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Why my notes disappeared, while linking them to my gmail account?

I have a macbook pro 2012, I am preparing to restore it to factory settings. I didn't want to lose my notes, so I gave access to my gmail account for the notes. Then I dragged all my "on my mac" notes under the gmail account.


To double check. I opened notes on my iMac and linked the gmail account. None of my notes showed up. I figured it might be a refreshing problem. I restarted my iMac. still the same. I went to my macbook pro and opened the accounts and unchecked the access to notes and turned it back on. Then I noticed all my notes had disappeared. So can anyone help me to retrieve my notes. I'm pretty sure they're out there somewhere.


I tried to go to the library where my notes are stored. found the .sqlite file but don't know if there in there or not.


The notes version on my macbook pro: version 4.2


thank you

MacBook Pro 15", OS X 10.11

Posted on May 18, 2020 3:03 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 18, 2020 3:14 PM

Hi araz89,


Thanks for the post! I'd want to make sure I was able to locate my notes as well, and I'll be happy to see if there's any assistance I can offer for this issue. As I understand, you added your Gmail account and dragged and dropped your notes to the Gmail account in the Notes app, but now none are appearing. Is that right?


To clarify, were you using iCloud previously? If so, have you checked the iCloud website to see if your notes might be there? Also, have you tried signing into your Gmail account through a web browser on a computer to see if you can locate them there?


As another possibility, do you have a Time Machine backup? If so, you could try restoring your Notes, or possibly return your Mac to its state before these changes were made:


Restore items backed up with Time Machine on Mac


Restore your Mac from a backup


I hope this is helpful for you. Take care.

Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 18, 2020 3:14 PM in response to araz89

Hi araz89,


Thanks for the post! I'd want to make sure I was able to locate my notes as well, and I'll be happy to see if there's any assistance I can offer for this issue. As I understand, you added your Gmail account and dragged and dropped your notes to the Gmail account in the Notes app, but now none are appearing. Is that right?


To clarify, were you using iCloud previously? If so, have you checked the iCloud website to see if your notes might be there? Also, have you tried signing into your Gmail account through a web browser on a computer to see if you can locate them there?


As another possibility, do you have a Time Machine backup? If so, you could try restoring your Notes, or possibly return your Mac to its state before these changes were made:


Restore items backed up with Time Machine on Mac


Restore your Mac from a backup


I hope this is helpful for you. Take care.

May 26, 2020 1:34 AM in response to Leanne_68

Thank you Starr.C for your answer. Unfortunately I haven't connected my iCloud, and I'm not very fond of Time Machine as well. But I DID FIND my notes in my Gmail Account thanks to you. it would have never occurred to me to look there. They were in my gmail folders written in this form: "(null)/..." .

Not sure why my notes in mac can't see them when I linked my Gmail account. But at least I found them I can manually transfer them.


Thanks again.

Why my notes disappeared, while linking them to my gmail account?

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