Finale 3D automatically creates local backup files of shows and My Effects which you can restore with the commends, “File > Admin > Open backup files directory” and “File > Admin > Open show backup from data tables…”.
To restore a show file from a previous version, please follow these steps:
- If you have any earlier .fin file version of the show with current assets (songs, models, background images), open it first.
- Then do the command, “File > Admin > Open show backup from data tables…”.
- Based on the timestamp, choose what show backup you want to restore. Although the data tables file does not include assets, Finale 3D will automatically restore the assets from matching assets in any shows open at the time you open the show backup.
To restore My Effects changes, please follow these steps:
- Do the command, “File > Admin > Open backup files directory”.
- Double-click any of the My Effects backup files, which will open as a local effect file in the effects window.
- Copy and paste effects from the effects file into My Effects to restore them, or save the effects file by another name or close it from the “File > Effect files” menu.
On Windows, the backups folder is in the system’s hidden applications directory:
Users/YourName/AppData/Roaming/finale3d/finale3d-backups.
Since this directory is difficult to find, the menu item “File > Admin > Open backup files directory” opens it up for you. The following table explains the files contained in this directory with additional details.
Table 1 – Files contained in backups folder
| Filename pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| **********-backup.fin | exampleshow-backup.fin | When you save a show (“File > Save” or “File > Save as…”) over an existing file, Finale 3D moves the file being overwritten to the backups folder under a new name “**********-backup.fin”, updating the full backup file for the show. |
| **********-backup.fdb | exampleeffects-backup.fdb | When you save an effects file (“File > Effects files > Save (fdb format)” or “File > Effects files > Save as… (fdb format)“) over an existing file, Finale 3D moves the file being overwritten to the backups folder under a new name “**********-backup.fdb”, updating the backup for the effects file. |
| ****-**-**T**-**-**-**********-data-tables-backup.txt | 2026-05-29T00-30-32-exampleshow-data-tables-backup.txt | Whenever a previously saved show is open with unsaved, unbacked-up changes, Finale 3D periodically creates an autosave backup of the show’s data tables in the same directory as the show file under the name pattern “**********_bkp~.txt”, where the asterisks are the name of the show.
When you open, close, or save a show, if an autosave backup file exists, Finale 3D will move it to the backups folder with a new name containing a local timestamp, e.g., “2026-05-29T00-30-32-**********-data-tables-backup.txt”. These files will accumulate in the backups folder, creating a history of all saved changes to the show from which you can restore with the command “File > Admin > Open show backup from data tables…”. Although data tables do not include assets like audio files and background images, Finale 3D will automatically restore the assets of the show backup being opened from matching assets in any shows open at the time you open the show backup. Thus as a rule of thumb, you should open any normal .fin file version of the show with current assets prior to executing “File > Admin > Open show backup from data tables…” to make its assets available to the backup show being opened. If no other shows are open or have matching assets, then you will need to re-add the assets to the show backup after restoring with commands like, “Music > Add song or soundtrack file…”. |
| ****-**-**T**-**-unnamed-show-data-tables-backup.txt | 2026-05-29T00-30-32-unnamed-show-data-tables-backup.txt | When an unnamed, never saved show has unbacked-up changes, Finale 3D periodically creates or updates a backup of the show’s data tables of all information other than assets, saving the backup file to the backups folder. The user can restore from the saved backup with the command “File > Admin > Open show backup from data tables…”. |
| ****-**-**T**-**-myeffects-backup.fdb | 2026-05-29T00-30-32-myeffects-backup.fdb | Whenever My Effects has unsynced changes, Finale 3D periodically creates an autosave backup in the backups folder under the name “autosave-myeffects.fdb”.
When Finale 3D launches, if an autosave file exists in the backups folder, Finale 3D will rename it with a new name containing a local timestamp, like “2026-05-29T00-30-32-myeffects-backup.fdb”. These files will accumulate in the backups folder, creating a history of My Effects changes for every session. You can restore My Effects changes from any point in history with the command “File > Admin > Open backup files directory” and double clicking on any of the My Effects backup files, which will open as a local effect file in the effects window. You can then copy and paste effects from the effects file into My Effects to restore them or you can save the effects file by another name or close it from the “File > Effect files” menu. |
| per_user_settings.txt | per_user_settings.txt | This file contains the local per-user settings updated from various application menu items and checkboxes on dialogs like “Do not show this dialog again”. You can safely delete this file for a fresh start, or copy it to another machine to apply your settings to that environment. |
Autosave frequency
Every minute or so, the autosave process creates backup files for any open shows with unbacked up changes and for My Effects if it has unsynced changes. In order to minimize the short pause in responsiveness that occurs when an autosave generates backup files, the autosave process waits for one minute of inactivity of key and button presses, looking for a good time, but waits no longer than five minutes. Thus autosaves generally are current to within 1-5 minutes.