# Saving a Project

## Saving a new project

By default, Squirrel saves project files securely to the cloud. Users on a paid plan can optionally choose to save the file to their local machine. \
For projects saved to the Cloud saved project sThis enables 'versioning' of your file to become available (if on a Creator or Builder plan).

{% hint style="info" %}
For information on file 'versioning', view [this article here](https://learn.squirrel365.io/the-designer/version-history).
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://911720298-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkLBGzn2hXrIMe50klQCv%2Fuploads%2Fpu5HGeLvd1shp8OXwfhI%2FSaveAs.png?alt=media&#x26;token=34e929e7-ce45-4a92-a825-30a780006e01" alt=""><figcaption><p>The new Save As modal, offering options to name the project, create folders, or to save to your local environment.</p></figcaption></figure>

Within this modal, you can name a project, create folders within the file storage, or opt to save to your local environment.&#x20;

* **Project name** - an input field to enter the name of the cloud-stored project
* **New Folder** - select this button to create a folder to organize your projects within the file explorer
* **All Files** - a list of all existing save files
* **Cancel** - Select to cancel the current save. Alternatively, select the "X" in the top right corner.
* **Save** - Saves the project to the cloud, **not** to your local environment
* **Save Local** - opens your local File Explorer, allowing you to save the file to your computer

### Saving a project version

If you are looking to save over an already cloud-saved Squirrel project, you will be prompted with a modal to add a description to the saved version.

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information on viewing and restoring project versions, see [this article](https://learn.squirrel365.io/version-history#restoring-save-versions).
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://911720298-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkLBGzn2hXrIMe50klQCv%2Fuploads%2FgIvFwmpzrDSZhQM8ZIBW%2FSaveVersion.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1b255f0f-2a9a-4835-ad0a-82fdbfb4ff59" alt="" width="552"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

If you do not wish to add descriptions to saved versions again, select the 'Don't ask for description again' checkbox to disable it, then click 'Save version'.

### Autosave

{% hint style="success" %}
**Who can use this feature?**

The **Autosave** functionality can be used by those with the **Creator** and **Builder** subscription plans.

For more details, see our [**pricing comparison matrix**](https://squirrel365.io/pricing/).
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
The Auto-save feature is only available to **cloud-saved projects**. Any projects saved locally will not trigger auto-save. For more information, see [**this article**](https://learn.squirrel365.io/the-designer/saving-a-project)
{% endhint %}

The project will trigger an auto-save whenever 50 actions have been made in the designer, be it selections, property changes, or spreadsheet updates. You can track if an autosave has triggered from the top bar above the canvas:

<figure><img src="https://911720298-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkLBGzn2hXrIMe50klQCv%2Fuploads%2FewvLoMCOuzSG8rJ4U1RW%2Fproject_autosave.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dc477ff8-3013-49e3-95d4-a30023483834" alt="" width="264"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Selecting the <img src="https://911720298-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkLBGzn2hXrIMe50klQCv%2Fuploads%2FOkpbIZacUpjpgOK58Tlf%2FIcon_autosave_changes%20saved.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4fd59aa6-6fe8-4a12-9299-6faf94bc6131" alt="" data-size="line"> icon at the top of the designer will display the save status of the project. Any cloud-saved project, by default, will have auto-save enabled on its first manual save.

From this pop-out menu, you can opt to turn Autosave off, view Version History to restore older versions, and check/uncheck 'Don't ask for description' when manually saved.