How to restore layers?

[CRAZYpooCHUCKER]

When I saved my file, I saved it as a jpeg because I hadn't saved it until done with it. But since I saved it as a JPEG, I closed out and it notified me about the flattening process, which I am familiar with, so I ignored it because it said something about being able to undo the process. Absolutely no idea how to do this, so can anyone help?

[jim100361]

In order to maintain layers, you must save as .pdn first. After you've saved in that format, you can resave as a .jpg if you desire.

If you haven't closed Paint.net yet, you can simply use the history pane to undo the flattening. Just click on the history just above where it says "flattened".

If you closed Paint.net, then there is nothing you can do to recover the layers.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

... I saved it as a JPEG, I closed out and it notified me about the flattening process, which I am familiar with, so I ignored it because it said something about being able to undo the process

The dialog says you can undo the flattening much as Jim has described. However you needed to do that BEFORE you closed PDN and you also needed to save the image so the layers were preserved (as a *.pdn - like Jim said).

Now that you have only saved the image in a flattened state and closed PDN there is no chance of recovering the individual layers.

Moral of the story: Read the dialogs. They are there to help avoid data loss. You ignore them at your peril....

[CRAZYpooCHUCKER]

Yeah I actually usually read dialog but I didn't think I was going to want to change it. However I am now using another picture but thank you for the feedback!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

My advice when working on a new image is to periodically save it as a *.pdn. If you get into this habit then data loss becomes so much less of an issue.

When the image is finished save it again as a *.pdn and then save it as a JPG or PNG or whatever. This gives you a source file to fall back on if you need to edit it (i.e. the *.pdn).