You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: Imogen7
Imogen7 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

PREVIEW NOT SAVING

I have been completing all of my schoolwork online and have been editing my documents through Preview on my MacBook.

This morning I went on to Preview to find that my weeks of notes are completely gone. I made sure to save the document countless times before I closed it and so cannot understand why this has happened.

I am so frustrated and upset.

Does anyone know how to get my work back?

MacBook Air 13", macOS 10.14

Posted on May 10, 2020 5:27 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: jeremy_v
jeremy_v
User level: Community Specialist

Posted on May 11, 2020 8:31 AM

Greetings Imogen7,


Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. It seems like you have been making changes to a document using Preview and they are gone. You may be able to revert to a previously saved version.


"Revert to the last saved or opened version

  1. In the Preview app  on your Mac, open a PDF or image that you want to revert.
  2. Choose File > Revert To > Previous Save [date, time].
  3. If you edit the PDF or image, choose File > Revert To > Last Saved [date, time] or File > Revert To > Last Opened [date, time].

Examine, recover, or duplicate previous versions

  1. In the Preview app  on your Mac, choose File > Revert To > Browse All Versions.
  2. Click a gray tick mark along the timeline on the right to display various versions of your document.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • To restore your document to the state of a particular version, display that version, then click Restore.
    • To create a new untitled document that duplicates a particular version, display the version, press the Option key, then click Restore a Copy.
    • To leave your document in its current state, click Done."


Manage versions of a Preview document on Mac


Please don't hesitate to let us know if the steps resolved your issue or if you need additional assistance.


Take care.

View in context

Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: jeremy_v
jeremy_v
User level: Community Specialist

May 11, 2020 8:31 AM in response to Imogen7

Greetings Imogen7,


Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. It seems like you have been making changes to a document using Preview and they are gone. You may be able to revert to a previously saved version.


"Revert to the last saved or opened version

  1. In the Preview app  on your Mac, open a PDF or image that you want to revert.
  2. Choose File > Revert To > Previous Save [date, time].
  3. If you edit the PDF or image, choose File > Revert To > Last Saved [date, time] or File > Revert To > Last Opened [date, time].

Examine, recover, or duplicate previous versions

  1. In the Preview app  on your Mac, choose File > Revert To > Browse All Versions.
  2. Click a gray tick mark along the timeline on the right to display various versions of your document.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • To restore your document to the state of a particular version, display that version, then click Restore.
    • To create a new untitled document that duplicates a particular version, display the version, press the Option key, then click Restore a Copy.
    • To leave your document in its current state, click Done."


Manage versions of a Preview document on Mac


Please don't hesitate to let us know if the steps resolved your issue or if you need additional assistance.


Take care.

Reply

PREVIEW NOT SAVING

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up