Where AutoCAD Stores Your Files: Backups, Autosave, and Blocks.

Introduction

Have you ever spent hours working on an AutoCAD drawing, only to discover that you cannot find the file you saved? Alternatively, have you experienced a sudden software crash and wondered where AutoCAD stores its backup or autosave files? These situations can be frustrating, especially when you are working on an important engineering, architectural, construction, or surveying project.

Fortunately, AutoCAD stores different types of files in specific locations on your computer. However, your drawing files, automatic backups, temporary recovery files, plot styles, and block libraries do not necessarily share the same folder.

Therefore, understanding where AutoCAD stores your files can help you recover lost work, transfer projects between computers, maintain consistent plotting settings, and organise your drawings more efficiently.

In this guide, we will explain where to find the most important AutoCAD files, how to change their locations, and what to do when you cannot locate them.

Where Does AutoCAD Save Your Drawings?

AutoCAD saves drawings in the DWG file format by default. However, the actual storage location depends on where you choose to save each drawing.

When you create a new drawing, AutoCAD may use a default template or open a blank drawing. Nevertheless, your work is not permanently saved as a DWG file until you save it.

To save your drawing:

1. Type SAVEAS in the command line and press Enter.
2. Choose the folder where you want to store the drawing.
3. Enter a suitable file name.
4. Select the required drawing format, usually DWG.
5. Click Save.

Alternatively, use Ctrl + S to save changes to an existing drawing.

For example, you might organise your files in folders such as Documents/AutoCAD Projects/Building Plans or D:/Survey Projects/Topographic Survey. This approach makes it easier to locate drawings when you need them later.

Where AutoCAD Backup Files Are Located

If you are searching for the AutoCAD backup file location, the first thing to understand is the difference between a backup file and an autosave file. Although both can help you recover work, they serve slightly different purposes.

AutoCAD backup files usually have the .BAK extension. By default, AutoCAD creates a backup copy of the previous version of a drawing when you save it, provided the backup option is enabled. The backup is normally stored in the same folder as the original DWG file. 1

For example, if your drawing is named Building_Plan.dwg, its backup may be named Building_Plan.bak.

How to locate an AutoCAD backup file

1. Open File Explorer on your computer.
2. Navigate to the folder containing your original DWG drawing.
3. Look for a file with the same name but a .bak extension.
4. If you cannot find one, check whether backup creation is enabled in AutoCAD.

To enable this feature, type OPTIONS in the command line, open the Open and Save tab, and look for the option labelled Create backup copy with each save.

How to restore a drawing from a BAK file

If your original drawing becomes damaged or you need an earlier version, follow these steps:

1. Make a copy of the BAK file so that you preserve the original backup.
2. Rename the copied file extension from .bak to .dwg.
3. Open the renamed file in AutoCAD.
4. Check the drawing carefully to confirm that it contains the version you need.

Important: A BAK file normally represents the drawing’s state before the latest save. Therefore, it may not contain your most recent edits. Also, AutoCAD typically replaces the previous backup when a new backup is created, so do not treat it as a complete version-history system.

Where to Find AutoCAD Autosave Files

Have you ever lost unsaved work because AutoCAD suddenly closed, your computer restarted, or the software stopped responding? This is where autosave files can become particularly useful.

AutoCAD creates automatic save files with the .SV$ extension when the autosave feature is enabled and the drawing has been modified since the last save.

Where is the AutoCAD autosave file stored?

On Windows, the default autosave location commonly uses the system’s temporary folder. However, this location can be changed, so the most reliable method is to check it directly inside AutoCAD. 1

Follow these steps:

1. Open AutoCAD and type OPTIONS.
2. Select the Files tab.
3. Expand Automatic Save File Location.
4. Note the folder path displayed.

You can also type SAVEFILEPATH in the command line to inspect the configured autosave directory. If you need to access the default Windows temporary folder, enter %TEMP% in File Explorer’s address bar.

How to recover an autosave file

If AutoCAD crashes unexpectedly, try the following procedure:

1. Open the autosave folder and search for a relevant .sv$ file.
2. Copy the file to a separate folder.
3. Rename its extension from .sv$ to .dwg.
4. Open the renamed file in AutoCAD and inspect the recovered drawing.

Alternatively, open AutoCAD’s Drawing Recovery Manager, if available, to check for drawings that can be recovered.

Keep in mind that autosave files are temporary. AutoCAD may delete them when a drawing closes normally, and an autosave file only reflects the drawing’s state at the time of the last automatic save. Consequently, recovery is not guaranteed.

Pro tip: Check your autosave interval under Options → Open and Save. A shorter interval can reduce the amount of work lost during a crash, although it does not replace manually saving your drawings with Ctrl + S.

For additional guidance, consult Autodesk’s official guide to backup and autosave files.

Where AutoCAD Blocks Are Saved

Blocks are reusable collections of objects combined into a single named object. They are useful for repeated elements such as doors, windows, furniture, electrical symbols, survey markers, and structural components.

However, the question “Where are AutoCAD blocks saved?” has more than one answer because blocks can be stored inside drawings or maintained in external files.

Blocks stored inside a drawing

When you create a block using the BLOCK command, AutoCAD stores its definition in the current drawing. As a result, you do not need to locate a separate file every time you insert that block into the same drawing.

For example, if you create a north arrow as a block, you can insert multiple instances throughout the drawing without recreating the geometry each time.

Blocks saved as separate files

If you want to reuse a block across different projects, you can save it as a separate DWG file using the WBLOCK command. This creates an external drawing file containing the selected objects or block definition.

You can then organise reusable blocks in a dedicated library folder, such as:

• D:/CAD Library/Architectural Blocks
• D:/CAD Library/Survey Symbols
• D:/CAD Library/Electrical Symbols

To insert a saved block, use the INSERT command and browse to the relevant DWG file. You can also use the Blocks palette to access blocks from drawings and other supported sources.

Best practice for managing AutoCAD blocks

For an organised workflow, save frequently used blocks in clearly named folders. In addition, use descriptive file names so that other team members can identify each block without opening every drawing.

Remember that blocks stored only inside one DWG file are not automatically available as separate library files. Therefore, if you want to reuse them in other projects, save them externally or use an appropriate block library workflow.

How to Change AutoCAD File Locations

Although AutoCAD uses default folders for many supporting files, you can customise several of these locations to suit your workflow. This is particularly useful when working with multiple projects, shared computers, or company-wide CAD standards.

To change a supported file location:

1. Type OPTIONS in the command line.
2. Open the Files tab.
3. Expand the relevant category, such as Automatic Save File Location, Plot Style Table Search Path, or Support File Search Path.
4. Select the folder path you want to change.
5. Click Browse and choose the preferred location, where the option permits it.
6. Click Apply or OK to save your changes.

However, It is important to note that not every file type uses the same setting. 

For team projects, consider keeping shared resources in an organised, backed-up folder that all authorised team members can access. Nevertheless, verify network permissions and file availability before relying on a shared location.

At Geoinfoacademy, we support learners and professionals who want to develop practical AutoCAD skills through structured, industry-focused training. Whether you are learning the software for the first time or improving your drafting workflow, building good file-management habits is an important step towards producing reliable technical drawings.

Enrol for the AutoCAD training program at Geoinfoacademy,

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