp file will not get deleted.

Related Questions

How Can I Avoid Losing PSD Files?

You can avoid losing PSD files by enabling the Autosave feature. This command ensures your files won’t get lost even in the event of an abrupt crash of the software. When you specify to Photoshop how frequently you want to back up a copy of your work, it automatically saves it after that specified time.

Can I Recover PSD Files From Previous Versions?

To recover PSD files from previous versions, right-click on the PSD file and click Recover Previous Version. Choose the file version you want to restore from the options.

How Do I Restore a Photoshop File From Temp?

To restore an unsaved Photoshop file from temp, go to C:/Users/UserName/AppData/Local/Temp/, open the Temp folder, and locate the PSB or PSD files. Rename the file extension from .tmp to .psd or .pbb to recover the file completely.

Conclusion

Software crashes and computer technical issues are unavoidable, and no one can guarantee that they won’t happen. Luckily, you can easily restore those lost PSD files via the temp file opening method, so you can continue working on your real estate images.