DenisF

Q: How to restore Notes from Time Machine (Maverick 10.9)

Since I migrated to Maverick I have trouble with e-mail on several machines (e.g. account duplicated or display name changed autonomously) and now I have lost several notes. These problems propagated to all my machines before I noticed due to using keychan in iCloud.

I am using time machine.

I couldn't find in the forum a clear indication how to restore Notes from Time Machine (Maverick 10.9).

Thanks in advance.

OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 14, 2013 7:12 AM

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Q: How to restore Notes from Time Machine (Maverick 10.9)

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  • by putnik,

    putnik putnik Dec 14, 2013 8:18 AM in response to DenisF
    Level 3 (795 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 14, 2013 8:18 AM in response to DenisF

    To recover iCloud data from Time Machine, close the application and also turn wifi OFF during the recovery, to avoid syncing back the old data.  When found, copy the file and give it a new name.  Turn on WiFi, the original file will disappear again. A short time later the new file will appear in iCloud.

     

    To go to library folders, hold down the option key while using the Finder “Go To Folder” command.

     

    Alternatively, go to the home folder and select the "Show View Options" at the gear wheel icon.  Then select "Show Library Folder" at the bottom of the dialogue box.

     

    That will take you to a folder in your user library. Then enter Time Machine with the folder highlighted.

     

    RECOVER CONTACTS

    ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook.

     

    RECOVER NOTES

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/

    Copy the text to the clipboard.  Create a new note and paste the text.

     

    RECOVER DOCUMENTS

    ~/Library/MobileDocuments

  • by leowill3,

    leowill3 leowill3 Jun 2, 2014 1:33 PM in response to putnik
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 2, 2014 1:33 PM in response to putnik

    How do I copy the Notes text to the clipboard? Under

     

    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/

    I only see

    Screen Shot 2014-06-02 at 3.33.32 PM.png

     

    which I cant open with Textedit...

  • by amy.k,

    amy.k amy.k Mar 3, 2015 1:57 PM in response to leowill3
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 1:57 PM in response to leowill3

    Just wanted to say...

     

    I had this issue too, and I saw what you did.
    >> I went into time machine (which I didn't actually NEED to do - opening straight from the go-to link provided [ ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/ ])
    >> opened the notesv2.storedata-wal file in the text edit app
    >> copied/pasted into a new Note file

     

    It looks like gobbledygook at first, but the -wal file actually has the info if you look closely. Then you just have to delete a bunch of formatting to get to the words!

  • by jhodges6479,

    jhodges6479 jhodges6479 Mar 24, 2015 8:08 PM in response to amy.k
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 24, 2015 8:08 PM in response to amy.k

    I found that if you use Time Machine to restore all 3 files in the Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes folder, it works perfectly and you can avoid using the text editor.  So long as you don't have newer notes that you don't want to over write.

  • by greenmind,

    greenmind greenmind Jun 24, 2015 1:03 PM in response to jhodges6479
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Jun 24, 2015 1:03 PM in response to jhodges6479

    Why has apple made restoring of notes from Time Machine so difficult? I keep a list in my iPod notes of x'mass gifts I give people each year, so as not to regift from another year, and also to give me an idea of what they like. I accidentally deleted my gifts note, from my ipod, and it disappeared from my iMac soon after via the cloud. I have searched time machine notes, and have even located old notes, indicating gifts 2013, & 2014. The problem is when I restore them, my notes program is unable to open them. My words program was able to, but "but the entire note" was just a bunch of long gobbility goop. I searched the entire text, and none were old notes.  Even restoring all 3 files in the Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes folder, restores un-openable files. I only tried that as a last resort, because I'd rather not overwrite my new notes. Does anyone know of a way to do this properly.