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Hi,
I accidentally overwrote a Pages file that was saved in iCloud using the OS X Pages app. To my horror it looks like Time Machine can't help me recover the original file before the edit, nor is Versions seems available. Is there a way to recover the original pre-edit file? Otherwise, I don't know how saving files to iCloud is possibly a good idea! Thanks.
If you are running regular Time Machine backups, you will have a copy of that iCloud Pages document before it was overwritten. Open a Finder window and press command+J. Make certain that show library folder is checked. Close this pop-up dialog by clicking the red x in its titlebar. Also verify that this Finder window is open on your login directory.
Now, double-click the Library folder, then Mobile Documents folder, then com~apple~Pages, and finally the Documents folder. Here are your current iCloud Pages documents. In your Dock, there should be a Time Machine client icon. Click this and it will open to your current folder location. You know the date that you overwrote the iCloud document. Roll your mouse over the graduated marks on the right-side of the screen. As you do so, a date will appear. When you find the timeline prior to your overwrite, click on it. The Finder windows in front of you will go back in time to match this date. Select your original document before it was overwritten. Hit the Space bar to use Quick Look to verify the contents. Then right-click and choose Copy. Click close on the left bottom of the Time Machine window.
Paste your iCloud document onto your Desktop, where you can rename or resave under a different name on iCloud.
Another approach, and one that may not work, is to open the overwritten document in iCloud and select File > Revert To > Browse All Versions. See if this will allow you access to the pre-overwritten document content. If it does work, much simpler than the Time Machine approach.
Many do not realize that Apple is not backing up their personal content on iCloud, and it is not intended as a personal backup strategy.
If you are running regular Time Machine backups, you will have a copy of that iCloud Pages document before it was overwritten. Open a Finder window and press command+J. Make certain that show library folder is checked. Close this pop-up dialog by clicking the red x in its titlebar. Also verify that this Finder window is open on your login directory.
Now, double-click the Library folder, then Mobile Documents folder, then com~apple~Pages, and finally the Documents folder. Here are your current iCloud Pages documents. In your Dock, there should be a Time Machine client icon. Click this and it will open to your current folder location. You know the date that you overwrote the iCloud document. Roll your mouse over the graduated marks on the right-side of the screen. As you do so, a date will appear. When you find the timeline prior to your overwrite, click on it. The Finder windows in front of you will go back in time to match this date. Select your original document before it was overwritten. Hit the Space bar to use Quick Look to verify the contents. Then right-click and choose Copy. Click close on the left bottom of the Time Machine window.
Paste your iCloud document onto your Desktop, where you can rename or resave under a different name on iCloud.
Another approach, and one that may not work, is to open the overwritten document in iCloud and select File > Revert To > Browse All Versions. See if this will allow you access to the pre-overwritten document content. If it does work, much simpler than the Time Machine approach.
Many do not realize that Apple is not backing up their personal content on iCloud, and it is not intended as a personal backup strategy.
Thank you so much for this. I tried the second (simpler) approach first and it worked.
autosave and versions for Pages file saved in iCloud?
