Where are Paint.NET's thumbnails saved?

[Viraxor]

I accidentally lost my files and I've seen that I have the thumbnails in File > Open Recent. I want to found these thumbnails and get the files back. 
I use the Microsoft Store version of Paint.NET.

 

Searched directories:

• paint.net App Files
• paint.net User Files
• AppData/Local/paint.net
• the directory where Paint.NET was installed

Edited January 8, 2021 by Viraxor

[Pixey]

Welcome @Viraxor to Paint.net

 

1.  How exactly did you lose your files?  If you have deleted them, then please look in your Recycle Bin.

2.  Did you save the images on another host site?

3.  The fact that Open > Recent still shows the thumbnails in Paint.net, doesn't mean they are still there.

4.  Can you remember what you named them?  If so, use the Search on your computer.

[Viraxor]

49 minutes ago, Pixey said:

Welcome @Viraxor to Paint.net

 

1.  How exactly did you lose your files?  If you have deleted them, then please look in your Recycle Bin.

2.  Did you save the images on another host site?

3.  The fact that Open > Recent still shows the thumbnails in Paint.net, doesn't mean they are still there.

4.  Can you remember what you named them?  If so, use the Search on your computer.

1. I didn't delete them; checked my Recycle Bin multiple times.

2. I didn't save them on other host sites.

3. Well, I am looking for the thumbnails, I know that the files aren't there.

4. Searched multiple times, nothing came up.

[ardneh]

In the meantime, take a screenshot of the Open Recent menu while the thumbnails are still there.

 

You can harvest the thumbnail images from the screenshot if you can't access the thumbnail cache.
 

[toe_head2001]

Thumbnails are found in the registry. They are in the Base64 format.

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\paint.net

 

There's no way you're going to get your full-size image back from a thumbnail though.

[Scooter]

Hope you can retrieve even just the thumbnails. Then perhaps when you remake the new version of the original files it will go a bit faster and a little easer. 

p.s. You are not the first person this has happened to, don't ask me how I know. Good luck and Welcome to Paint.net

[Rick Brewster]

On 1/8/2021 at 9:56 AM, toe_head2001 said:

Thumbnails are found in the registry. They are in the Base64 format.

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\paint.net

 

There's no way you're going to get your full-size image back from a thumbnail though.

 

You can write a simple C# / LinqPad script to decode the thumbnail. base64 -> byte[], then wrap in a MemoryStream, then use Image.FromStream(). (it's just a PNG)