First, check whether the website saved a draft
Before typing everything again, sign in and look for a draft or an autosaved application on the website. Some forms save progress server-side; others only keep it in the current page. Use the site's own draft if it exists, since it may preserve more than a browser extension can.
If the page reloaded and the fields are empty, Chrome's Back button or form autocomplete may restore a few values. They are not dependable recovery systems for a long, multi-step application. A file input in particular usually needs to be reattached.
Keep an answer copy before the next reload
AttachBack is a free Chrome extension built for this interruption. On a supported form, you can save answers once from the popup. If you want it to keep up as you type, you can enable autosave for that individual site; it is off by default. The temporary copy stays in Chrome session storage on your device, not on a Duskel server.
After a reload, open AttachBack and restore matching empty fields. It does not overwrite filled fields or submit the form for you. Read the restored answers before submitting—especially if the website changed its questions or reordered a multi-step form.
What about a CV or another attachment?
A form answer and a file attachment behave differently. AttachBack can keep small files for the current browser session and reattach them to a supported standard upload field. It cannot recreate a file you never saved, and a custom uploader may not accept a restored file.
Some websites start uploading as soon as you attach a file, before you press Submit. Review the website and the file before reattaching anything sensitive. AttachBack's temporary file limits are 3 MB per file, 5 MB in total, and 10 files.
Know the limits before relying on it
The extension does not work on every form. Protected browser pages, some embedded frames and custom uploaders are outside its reach. Password, payment, authentication, banking and health-related fields or pages are excluded by conservative rules, but no automated rule can recognize every sensitive field. Do not enable autosave where keeping a temporary copy would be inappropriate.
For a long application, the safest routine is still simple: use the website's draft feature if it has one, keep a separate copy of important writing, and check every restored field. See AttachBack's features and privacy details before installing when the Chrome Web Store review is complete.
Questions, answered.
Can I recover answers that were never saved?
Not reliably. First check the website's draft feature and Chrome autocomplete. AttachBack can only restore answers it saved before the reload.
Will it restore my file automatically?
It can reattach a small saved file to a supported upload field. Some custom uploaders are unsupported, and the website may upload the file as soon as it is attached.