Unity Project Corruption: How to Recover Lost Save Files and Project Data

Unity project corruption most commonly occurs after unexpected crashes, failed package imports, or version upgrade conflicts that corrupt .unity scene files or break asset database references. Recovering from these events requires knowing where Unity stores its backups and how to use version control effectively.

This guide covers every available recovery method for Unity developers in 2026.

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Part 1. How Unity Stores and Backs Up Project Data

Unity does not have a built-in autosave feature for scenes — you must save manually with Ctrl+S. However, Unity does maintain several automatic backup mechanisms that can help with recovery.

⚠️ Warning: Unity scenes are NOT automatically saved. If Unity crashes while you have unsaved changes to a scene, those changes are lost. Enable a version control system (Git or Plastic SCM) before starting any Unity project to avoid permanent scene data loss.

Data Type	Auto-Saved?	Backup Location
Scene files (.unity)	No	Manual save only
Project Settings	No	Manual save only
Asset Database	Partially	Library/ folder (regenerable)
Prefabs	No	Manual save only
Script files (.cs)	No	Manual save via IDE
Package cache	Yes	LocalPackageCache/

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Part 2. Recovering from Unity's Backup Folder

Some Unity versions and Editor configurations create backup files in a Temp folder within the project directory.

Check the Temp folder:

1. Navigate to your Unity project folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
2. Open the Temp subfolder.
3. Look for any .unity files or scene-related backups.
4. Copy any found files out of the Temp folder immediately.
5. Open Unity and use File > Open Scene to load the recovered file.

💡 Tip: The Temp folder is deleted when Unity opens a project cleanly. If you experienced a crash, open the Temp folder BEFORE relaunching Unity. Once Unity loads the project again, the Temp contents are wiped.

Unity's Asset Database (stored in the Library/ folder) can often be regenerated automatically. If your project opens but shows missing assets, try:

1. Close Unity.
2. Delete the Library/ folder (not Assets — only Library).
3. Reopen Unity — it will rebuild the Library from your Assets folder.

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Part 3. Using Version Control to Recover Unity Projects

Git and Unity's Plastic SCM (now Unity DevOps Version Control) are the primary tools for rolling back to a working state after corruption.

Git recovery steps:

1. Open a terminal in your Unity project folder.
2. Run git log --oneline to see recent commits.
3. Identify the last known-good commit before the corruption occurred.
4. Run git checkout [commit-hash] -- Assets/Scenes/YourScene.unity to restore a specific scene file.
5. Or run git reset --hard [commit-hash] to roll the entire project back to that state.

💡 Tip: Add a .gitignore configured specifically for Unity before your first commit. Without it, Git will track the Library/, Temp/, and Logs/ folders — bloating the repository and causing confusion. Unity's official .gitignore template is available on GitHub.

Version Control System	Unity Support	Cloud Hosting	Cost
Git + GitHub	Excellent	Yes	Free (public)
Git + GitLab	Excellent	Yes	Free tier
Unity Version Control (Plastic SCM)	Native integration	Yes	Free tier
Perforce Helix	Professional grade	Self-hosted	Paid

🗣️ r/unity user: "I lost three days of work to a scene corruption. Now I commit to Git every hour. It takes 10 seconds and has saved me multiple times since. If you're not using version control for Unity projects, you're gambling with your work."

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Part 4. Recovering Corrupted Scene Files

If a .unity scene file is corrupted, Unity may refuse to open it or display errors on import. You can attempt manual recovery.

Method 1: Open the scene file as text Unity scene files are stored as YAML text. A text editor can sometimes reveal what is corrupted.

1. Open the .unity file in Visual Studio Code or Notepad.
2. Look for obvious YAML formatting errors — missing colons, broken indentation, stray characters.
3. Fix any visible corruption and save.
4. Reopen the scene in Unity.

Method 2: Restore from Asset Database If the scene references are broken but the objects exist:

1. Create a new empty scene.
2. Drag prefabs and assets from the Project window into the new scene.
3. Reconstruct the scene layout manually.

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Part 5. Recovering Deleted Unity Project Files with Ritridata

If Unity project files — scenes, scripts, prefabs, or assets — were deleted from your drive, Ritridata can scan your local storage to recover them. This applies to accidental deletions, formatted drives, and drive failures.

Unity project file types recoverable with Ritridata:

• .unity — scene files
• .cs — C# scripts
• .prefab — Unity prefabs
• .mat — materials
• .asset — ScriptableObjects and asset files
• .png, .jpg, .fbx, .wav — project assets

Recover deleted Unity project files with Ritridata

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Part 6. Ritridata Recommendation

When Unity project files are lost due to accidental deletion, drive failure, or formatted storage, Ritridata provides deep-scan recovery for Windows and Mac. It can locate and restore Unity scene files, scripts, prefabs, and asset files from internal drives, external hard drives, USB sticks, and SD cards.

Recovery is non-destructive — the scan process does not modify your drive, maximizing the chance of successful file recovery.

Download Ritridata and scan for lost Unity project files

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FAQ

Q1: Does Unity have autosave for scenes? No. Unity does not automatically save scene changes. You must press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac) to save. Changes made since the last manual save are lost in a crash.

Q2: How do I prevent Unity scene file corruption? Use version control (Git or Unity Version Control) and commit frequently. Also avoid force-quitting Unity during asset import operations, as this commonly causes asset database corruption.

Q3: What causes Unity asset database corruption? Common causes include interrupting a domain reload, force-quitting during an import, running out of disk space during a build, and version mismatches when upgrading the Unity Editor.

Q4: Can I recover Unity project files after formatting my drive? Yes, in many cases. Formatting makes recovery harder but not impossible. Ritridata can deep-scan a formatted drive and recover project files if the data sectors have not been overwritten by new data.

Q5: What is the Library folder in a Unity project and can it be deleted? The Library folder is a generated cache of compiled assets. It can be safely deleted — Unity regenerates it automatically when you reopen the project. Deleting it does not cause data loss, but regeneration can take time for large projects.

Q6: Can I use Git LFS (Large File Storage) with Unity? Yes. Unity projects often contain large binary files (textures, audio, 3D models). Git LFS is recommended for tracking these files while keeping the main repository manageable.

Q7: What should I do immediately after a Unity crash? Do not reopen Unity yet. Navigate to the project's Temp folder and check for recent backup files. Copy anything useful out of Temp before relaunching Unity, which will clear that folder.

Q8: Can Ritridata recover Unity projects stored on an external SSD that failed? Yes. Ritridata can scan failed external SSDs (when they are still recognized by the operating system) to recover Unity project files. For drives with physical damage, professional data recovery services may be needed.

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References

• Unity Documentation — Version Control Integration
• Unity Documentation — Asset Database
• Ritridata Data Recovery Software
• r/unity on Reddit