Easiest Way To Back up "Notes"

Question

Level 1

17 points

Easiest Way To Back up "Notes"

Hey there,

I have backed up all my files using time machine onto an external hard drive, but I write a lot of important information on "notes" you know, the app called notes. Now this app doesn't create files of any notes I create, so pretty much all of the stuff on there which is some of the most vital info on my mac, is no currently backed up

I do know if you drag each note onto the desktop it creates a text file for you, but what other ways can you back up these notes? I do have the iCloud thing setup and have dragged three notes into it, but I don't really know what this has done, or whether it has done what I am trying to achieve either. All I can see is that I have now moved some notes from the tab "On My Mac" to "iCloud". So does anybody know what I should do?

Also please refrain from linking me to a help page on this unless you think that is it absolutely vital. I would like somebody to tell me because I'm really bad with reading paragraphs of text to find what I am trying to find out, not to mention I think this should be a simple thing that sombody on here could explain an answer to me in two sentences for example hopefully.

Thank you very much.

iPod touch

Posted on Mar 27, 2017 6:55 PM

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Answer 1

ckuan

Level 10

120,914 points

Mar 27, 2017 7:07 PM in response to swampert948

Normally if you have iCloud On for Notes, it will backup automatically.

Check on your Mac:

 > System Preferences... > iCloud > make sure Notes is selected (checked)

Start Notes app:

Select Notes under iCloud (left pane)

Select the note you want to change (middle pane)

Or Create a new note (top tool bar)

Do your editing (right pane), it will auto save in iCloud.

No need to drag out to the desktop

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Answer 2

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,470 points

Mar 30, 2017 7:51 PM in response to swampert948

Your current iMac will eventually die, when you replace it setup the new Mac simply use Setup Assistant and follow the on-screen command and migrate everything from the old Mac to the New Mac. You will migrate from the Time Machine drive on the old machine. Apple explains how to migrate in Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

swampert948 Author

Level 1

17 points

Mar 28, 2017 5:36 PM in response to ckuan

Ok I have checked notes in iCloud preferences.

But in "notes" my notes only exist in "iCloud" on the left pane if I drag them in there, so if I drag a note from the "On My Mac" tab on the left pane which is where 95% of my notes currently are, in the iCloud tab, my notes moves from the tab On My Mac to iCloud, is this what I should do? and from now on just start creating from within the iCloud tab? Because I can do that.

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Answer 4

swampert948 Author

Level 1

17 points

Mar 30, 2017 7:28 PM in response to ckuan

Ok so say my mac eventually dies and I buy a new one, if I open notes on the new computer, if I had put all my old notes into iCloud, would my notes literally just appear again on the new mac as if I were on my old computer?

So essentially is this how the automatic backup works as you said initially?

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Answer 5

ckuan

Level 10

120,914 points

Mar 30, 2017 11:31 PM in response to swampert948

swampert948 wrote:

Ok so say my mac eventually dies and I buy a new one, if I open notes on the new computer, if I had put all my old notes into iCloud, would my notes literally just appear again on the new mac as if I were on my old computer?

So essentially is this how the automatic backup works as you said initially?

If you are already using iCloud Notes. it doesn't matter if your Mac dies or not, you can buy a new Mac now and sign in to your iCloud account and all your notes will be accessible in the new Mac (as well as your old Mac).

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Answer 6

ckuan

Level 10

120,914 points

Mar 29, 2017 12:13 AM in response to swampert948

Yes, leave it in iCloud and you can access it with all your devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch). It will also saved automatically.

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