Restore notes via Time Machine

Question

Restore notes via Time Machine

Due to an errant finger I have deleted a vital note and am trying to recover it through Time Machine. I have made a copy of my current "Notes" on a stick. How do I restore Notes at the point just before I made the error?

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Jan 8, 2017 7:31 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

nabeards

Level 1

20 points

Apr 21, 2017 1:59 PM in response to hughiefromking's lynn

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 .

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

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

141,180 points

Jan 9, 2017 12:55 AM in response to hughiefromking's lynn

There are several options for you.

Undo (Control-Z) will undo an inadvertent deletion.
There will also be a Recently Deleted folder in the Notes Sidebar.
If your Notes account is stored in iCloud, log in to iCloud on a Mac and check its Recently Deleted folder.
To restore from a Time Machine backup please read Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support.

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

141,180 points

Jan 8, 2017 8:08 AM in response to hughiefromking's lynn

I understand the importance of your Notes data. I use it too, but it does not have the robust Time Machine integration that other apps such as Pages enjoy (for example).

Are your Notes stored in iCloud or locally?

Notes "On My Mac" are stored in a Container at path ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes. Navigate to that folder, then "Enter Time Machine" and restore.

Don't use TM to restore the Notes app itself; it won't help anyway.

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Answer 4

Jan 9, 2017 12:55 AM in response to John Galt

Unfortunately I have deleted a chunk of a note and I cannot undo it. Checked in iCloud but that is no help. I really need to access the note at the point just before I messed it up.

I am assuming I can only do that via Time Machine? I have found the point in Time Machine but I can't find Notes. Don't want to restore anything else; just the Notes app at that point.

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Answer 5

Jan 8, 2017 9:43 AM in response to John Galt

Just having one of those awful moments when realisation kicks in! Unfortunately I just use the computer without any great knowledge or understanding - until things go wrong!

My Notes are not "on my mac" - they are just where the software put them. They are stored in iCloud. I suspect that you will tell me that that bit of the note has gone for ever.

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