How do I back up projects and restore them?
Applies to: iOS, Android, and desktop.
Keep a separate .resprite project copy to preserve artwork you can continue editing, including layers and animation frames. PNG, GIF, and PSD exports do not replace a Resprite project backup.
Already have a backup? Go to restore a project. To recover a recent overwritten state on iOS, see Safe Zone recovery.
Make and check a backup
- For routine backups, manually save the progress you want to keep. On desktop, choose a save location if the project does not have one yet.
- Create a separate
.respritecopy using the appropriate method below. - Save the backup outside Resprite's local app data folder. Give it a distinct name, such as
forest-2026-09-07.resprite, so later backups do not overwrite it. Keep another copy on a different device or storage location for important work. - Open or import a copy of the backup and check its layers, frames, and artwork before relying on it.
| Platform | Create the project copy |
|---|---|
| iOS / iPadOS | Select the artwork in the Gallery, export it as .resprite, then save the exported file to your backup location. |
| Android | Select the artwork in the Gallery, export it as .resprite, then save the exported file outside the app's storage. |
| Desktop | Copy an already saved .resprite file, or use Export to create a .resprite project copy. If you are directly editing an image such as PNG, export a .resprite copy to preserve editable project data. |
See iOS file locations or Android file locations if you are unsure where the working files are stored. On Android, export backups before uninstalling Resprite or clearing its app data.
Restore a project from a backup
Keep the backup unchanged and use a copy for recovery. Give the copy a different name from your current project.
- Make the
.respritecopy available on the device where you want to work. - Desktop: open the copied project in Resprite. iOS / Android: in the Gallery's Import menu, choose the Resprite project format and select the copied file.
- Open the recovered project and check its contents. Continue editing the recovered copy once you have confirmed it is the version you need.
If you do not have a separate copy, iOS users can check recent saved versions in Safe Zone. That recovery mechanism is specific to iOS; the same _safezone history is not available on desktop or Android. Neither a project backup nor Safe Zone can recreate edits that never reached a saved copy. See auto-save and its limits.
Does the project backup include timelapse recordings?
Timelapse recording data is stored separately and is not included in the .resprite project file. Export a timelapse video separately if you want to keep the drawing process. The video preserves a recording you can watch; it does not restore the original recording data for continued capture.
A project copy also does not back up the entire app, including its settings and resource libraries. Check those separately when planning a device change.