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Check the watched folder
- Confirm the folder still exists in the same location.
- Reconnect external or network storage.
- Open the project settings and rescan the folder.
- Confirm the file or its extension was not excluded.
Check the format
PNG, JPG, SVG, PSD, PSB, OBJ, STEP/STP, and BLEND can be captured in the current desktop architecture. AI annotation support is narrower and depends on local service capabilities. A file can have version history even when its AI explanation remains pending.
Allow the save to finish
Chronicle waits for files to settle so it does not capture half-written temporary files. Large files and cloud-synced folders can take longer. Wait a few seconds, then check the Timeline. Re-saving identical bytes does not create a duplicate version.
A file you deleted, renamed, or moved
Chronicle identifies a file by its location, so deleting it, renaming it, or moving it elsewhere all look the same from the outside: the original path is gone. Its history is not thrown away. The file leaves the main project view and moves into a Removed files section at the bottom of the project, which appears only when something is missing. Open it to see when each file disappeared and how long its history will be kept.
Each removed file shows how many days are left. After that, Chronicle permanently deletes that file's versions, summaries, and stored bytes. Put the file back at the same path before the countdown ends and Chronicle picks it up again with its history intact.
A renamed or moved file starts a fresh history at its new path. The old path keeps the earlier versions under Removed files until you restore the file or the retention window ends. Matching a file across renames is not supported yet.
To recover work from a removed file, open it under Removed files, choose a version, and use Save a copy or restore it. Restoring writes the file back to its original folder; if that folder no longer exists, save a copy somewhere else instead.
To clear it sooner, select Delete now on a single removed file, or Delete all removed files for the whole list. Both ask for confirmation and cannot be undone. Chronicle refuses to delete history for a file that is still on disk; to erase an entire project's history, use Delete project and history when you remove the project.
Check that Chronicle was running
Chronicle records saves while it is running. It does not need to be the window you are looking at: by default, closing the window leaves Chronicle in the notification area (the small icons near the clock) and it keeps versioning your folders. Only Quit Chronicle from that icon stops it.
If Chronicle was fully closed while you worked, the next launch still notices the file's current contents and records them as a new version. Saves you made in between are not recorded separately, so a long editing session with Chronicle closed becomes one version instead of several.
- Look for the Chronicle icon near the clock. If it is hidden, select the arrow to show more icons.
- Open Settings → Startup & background.
- Keep Keep capturing after I close the window switched on.
- Turn on Start Chronicle when I sign in so it is running after every restart. Leave the window option off if you prefer it to start quietly.