diff --git a/hooks/use-auto-save.ts b/hooks/use-auto-save.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af39eb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hooks/use-auto-save.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { useLayerStore } from '@/store';
+import { toast } from '@/lib/toast-utils';
+
+const AUTO_SAVE_KEY = 'paint-ui-autosave';
+const AUTO_SAVE_INTERVAL = 30000; // 30 seconds
+
+interface AutoSaveData {
+  timestamp: number;
+  layers: any[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Auto-save hook - saves project to localStorage periodically
+ */
+export function useAutoSave() {
+  const { layers } = useLayerStore();
+  const lastSaveRef = useRef<number>(0);
+  const saveTimeoutRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
+
+  // Save project to localStorage
+  const saveProject = () => {
+    try {
+      const saveData: AutoSaveData = {
+        timestamp: Date.now(),
+        layers: layers.map((layer) => ({
+          ...layer,
+          canvas: layer.canvas ? layer.canvas.toDataURL() : null,
+          mask: layer.mask?.canvas ? {
+            ...layer.mask,
+            canvas: layer.mask.canvas.toDataURL(),
+          } : null,
+        })),
+      };
+
+      localStorage.setItem(AUTO_SAVE_KEY, JSON.stringify(saveData));
+      lastSaveRef.current = Date.now();
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Auto-save failed:', error);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Auto-save on interval
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (layers.length === 0) return;
+
+    // Clear existing timeout
+    if (saveTimeoutRef.current) {
+      clearTimeout(saveTimeoutRef.current);
+    }
+
+    // Schedule next save
+    saveTimeoutRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
+      saveProject();
+    }, AUTO_SAVE_INTERVAL);
+
+    return () => {
+      if (saveTimeoutRef.current) {
+        clearTimeout(saveTimeoutRef.current);
+      }
+    };
+  }, [layers]);
+
+  return {
+    saveProject,
+    lastSave: lastSaveRef.current,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if auto-saved project exists
+ */
+export function hasAutoSave(): boolean {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return false;
+  return localStorage.getItem(AUTO_SAVE_KEY) !== null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load auto-saved project
+ */
+export async function loadAutoSave(): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    const saved = localStorage.getItem(AUTO_SAVE_KEY);
+    if (!saved) return false;
+
+    const data: AutoSaveData = JSON.parse(saved);
+    const { clearLayers, createLayer } = useLayerStore.getState();
+
+    // Clear existing layers
+    clearLayers();
+
+    // Restore layers
+    for (const savedLayer of data.layers) {
+      const layer = createLayer({
+        name: savedLayer.name,
+        width: savedLayer.width,
+        height: savedLayer.height,
+        x: savedLayer.x,
+        y: savedLayer.y,
+        opacity: savedLayer.opacity,
+        blendMode: savedLayer.blendMode,
+      });
+
+      // Restore canvas
+      if (savedLayer.canvas && layer.canvas) {
+        const img = new Image();
+        await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+          img.onload = resolve;
+          img.onerror = reject;
+          img.src = savedLayer.canvas;
+        });
+
+        const ctx = layer.canvas.getContext('2d');
+        if (ctx) {
+          ctx.drawImage(img, 0, 0);
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Restore mask
+      if (savedLayer.mask?.canvas) {
+        const maskCanvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+        maskCanvas.width = savedLayer.width;
+        maskCanvas.height = savedLayer.height;
+
+        const maskImg = new Image();
+        await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+          maskImg.onload = resolve;
+          maskImg.onerror = reject;
+          maskImg.src = savedLayer.mask.canvas;
+        });
+
+        const maskCtx = maskCanvas.getContext('2d');
+        if (maskCtx) {
+          maskCtx.drawImage(maskImg, 0, 0);
+        }
+
+        useLayerStore.getState().updateLayer(layer.id, {
+          mask: {
+            canvas: maskCanvas,
+            enabled: savedLayer.mask.enabled,
+            inverted: savedLayer.mask.inverted,
+          },
+        });
+      }
+
+      // Restore other properties
+      useLayerStore.getState().updateLayer(layer.id, {
+        visible: savedLayer.visible,
+        locked: savedLayer.locked,
+        order: savedLayer.order,
+      });
+    }
+
+    const date = new Date(data.timestamp);
+    toast.success(`Auto-save restored from ${date.toLocaleTimeString()}`);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Failed to load auto-save:', error);
+    toast.error('Failed to restore auto-save');
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clear auto-save
+ */
+export function clearAutoSave(): void {
+  if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+    localStorage.removeItem(AUTO_SAVE_KEY);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get auto-save timestamp
+ */
+export function getAutoSaveTime(): Date | null {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return null;
+
+  const saved = localStorage.getItem(AUTO_SAVE_KEY);
+  if (!saved) return null;
+
+  try {
+    const data: AutoSaveData = JSON.parse(saved);
+    return new Date(data.timestamp);
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}