What is the VSD File Type and How to Recover it?

You may be just on the verge of completing your Visio file project and the next moment everything is just lost. Isn't that annoying? That would honestly be one of the worst things as you see all your hard work going into vain. A lot of Visio users have often complained about this, suggesting their frustration.

The good news is that it isn't as bad as it sounds. Whether it's a crash or accidental deletion, you can actually recover these VSD files. Therefore, you won't have to worry about restarting the work again. This might be a minor setback but it is not a complete loss. In this blog, you can learn about what is VSD file and the top ways through which you can recover VSD files in case of unpredicted loss.

Part 1: What is the VSD File Type?

Visio is one of the most efficient tools and software in your system which is aimed at helping to simplify even the most complex diagrams. The VSD file types are used mostly across design and architecture for creating floor plans and flowcharts. Now you may want to know what is VSD extension. These files are saved with the .VSDX extension in your system. All your designs and drawings are stored under these, preventing the risk of major loss.

Part 2: What Causes Your Visio File Loss?

Unsaved Visio files are prone to permanent loss due to a lot of differences. Some of the common causes for the loss of Visio files include the following:

• Accidental Deletion: This is one of the most common causes for the loss of Visio files. When you are cleaning your computer or deleting some items from it, sometimes it may happen that you accidentally end up deleting these files. Or, you may often want to remove all the files from your computer, eventually leading to the deletion of visio files too.
• Drive Formatting: Drive formatting is extremely important to ensure that the device is formatting well. However, formatting your drive also means that you're accidentally removing the files. When you format your drive completely, you will actually end up deleting the visio files too.

• Hardware Failures: All the files of your system will be saved in the hard drive of your computer. However, if the hardware of your device breaks down, it eventually leads to the complete loss of files. Recovering files from lost hardware will however be extremely difficult to recover.
• System Issues: Your system is prone to a wide range of issues such as system crashes, overheating and more. Apart from these, there are a lot of unexpected problems which can lead to complete loss of files, even the Visio files.
• Power Problems: If the computer suddenly turns off when you're working, there are power issues as well. The computer will suddenly turn off due to power cuts. As a result, the files will stop working efficiently thereby leading to the files being lost.

Part 3: How to Recover Unsaved Visio File？

If you lost your unsaved Visio file, it may feel like all the important data is lost. However, don't worry because you may adopt different methods through which you recover the unsaved Visio files. Some of the top methods for the same include:

Fix 1: Recover Unsaved Visio File via Wondershare Recoverit

If your Visio designs and diagrams seem to be lost forever, you need to use a software like Wondershare Recoverit. Wondershare Recoverit is a reliable third-party tool that can play an important role in recovering unsaved Visio files.

You may follow the steps given below to recover the unsaved Visio files using Wondershare Recoverit:

Step 1: Install and launch Wondershare Recoverit. Visit the Hardware and Locations option to select the Hard Drive under which the deleted Visio files have been stored.

Step 2: Select the Hard drive and click on the Scan button to begin the process. Initially, the Quick Scan will be completed. If the desired VSD files aren't recovered, click on All-around Recovery to initiate the Deep Scan. This can take a few minutes depending on the size of the hard drive and files.

Step 3: After the Deep Scan is completed, all the files will be made available on the screen. Navigate through all these files and get a Preview of the files that you want to recover. Click on the Recover option. Now, select the location where you want to save these files.

Note: While saving the files, you should choose a new location to save the files so that you don't have to suffer with the permanent deletion of files again.

Fix 2: Recover Unsaved Visio File via AutoRecovery

You may turn to AutoRecovery for recovering the files if the files have been lost and you cannot find it in your system. AutoRecovery follows a very simple procedure especially for recovering the unsaved Visio files. AutoRecovery is one of the best ways to understand how to open VSDX file on Mac and then recover it.

Follow the steps given below to recover the unsaved Visio file using AutoRecovery:

Step 1: Launch Visio in your system. Then, choose File > Options. Under the available options, click on the Save/Open tab. There will be a checkbox beside the open ‘Save AutoRecover’. If the checkbox is ticked, you can move ahead with the process.

Step 2: If the Visio stops working suddenly, the unsaved file will be saved in the C drive of your computer. It will be available under the Users folder. The extension of the file will be .vsdm.

Step 3: Close Visio and then open it again. Now, all the files that were lost will be available on the screen again. The word ‘recovered’ will be available aside from the option. You can initiate the recovery process.

Sometimes it may happen that the AutoRecovery option isn't enabled in Visio. Therefore, in that case, you will have to turn it on to prevent the files from being lost in the future.

You may follow the steps given below to turn on the AutoRecovery option in Visio:

Step 1: Launch Visio. Then, under the File tab, select Options.

Step 2: The Save category option will be available on the left side of the screen. From the available options, tick the checkbox for Save AutoRecover information every n minutes. (n here represents the number of minutes you can save the file).

Step 3: Enter the number of your auto-save interval timing. Then, click on the Ok option.

The AutoRecovery option is now set on your computer. Therefore, you'll be able to get these back as per your preference.

Fix 3: Recover VSD Files from Backup

The easiest way to recover VSD file format is to check your backup option. If your system has taken the automatic backup of the files, you should be able to recover the VSD file in no time. You may also consider the backup from external devices as well.

You may follow the steps given below to understand how to open VSD file and then recover it from the backup:

Step 1: Navigate through all the options where the backup of the files may be present. This can also be an external drive, OneDrive, or Time Machine for Mac users.

Step 2: These are the main areas where all the Visio options are saved.

Step 3: If you are a Windows user, you may find the option to recover from backup using the Backup and Restore feature. If not, you may also look for the recovery options in Google Drive. macOS users can however look for these backups in iCloud or Time Machine.

It is advisable to take regular backups of all your files, even VSD file format. This is one of the smartest moves to ensure that you don't lose your VSD work in the future.

Fix 4: Apply .ini File to Recover Unsaved Visio

A lot of people aren't aware of this .ini files. However, if you're a regular Visio user, you're probably aware of what these are. Visio uses .ini files catering to the safety of the network.

If you are unable to access the Visio files, you may try using the .ini files. Here are some of the key steps to follow to recover the unsaved Visio files using the .ini files method:

Step 1: Navigate through the Visio folder in your system. The path will be C:\Users(User’s name)\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Visio.”

Step 2: Inside this folder, you will find your Vision files. However, look for the AutoRecover.ini file option. This will be applicable to Vision 2002 users. However, if you're a Visio 2003 or 2007 user, you will have to search for the “AutoRecover11.ini” option.

Step 3: Once you find the .ini file you were looking for, copy and paste it into a safe location where you can save the data.

Step 4: Open the pasted .ini file using Visio. Now, you can verify if the missing work has been recovered and if you're able to access it the right way.

This is a slightly complicated process. So, if you're not someone who uses tech a lot, you may find it a little difficult to keep up with it. However, know that this is not completely impossible. In case you lose the files, you may try recovering from the .ini methods.

Fix 5: Restore the Unsaved Visio by Checking Temp Folder

If you're not able to find the files anywhere, why not try the Temp folder? Your computer's Temp folder can be a total lifesaver. Therefore, you can always rely on this method to get the work done. The Temp folder is where the computer stores Temporary files for a specific period of time. So, if you have recently lost these files, you will have to use the Temp folder immediately to check if the files are available.

You may follow the steps given below to learn how to open VSD file and restore the unsaved Visio files using the Temp folder:

Step 1: Navigate to the Temp Folder on your system. It will be available under the Users folder on your C drive.

Step 2: In the search box of the Temp folder, type.vsdm. This will immediately reflect the files. It will directly take you to the VSDM file that was missing from your system.

Step 3: After that, navigate through all the results to find the Vision files that were lost from your system. Upon being found, open it.

Step 4: As soon as you find the accurate file that you want to recover, save it in Visio.

Fix 6: Access the Recycle Bin

If you can't find your Visio file anywhere, you just need to depend on the Recycle Bin. Once a file has been deleted from your Windows system, they are directly sent to the Recycle Bin. The deleted VSD file from your system will be stored in the Recycle Bin for around 30 days before being permanently deleted. Moreover, if you’re struggling with how do I open a vsd file without visio, just use Recycle Bin to restore the files and then a third-party software

Restoring deleted VSD file format from Recycle Bin is very easy. You may follow the steps given below to access the files from Recycle Bin:

Step 1: Open Recycle Bin on your computer.

Step 2: The list of all the deleted files will be available on your screen. Navigate through these files to find the file you want to recover.

Step 3: Upon locating the file, select it and right-click on it. From the available options, select Restore. The files will be restored to their original location.

Conclusion

Now that you understand what is VSD format of a file, make sure to use and save it the right way. Losing your Visio drawings can be very annoying. It can feel as if your years of hard work have gone in vain. However, as long as you're following the right recovery methods, you should face no issue in getting back your Visio files. If none of your external backup devices and in-built systems work, you can rely on reliable data recovery software such as Wondershare Recoverit. This data recovery software can play an important role in helping you get access to all the diagrams and designs. Therefore, you will no longer have to worry about these files being completely lost.