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User profile for user: Roy Gillard
Roy Gillard Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Where is the 'Contacts' information in Time Machine backups?

When you use Time Machine and it stores the information on the Time Capsule, where exactly is the Contacts data or information? I know how to recover files from any of the directories on the backup of my Home directory, but the Contacts data is not is any of those directories, I've checked. Someone previously asked this question but the answer only gave a description about recovering normal files, which was NOT what was asked. I too want to know where this information is kept and is it actually included in the Time Machine backups? Can anyone answer this correctly this time? Please note I only want the Contacts data, not any of the normally stored files in my home directory. Thank you.

Posted on Oct 28, 2023 1:03 PM

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
152,696 points

Posted on Oct 28, 2023 1:53 PM

Time Machine backups, on a Time Capsule, are located as a sparsebundle on its internal HDD.


That "file" would be found, via the FInder, at:

  • /Volumes/<volume-name>/<computer-name>.sparsebundle/Backups.backupdb/<computer-name>


Normally, you would use the Time Machine interface to access the Contacts app data to restore them.


This data is stored at: ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook/, as a single database file, named: AddressBook-v22.abvcddb. This is the file that is backed up with Time Machine and "added" to the sparsebundle on the Time Capsule.

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User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level 10
152,696 points

Oct 28, 2023 1:53 PM in response to Roy Gillard

Time Machine backups, on a Time Capsule, are located as a sparsebundle on its internal HDD.


That "file" would be found, via the FInder, at:

  • /Volumes/<volume-name>/<computer-name>.sparsebundle/Backups.backupdb/<computer-name>


Normally, you would use the Time Machine interface to access the Contacts app data to restore them.


This data is stored at: ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook/, as a single database file, named: AddressBook-v22.abvcddb. This is the file that is backed up with Time Machine and "added" to the sparsebundle on the Time Capsule.

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User profile for user: Roy Gillard
Roy Gillard Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Oct 29, 2023 4:14 AM in response to Tesserax

Thank you 'Tesserax' for this information. I realise now that this 'AddressBook' folder is in a hidden Library and in my copy there is no 'AddressBook-v22.abvcddb', unless that was a typo because 'v' and 'b' are next to one another on the keyboard. Mine has no 'v" in it. But anyway all the v-cards are in the metadata folder, so thanks for showing me where to find it.

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Where is the 'Contacts' information in Time Machine backups?

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