I’m currently working on an important interior design project using SketchUp. I recently encountered a critical problem with my file. When I try to open it, SketchUp gives the following error message:
“This does not appear to be a SketchUp model.”
Here are the details:
SketchUp Version:** [ SketchUp Pro 2024]
Operating System:** [e.g., Windows 11 ]
File Size:** Approximately 53 MB
File Name:** Untitled.skp
File Type:** .skp
What I Tried:**
*
Uploading it to SketchUp Web
Checking for backup or autosave files
Renaming any .skb or ~.skp files (none found)
Verifying the file structure — the file does not contain the expected “SketchUp Model” signature in the header
The file size suggests it’s not empty, but it seems to be corrupted and cannot be opened by any method I’ve tried. I’ve also zipped the file in case that helps with analysis:
an SKB file or ~ file is always created when you save.
If one isn’t one, then it has not managed to finish the save process and this would explain your now corrupted file.
the files in the “working” folder are saves that are made by the autosave feature - again, if nothing is here, then this suggests that sketchup doesn’t have the permission from your computer to create save files.
99% of the time this happens to users who are sharing to network shares or things like dropbox/google drive.
But it could also be caused by user permissions errors, which can happen for a multitude of reasons including sketchup not being installed with the correct permissions - including a corrupted user profile.
hello everyone have the same problem This does not appear to be a SketchUp model.
if any one can help
even the recovery doesn’t work it says **** Failed to open document.****
We certainly can’t help you unless you share the files with us.
Where have you been saving the file while working on it? What version of SketchUp are you using? Is it a cr acked version? What operating system? Please correct and update your forum profile.
Were you saving it to One Drive? Did you have a power interruption while working on it. Were you by any chance also saving a copy of the file to your Trimble Connect storage?
Whatever happened on your computer replaced all the data in the .skp file with zeroes. We’ve seen this when the computer shuts down due to a power failure. Saving a copy to your Trimble Connect storage would at least give you a backup.
If your computers operating system is Windows, you might also look in User/AppData/Local/SketchUp/SketchUp 2025/SketchUp/Working to see if there’s a viable copy there.
Please fix your forum profile with information that makes sense.
