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Backing up apple 'NOTES' - What is the best way?

M

Marty_Macfly

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 26, 2020
963
273
Hi All,

My notes has been set up to iCloud a while ago. Great for referencing on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

I had a fright though, deleted something by mistake. This is replicated across all devices for that note in question.

I could not find a back up of it in Time Machine.



Backing up by the Mac:
1. Looking in Time machine - Notes is not in there at all.
2. I have now set 'on my Mac' on for Notes.
3. I have saved a couple for notes into a folder 'on my Mac' to test
4. Did a 'back up now' onto TM
5. I then checked Time Machine - NOTEs is still not in TM

Am I doing something wrong?!

What do I need to do to get notes to actually back up, onto a Hard drive?

Is there a better way to back up Apple notes?



Hope you can advise

Regards
Martin


PS:
Love the simplicity of the native apple NOTEs app. Be good to work with the system, rather than buy another note taking app!
 
Last edited:
Are you looking for the Notes app? If so, yeah, not backed up. Not sure if it has always been that way or recent, but can understand if recent, as the MacOS "volume" is protected and can be recreated by OS install. User installed apps do get backed up.

The actual notes are stored in ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes in an SQLite database. In theory, can try to restore that folder and hope everything works (though I've seen some odd things in the past when trying to recover deleted/lost items from old backups of Library contents). Or restore along side the real notes folder and use the sqlite3 terminal command to dump the contents of the database, and see if you can spot the text you are looking for.

Otherwise, yeah, need to print them.

Or, simple Shortcut on your iOS device:
 

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Hi all, many thanks for the advice.

Unfortunately, I deleted a paragraph from a note, not the whole file itself.

Therefore the file is not in the deleted folder, I lost that paragraph.

Not the biggest loss, but at least it’s flags up a problem with backing up notes.

Will try the idea that PDF back up :)

Can you password protect a PDF like you can note?
 
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Marty_Macfly said:
Hi all, many thanks for the advice.

Unfortunately, I deleted a paragraph from a note, not the whole file itself.

Therefore the file is not in the deleted folder, I lost that paragraph.

Not the biggest loss, but at least it’s flags up a problem with backing up notes.

Will try the idea that PDF back up :)

Can you password protect a PDF like you can note?
Click to expand...
Apparently it's possible, but I haven't tried it:

Password-protect a PDF in Preview on Mac

In Preview on your Mac, protect a PDF by adding a password that everyone must enter to open, print, or change the file.
support.apple.com
 
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Make sure you have no filter or limits set on the "Find Notes". Otherwise not sure what might be going on.
 
NoBoMac said:
Are you looking for the Notes app? If so, yeah, not backed up. Not sure if it has always been that way or recent, but can understand if recent, as the MacOS "volume" is protected and can be recreated by OS install. User installed apps do get backed up.

The actual notes are stored in ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes in an SQLite database. In theory, can try to restore that folder and hope everything works (though I've seen some odd things in the past when trying to recover deleted/lost items from old backups of Library contents). Or restore along side the real notes folder and use the sqlite3 terminal command to dump the contents of the database, and see if you can spot the text you are looking for.

Otherwise, yeah, need to print them.

Or, simple Shortcut on your iOS device:
Click to expand...


Hiya,


Glad this thread is bringing up some great ideas on backing up apples NOTES!

@NoBoMac - that shortcut - can it run on a Mac? :)

If not, is the idea - to set it to run on an iPhone, then archive the *.zip file away onto the Mac?

Hope you can advise


Martin
 
I read your question and thought it would be fun to figure this out. Although you can't run the shortcut on a Mac, you can create an Automator script to copy your iCloud Drive Notes backup folder (with the contents, of course) to your Mac. Before creating this, it's important to create an iCloud Drive folder for your Notes backup zip files.

You could specify your Mac Documents folder instead of the Desktop. I'm going to play with this a bit more to maybe add a schedule, but for now this basic version works.

Screen Shot 2021-07-31 at 11.40.25 AM.png

Update: checking the Replacing existing files is important; otherwise you'll get copies of the Notes backup folder each time.
 
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WildSky said:
I read your question and thought it would be fun to figure this out. Although you can't run the shortcut on a Mac, you can create an Automator script to copy your iCloud Drive Notes backup folder (with the contents, of course) to your Mac. Before creating this, it's important to create an iCloud Drive folder for your Notes backup zip files.

You could specify your Mac Documents folder instead of the Desktop. I'm going to play with this a bit more to maybe add a schedule, but for now this basic version works.

View attachment 1813162
Click to expand...



Hiya WildSky,


Thats brilliant you are doing some research all of us can benefit from! :p

Imagine being the trail blazer, working out the path for all of us to follow :)

I'm not that apple techie at all, so all help is appreciated :)



Best Wishes
Martin


PS:
I've posted some more queries on Notes on this forum, I'm having a NOTES blitz this weekend :)
 
Marty_Macfly said:
Hiya WildSky,


Thats brilliant you are doing some research all of us can benefit from! :p

Imagine being the trail blazer, working out the path for all of us to follow :)

I'm not that apple techie at all, so all help is appreciated :)



Best Wishes
Martin


PS:
I've posted some more queries on Notes on this forum, I'm having a NOTES blitz this weekend :)
Click to expand...
Here's something else: when the iOS/iPadOS Notes backup shortcut runs, the Automator script automatically detects there's a change in the iCloud Drive Notes Backup folder and automatically downloads a new version to my Mac.

You asked a good question and it's been fun to work on this.
 
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One more thing: for the iOS shortcut, I added an Automation so that it will run daily at a specific time. Now the whole process is automated from backup > copy to Mac > Time Machine backup.
 
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WildSky said:
Apparently it's possible, but I haven't tried it:

Password-protect a PDF in Preview on Mac

In Preview on your Mac, protect a PDF by adding a password that everyone must enter to open, print, or change the file.
support.apple.com
Click to expand...
Just a tought, pw protection in pdf is usually weak... an encrypted 256 bit dmg with the pdf inside is better. This is how I backup some critical documents in my usb key. (It can be done with a script)
 
Marty_Macfly said:
If not, is the idea - to set it to run on an iPhone, then archive the *.zip file away onto the Mac?
Click to expand...

@WildSky pretty much answered it all.

But in the case of the iOS Shortcut, yes, eventually will go to the Mac, if iCloud Drive is turned on there. Shortcuts defaults to iCloud, but if you've enabled other cloud service(s) (eg. Dropbox), can select some other service to save it to and get it to one's PC/Mac.
 
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WildSky said:
I read your question and thought it would be fun to figure this out. Although you can't run the shortcut on a Mac, you can create an Automator script to copy your iCloud Drive Notes backup folder (with the contents, of course) to your Mac. Before creating this, it's important to create an iCloud Drive folder for your Notes backup zip files.

You could specify your Mac Documents folder instead of the Desktop. I'm going to play with this a bit more to maybe add a schedule, but for now this basic version works.

View attachment 1813162

Update: checking the Replacing existing files is important; otherwise you'll get copies of the Notes backup folder each time.
Click to expand...

Hi Wildsky,

Finally got some time to look into setting this up on the Mac! :)

I have never created an automator script in my life, I'm still coming over from windows, so I am a bit nervous with all of this.


Some questions:

1) Is there an idiots guide somewhere on how to set up 'Automator scripts' for Macs? In particular for backing up iCloud Notes?


2) How do I test the *.zip back up files?
- I'm really nervous of a bad backup
- E.g. I overwrite my ok iCloud notes, with a *.zip backup only containing 1 file etc.



3) Using Notes backups in real life - are the below steps correct?
a. Back up the current Notes straight away
b. Bring back a backup from the *.zip file, from correct day in Time machine
c. Delete live files, in correct folder
d. Unzip backup, in correct folder
e. open Notes app, and recover what need - Save offline - E.g. 'on-my-mac' version of files
f. Restore latest notes - redoing steps b to d above
g. Copy over recovery, from 'on-my-mac' version - back onto include notes







Hope you can advise
Martin :)
 
Last edited:
Marty_Macfly said:
Hi Wildsky,

Finally got some time to look into setting this up on the Mac! :)

I have never created an automator script in my life, I'm still coming over from windows, so I am a bit nervous with all of this.


Some questions:

1) Is there an idiots guide somewhere on how to do set this up the 'Automator back up' for Macs?

2) How do I test the *.zip back up files?
- I'm really nervous of of a bad backup, and I overwrite my iCloud notes with an zip file only containing 1 file etc.


Hope you can advise
Martin :)
Click to expand...
I'll get back to you later with specific Automator steps. In the meantime, open Automator and try finding the steps shown above to drag them into the active window. Once you've done that, edit the various options to match the screenshot.

Regarding your second question, I can assure you that unzipping a Notes backup folder produces each separate Note as a text file within the unzipped folder. Each separate text file can be imported into Notes or the text copied and pasted into a new Note. Nothing to worry about there.
 
WildSky said:
I'll get back to you later with specific Automator steps. In the meantime, open Automator and try finding the steps shown above to drag them into the active window. Once you've done that, edit the various options to match the screenshot.

Regarding your second question, I can assure you that unzipping a Notes backup folder produces each separate Note as a text file within the unzipped folder. Each separate text file can be imported into Notes or the text copied and pasted into a new Note. Nothing to worry about there.
Click to expand...

Hello again WildSky,


Wow - quick reply! :)

I've edited my post above, not quick enough before you replied though!

I've crystallised what I'm asking a bit more, plus for review, my thoughts on how I would approach Notes data recovery.


Night W, Take care :)


Martin
 
WildSky said:
Before I answer your questions, have you already created the Shortcut suggested by NoBoMac? If not, please do that first.
Click to expand...

Morning WildSky,


Just created the iPhone automation - wow, it wasn't so hard to do :)

have set for 11am. Be done in a minute. Be good to see the output :)


Regards
Martin
 
Hi Again WildSky,


hhhmmm... its exciting to be doing automation stuff - I'm getting there. Any advise appreciated! :)


The iPhone automation has created a zip file.
However:
1. I have 129 notes on I cloud
2. However, the Zip file only has 26 files in it. I'm currently investigating if they are the top 26 files in my Notes app etc.
3. Password protected file - The 1st one I see only has the title - no contents. Does the ZIP not save password protected files?! That would be a pain.


Any advise on this part 1st, before I move onto the Mac automation? :)
As I say, any help much appreciated!


Thanks for all your help W!


Best wishes
Martin


PS:
Backing up the iPhone and Mac no etc. Before do anything else!
 
Last edited:
ecatomb said:
Thank you, never though about saving Notes 😁
I tested with 27 notes (added 2 for this test), it's only saving 26 notes...
Click to expand...

Hi E,


Cool, glad not just me thinking this is a really good thing to sort out :)

Have you looked at any password saved notes? is it only the 1st line that has been saved for you as well?

Have any folder structures been saved for you?





RE: Apple Notes is brilliant
I find the apple Notes app awesome! All viewable from all my apple gadgets etc. I've also only touched the surface of the cool stuff you can do in it. Be great to use as my 'go to' notebook - Working with the apple ecosystem, rather than buying yet another app with its own quirks etc.



RE:Only 26 notes saved....
You to Ecatomb as well?!
Interesting! :)



Best wishes
Martin
 
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