After an InDesign crash, let its automatic recovery reopen retained work and save that document under a new name. For a deleted saved INDD, look for a backup or recover the file from readable storage. In both cases, an INDD alone may be insufficient: linked images, fonts and other resources must also be available for a reliable output.
Save automatically recovered work
Start InDesign after the unexpected shutdown. If recovery data is usable, the document can open with [Recovered] in its title. Inspect it and use File > Save As to preserve the recovered changes separately. Adobe explains that recovery data is temporary, separate from the original document and normally removed when work is saved or documents close normally. See Recover documents in InDesign.
On Windows, inspect Edit > Preferences > File Handling, under Document Recovery Data, for the actual recovery location. A fixed path copied from another InDesign version or account may be wrong. Preserve useful data before changing that location, resetting preferences or performing cleanup.
If recovery repeatedly crashes
Stop forcing the same loop. Preserve the damaged document and existing recovery folder first. Adobe’s recovery troubleshooting article describes corrupted recovery data and preferences as possible causes and warns about repeated attempts on severely damaged documents. Clearing recovery data discards that recovery source. Preserve it and assess the problem before considering cleanup.
An older saved INDD, an exported IDML or a packaged project may be a better source than unstable recovery data. Check the recovered document and its linked assets before relying on it. If the file was received from someone else, obtain a new complete copy and its assets before concluding the source itself is corrupt.
Recover a deleted saved project
Inspect Recycle Bin, dated backups, review deliveries and project packages. Keep version labels and folder structure. If no copy remains and the original drive is readable, XRecovery can search for remaining files and save candidates to another physical device. Check linked asset folders too. Use file recovery to look for a saved project copy, then use InDesign’s own recovery and validation workflow for a damaged project and its linked assets.
Verify the publication, not just the file opening
Open the selected copy in the matching or compatible InDesign version. Check page count, page order, parent-page elements, styles, tables and the last edited pages. Inspect the Links panel for missing or modified assets and confirm that relinked images are the intended originals rather than similar filenames.
Review missing fonts and overset text with InDesign’s preflight tools. Export a PDF to a new location and inspect page appearance, image quality and key text. A PDF export can validate output but does not prove every editing feature survived. Keep the recovered project and required assets together only after verifying their relationships; retain the original evidence until a usable working set is secure.
For the next step, see Document Recovery: Deleted, Unsaved, Overwritten or Damaged?.