If it's on, the files should be saving somewhere. Trick is to find out where. So, 25 or 26? Mac or Windows?

Please show the path to the empty folder.

Thanks Mike, both Finale 25 and 26 on an iMac with High Sierra 10.13.5.

I have set the path in the preferences to a folder on the desktop and niet! Normally they are saved to a default folder in User-> Documents -> Finale files -> Backups, but nothing there so I changed it to a folder on the desktop to follow my experimentation.

It does write .bak but it is not what I need. I need auto-save to prevent any loss of work if I forget to save the document. It has always worked in the past.

Hello, have you made any progress figuring out how to get Autosave to start working again? I have just realized that mine is not working, and have lost several files. Yes, it was my fault I lost them, but Autosave would have saved the day. 

Appreciate any info/advice. 

Thanks.

Hmmmm... I don't know. It used to be that you had to save Preferences twice but that doesn't appear to be the case anymore. Clicking OK and saving the file works for me in 26.

I have a possibly related situation where Auto-Save doesn't work and have been searching for a solution on the MakeMusic website and the greater internet, but nobody but me seems to be having this particular problem.  If my description below sounds familiar and/or anybody here has any thoughts about how I might fix it, I'd be very appreciative.

I'm using Finale 25 on an iMac running High Sierra.  In my Finale Save Preferences I have both the Auto Save File(s) Every [5] Minutes and Make Backups When Saving Files options checked, and I've set the Folders Preferences to direct the files to the Auto-Save and Backups folders, respectively (both of which are located in my Home>Documents>Finale Files folder).

Even though Backups seems to be working properly, Auto-Save does not function.  Instead:

1. When working in Finale, there is never any indication that Finale is auto-saving.
2. The Auto-Save folder is perpetually empty, while the Backups folder contains plenty of "bak.musx" documents.
3. When working in an application *other* than Finale, fairly often the Finale icon starts to bounce in the Dock, apparently spontaneously.  When I go to Finale I find this (Finale-generated) '!'-type warning: <<The document "[document name]bak.musx" could not be autosaved.  The file doesn't exist.  Your changes will not be saved until the problem is resolved.>>
4. I dutifully click the 'OK' button and get back to my work, with no idea how to get to where "the problem is resolved."

After reinstalling Finale and trying other failed fixes, I've accepted that I just have to deal with the interruptions, but I do feel really unsafe having no functioning Auto-Save.  Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance.

Is it possible another program has already claimed the .ASV extension/file-type (or whatever the Finale autosave backup extension is)?

J. Adrian, I'm afraid that I don't know how to answer that question.  Where can I look to find out if "another program has already claimed…whatever the Finale autosave backup extension is)"?

If it clarifies anything, I think I made a misstatement in my original comment where I said "When working in Finale, there is never any indication that Finale is auto-saving." It turns out that the warning actually does seem to appear when working in Finale too.

I'm having the exact same problem as described by Albert Ahronheim above. ASV not working, not saving. Have lost several hours work as a result. Has this been fixed yet?

Finale 26, Mac Mohave 10.14.6. (Am holding off upgrade to Catalina as instructed.)

https://www.file-extension.org/extensions/asv 

https://filext.com/file-extension/ASV 

https://www.file-extensions.org/asv-file-extension