How to restore Apple Notes from a Time Machine Backup with Airdrop

I deleted the text and PDFs I saved in an Apple note. When I realized what had happened I panicked and then went on a search.

I found helpful information here so I modified it and have reposted it here.

I hope it helps someone else.

Oh, and Apple Notes needs on-device versioning so we can undo it if we delete things!!!

Thought I would share how to restore these notes from iCloud:

Your iCloud notes are *not* stored in the ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes location. Only your 'On My Mac' notes are there.

Instead, look in ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes .

To find the Library folder on a Mac, you can press and hold the Option key, then select Library from the Go menu. The Library folder will appear below the current user's home directory.

Steps to restore your lost text or note via AirDrop :

* Quit the Notes app, turn off your WiFi (disconnect from the Internet so your old notes don't sync!)

* Copy ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes to another place (like your Desktop)

* Restore ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes from your TM backup

* Open Notes

* AirDrop Note to iPhone or iPad

* Change the title of the Airdropped note (I.e. My Note 001)

* Turn back on your WiFi / internet access on your Mac

* New note will sync

* Delete the old note.

* Change the Name of the note to the original title

* You now have a full copy of the original

I have included the original instructions in case you do not have an iPhone or iPad.

Steps to restore your lost text or note:

* Quit the Notes app, turn off your WiFi (disconnect from the Internet so your old notes don't sync!)

* Copy ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes to another place (like your Desktop)

* Restore ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes from your TM backup

* Open Notes

* Copy any text you need to recover, and paste into another document, e.g., TextEdit.

* Quit Notes

* Delete ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes folder

* Move the group.com.apple.notes on your Desktop back to ~/Library/Group Containers/

* Open Notes

* Copy the text from TextEdit back into your new note

* Turn back on your WiFi / internet access

And be sure to thank Apple for making this so ridiculously complicated. 😐

nabeards

Original Thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7819887?login=true&sortBy=best