Strgzr

Q: Restore icloud notes?

I somehow deleted all notes when deleted iphone backup. I tho't when I restored from iTunes bkup it would restore notes, which I backed up the DAY BEFORE. When I first opened notes for one second I saw the list, then they just disappeared!

I looked up in search in discussions, but all RESTORE NOTES appear to be answers to old OSX 2-3 years ago, which don't help me today with ElCapitan and Notes v. 4.2

When I open Notes it shows "iCloud" only at top left. I have done backups to this iMac desktop computer and to the cloud YESTERDAY, but cannot find out where all my former notes are nor how to restore. Please give DETAILS.


I tried going into Time Machine and yesterdays backup to applications/NOTES, and hit "restore" that gives error: "Notes.app can't be modified or deleted because it's required by OS X". Then I was going to try what someone else said to go to the path to Notes (username/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/) and tried restoring, but didn't work. There are 3 files in there, and I don't know what to restore, so tried all 3 and kept both, and nothing happened. The 3 names there were: NotesV6.storedata, NotesV6.storedata-shm, NotesV6.storedata-wal. Well, now my folder today I tried to delete the duplicate, but can't so have both those names and I guess older ones that have "(original)" title at end. When I close and open Notes nothing is there, but small single note I added in TODAY.


Sorry this is hard to explain, but I just want some step-by-step directions how to get my old notes back please. Thanks ahead!

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Jul 2, 2016 6:57 PM

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Q: Restore icloud notes?

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  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Jul 2, 2016 10:07 PM in response to Strgzr
    Level 8 (38,877 points)
    Jul 2, 2016 10:07 PM in response to Strgzr

    Notes changed completely when OS X El Capitan was released, so yes, any process from years ago is not obsolete.

    Upgrade your notes with iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan - Apple Support

     

    iCloud notes are not backed up.  Instead, deleted notes are captured and kept for 30 days.

     

    To access deleted notes, open the Notes app, press the "Folders" button on the top near the left:

    Screen Shot 2016-07-02 at 10.04.29 PM.png

     

    Find "Deleted Notes" there.

  • by Strgzr,

    Strgzr Strgzr Jul 2, 2016 11:00 PM in response to sberman
    Level 2 (209 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 2, 2016 11:00 PM in response to sberman

    The only FOLDER button is NEW FOLDER. See pic!

     

    screenshot-1.png

     

    ...so is there any OTHER way to find the notes I backed up to iTUNES and to iCloud?

  • by Eric Root,Apple recommended

    Eric Root Eric Root Jul 3, 2016 2:50 PM in response to Strgzr
    Level 9 (69,813 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 3, 2016 2:50 PM in response to Strgzr

    Go to iCloud.com and select iCloud Settings. When that page loads, look at the bottom left side under Advanced and see if you can restore from there using files.

  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Jul 3, 2016 2:51 PM in response to Strgzr
    Level 8 (38,877 points)
    Jul 3, 2016 2:51 PM in response to Strgzr

    Strgzr wrote:

     

    I somehow deleted all notes when deleted iphone backup.

    What does this mean exactly?  Do you have some iPhone that had been backed up using iTunes?  Why did you delete the iPhone backup?  Did you open iTunes, go to Preferences > Devices and delete the backup from there?  Did the iPhone use ICloud to house the notes?  Was the iPhone running at least iOS 9 and use upgraded Notes as described in the article I attached above?  Did both the iPhone and your Mac use iCloud to house the notes?  Are the notes currently available on the iPhone?

  • by Strgzr,

    Strgzr Strgzr Jul 4, 2016 7:21 PM in response to Strgzr
    Level 2 (209 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 4, 2016 7:21 PM in response to Strgzr

    Eric: On the web I went to iCloud, then at bottom I see RESTORE..but no NOTES, only this:

    Advanced-web.png

    ...so then I tho't I'd look at the RESTORE FILES, but see this:

    iCloudSettings on Web.png

     

    ...It seems there was no backup tho' I had it checked on my iPhone to backup them.

  • by Strgzr,

    Strgzr Strgzr Jul 4, 2016 7:25 PM in response to sberman
    Level 2 (209 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 4, 2016 7:25 PM in response to sberman

    sberman: On my iPhone, I open NOTES app, but see no FOLDERS button with icon like you show "near the top left". This is all I see:

    FoldersNO.PNG

  • by Strgzr,

    Strgzr Strgzr Jul 4, 2016 7:27 PM in response to Strgzr
    Level 2 (209 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 4, 2016 7:27 PM in response to Strgzr

    Sorry ERIC ROOT, I tried to hit REPLY just below YOUR answer, but it seems to REPLY TO ME and not to YOU. This new Discussion layout is very confusing to me. I can't get reply to person in right place sorry!

  • by Strgzr,

    Strgzr Strgzr Jul 4, 2016 7:59 PM in response to sberman
    Level 2 (209 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 4, 2016 7:59 PM in response to sberman

    sberman in reply to you, here is your post with my answers next to ** below:

     

    -What does this mean exactly?  Do you have some iPhone that had been backed up using iTunes?

    **I have an iPhone I backed up using both iTunes and backed up from iPhone settings/iCloud/Backup-ON

    -  Why did you delete the iPhone backup?

    ** I had problem of it getting to near the 5GB max, so thought I"d start again, only I guess it got rid of all! Talking about this MAX thing brings up a secondary frustration, but I won't go into here since this is related to NOTES (will mention at bottom if desire to reply-next to $$)

    -Did you open iTunes, go to Preferences > Devices and delete the backup from there?

    1)**No, my current listed iTunes backup, shows the following, of which the 6/24/16 is the one I hope has my NOTES that I want to get back:

    iTunesDevicesBkups.png

    2)**No, I deleted from iPhone from this path: iPhone/Settings/iCloud/Storage/Manage Storage/iPhone6 This iPhone/scroll to bottom below list of ALL apps to the DELETE BACKUP.

    -Did the iPhone use ICloud to house the notes?

    **I guess so? I have the iPhone/iCloud settings as follows (but FYI, in this same location, I have the "Backup" turned off most of time then only turn on when I want to do a backup from the iPhone; I prefer using iTunes to do BACKUP to my iMac desktop COMPUTER:

    2iPhiCld.png

    -Was the iPhone running at least iOS 9 and use upgraded Notes as described in the article I attached above?

    ** I keep the iPhone always updated, it currently has newest 9.3.2, and El Capitan 10.11.5. I THINK I upgraded to new Notes, as I remember one time seeing that "upgrade to new notes" message and I no longer see it, but not sure how to tell if it is new notes or not?

    On my iMac in Sys Prefs/iCloud I have NOTES checked:

    SysPref-iCld.png

    -Did both the iPhone and your Mac use iCloud to house the notes?

    ** Yes, they both show "iCloud" at top of the Notes when I open either-but both are blank at present (see other pics--sorry to all in here, sometimes I copy a pic from iPhone and mail to self then insert here and it's VERY large-don't know how to make emailed copy of iphone screen shot smaller)

    -Are the notes currently available on the iPhone?

    ** both are blank imac desktop and iphone have NO NOTES, they have ALL disappeared!

     

    =====

    [$$ the secondary prob when trying to backup only Note, Contacts, Cal, to keep that sz less than 5GB, this is frustrating part: When I go into iPhone SETTINGS/iCloud/Storage/Manage Storage/iPhone6 This iPhone/ then below the NEXT BACKUP SIZE, even when I turn OFF sliders to ALLOT OF APPS, each time I go back into this area and want to turn on BACKUP button to BACKUP one time(to save space), all the APP sliders are ALL ON ALL OVER AGAIN! How can I keep them turned OFF, must I keep the BACKUP button turned ON all the time? Then it would keep saving NEW backups and not overwriting old backups I guess, is why then it gets near the 5GB size so FAST, and I don't want to buy more!]

  • by Strgzr,

    Strgzr Strgzr Jul 4, 2016 8:23 PM in response to sberman
    Level 2 (209 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 4, 2016 8:23 PM in response to sberman

    sBerman, I just noticed one thing different, when I went and read the article about the new notes it said:

    "If you’re signed in to more than one iCloud Mail account on your iOS device or Mac and have notes syncing turned on, you can only use the new Notes features with your primary iCloud account. You can see your primary account in Settings > iCloud, or System Preferences > iCloud."

     

    I have the same addr before the @ for signing in with apple ID, but one ends in @me.com and other @outlook.com. Currently on my iMac desktop in Sys Prefs/iCloud, it shows my name as the @me.com and on the iPhone Settings/iCloud it has the @outlook.com. When I go into iPhone Contact Information, I see no way to change it to make it the same as desktop, it only shows the Primary as @outlook.com and other as VERIFIED; and if hit on other address I can REMOVE IT.

    When I got into desktop iCloud/Account Details/Contact I see both addreses there, but it seems what I"ll have to do is use the "-" (minus) to delete all and start again to get both the same?

    Maybe this is why all notes have gone away-because both Primary addresses aren't the same? I"m kind of scared at deleting and readding, not wanting to mess up my whole Apple ID.

    FYI, I have the same password for either login with the @me.com or @outlook.com    ... I can't remember when all this was setup, and why I have two, think it was back when I tho't I heard they were doing away with me.com, so wanted my main email addr to be the apple ID? I had allot of problems getting all apps and things to work for awhile, but now at least I can get into apps with apple ID (either)so don't want to make a new THIRD one and have those problems all over again!

     

    P.S. I went back to iCLoud.com and signed in with the @me.com addr (before I tried the @outlook.com) and it too did not have any NOTES in the ADVANCED area.