Missing PureRef References: Recovery Steps to Try

Missing pictures and a scene that will not open need different checks. Start with the section that matches what you see. Before changing anything, copy the .pur file and any nearby backup files to a separate folder. Work on those copies.

This guide draws on PureRef's current handbook and dated replies from its support team, checked on September 5, 2026. We have not tested recovery against a set of damaged scenes.

The scene opens, but pictures show question marks

PureRef embeds local images by default. It can also link to files on disk. When a linked file is moved or renamed, PureRef may show a question mark in its place. That does not by itself mean the scene is corrupt.

Reconnect any drive that held the pictures. If you moved them, use Images > Relink missing images, or double-click a missing image and select its new source. See PureRef's image handbook.

A link needs an existing source file. If the source was deleted, check your backups for that image too.

PureRef closed unexpectedly

The current saving handbook says unsaved changes are stored in a temporary file. Periodic saving is a separate setting that updates an already-saved scene at a chosen interval.

Reopen PureRef and check for a restore prompt. In a 2020 support reply, the team described crash recovery introduced in version 1.11, including scenes without a chosen save destination. The reply also warns that disabling the unsaved-scene closing warning can prevent that protection from helping.

This is dated guidance, not a promise that every crash leaves recoverable work. If a scene restores, save it under a new name and check its contents.

The saved scene will not open

Check the app version as well as the file. PureRef's current handbook says older versions cannot open the new 2.x format. Use a compatible version before concluding that the scene is damaged.

Look beside the scene for a file such as MyReferences.pur.old. PureRef's team recommends checking for this file after a failed save.

1. Keep the original .pur and .pur.old files untouched.
2. Copy the .pur.old file into your recovery folder.
3. Rename that copy to MyReferences-recovered.pur.
4. Open the renamed copy in PureRef. If it loads, inspect the images and layout before continuing work.

A .pur.old file may be absent or unusable. Do not assume it contains the previous successful save or all of your latest changes. Also check any file-history or backup service you already use; restore into a separate location to avoid replacing your remaining copies.

If those steps do not work

Keep the files and contact PureRef support. Include the app version, operating system, error message, file size, and what happened before the problem. Ask how to share a scene privately if support needs it.

In the same support thread, the team recovered images from one damaged file but could not restore its arrangement and notes. That is one historical result, not a recovery guarantee or a measure of how often PureRef files fail.

Protect the next session

Keep dated backups of your scenes and any linked image folders. Test a restored copy before relying on that backup routine. A scene containing links needs its source files as well; backing up only the .pur will not preserve those external pictures.

If a scene still opens and you want separate image copies, PureRef provides Save > Export > All images. Keep the scene too: exported pictures do not replace its editable layout.

Correction, September 5, 2026: An earlier version said all images were embedded and described .pur.old as the only recovery option. Those statements were too broad. This revision explains linked images and other documented recovery options, and removes unsupported claims that switching apps prevents data loss.