You cannot directly restore a TurboTax .tax data file from a PDF, but you can use the PDF to manually re-enter data. You can use the PDF from the previous year to transfer key information (name, SSN, AGI) into the current year.
If you used the desktop version and didn't back up the .tax file, it is likely lost. Search your computer for files ending in .tax202X (e.g., .tax2025) or check for backup files starting with a tilde, such as ~yourname.tax2025, which may be created during crashes.
When using TurboTax Desktop, it is a good idea to save your work periodically and to save a backup copy of the .tax file to a storage device. Otherwise, TurboTax just asks if you want to save the file when you are ready to close the program.
See this IRS webpage for information to order a free transcript of your account or to order a complete copy of your return. I am glad you were able to complete and e-file your return before this happened.
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