How to migrate Stickies database from Mojave to Catalina ?

[mikzn]

Before Catalina it was easy to migrate / move the sticky database file from the user library folder from the past OS installation into the user library folder new OS

But it seems now in Catalina stickies no longer works the same and Catalina does not recognize the database file from Mojave and does not import the stickies info

Has anyone found a way to migrate Stickies from Mojave to Catalina?

 

[Ritsuka]

The Stickies are in /Users/username/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies/Data/Library/Stickies

 

[mikzn]

Yes and they are stored there a separate text files but my question is how do you import the old data base

 

[fisherking]

yikes, catalina devoured all my stickies this morning! i tried replacing the container file (AND the 'stickies database' in my home library), and... nothing.

EDIT: i copied (from a backup) the stickies database and the ENTIRE com.apple.stickies folder (from the container folder) and have my stickies back. so try that & you should be ok.

 

[mikzn]

Glad you had a back up and Good news on your recovery! 👍

For moving Stickies "from Mojave" this will not work because there is no such folder as "Library/Containers/com.apple.stickies" in Mojave

I have a feeling the only way to do this is to use migration assistant - but - Migration Assistant is great immediately after a new OS install but (IMHO) have found it to be problematic if used later on - after apps are used and settings are configured etc.

I was hoping for a simple import fix - but it would not be all that difficult to just export the files on Mojave and Create a new note for each Stickie in Catalina - a bit of a pain but do-able

 

[fisherking]

Glad you had a back up and Good news on your recovery! 👍

For moving Stickies "from Mojave" this will not work because there is no such folder as "Library/Containers/com.apple.stickies" in Mojave

I have a feeling the only way to do this is to use migration assistant - but - Migration Assistant is great immediately after a new OS install but (IMHO) have found it to be problematic if used later on - after apps are used and settings are configured etc.

I was hoping for a simple import fix - but it would not be all that difficult to just export the files on Mojave and Create a new note for each Stickie in Catalina - a bit of a pain but do-able

are you sure? i would have sworn that mojave had this hierarchy as well... (the containers folder)...

 

[mcr2582]

This post has instructions on how to get it to re-import from the old file:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250728309?answerId=251730141022#251730141022

 

[mikzn]

Thanks for posting this link - it fell off my radar and finally recalled it and tried it out on Catalina beta 10.15.3 build 19D49f - It works (Thanks 👍)

I have imported all my current Stickies from Mojave to Catalina - 2 separate MBP's

Here is the relevant info (for any 'others interested) to transfer from a previous mac or back up drive etc.

1. Make sure Stickies app (Catalina) is closed while doing the following
2. Locate Old "StickiesDatabase" file (Mojave etc) ~/Library - copy to same location in Catalina
3. Locate and Delete these 2 folders in Catalina (Hidden) user library, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies and ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migrated
4. Do not delete, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migration this folder is needed for importing the old data.
5. Open Stickies in Catalina - (if it cannot find the above mentioned "2 deleted folders" Catalina will search for the StickiesDatabase file and automatically import info and create new Stickie Notes in Catalina

Hope that helps someone and saves them some time.

thanks MCR2582 for the info

 

[uburoibob]

Thanks for posting this link - it fell off my radar and finally recalled it and tried it out on Catalina beta 10.15.3 build 19D49f - It works (Thanks 👍)

I have imported all my current Stickies from Mojave to Catalina - 2 separate MBP's

Here is the relevant info (for any 'others interested) to transfer from a previous mac or back up drive etc.

1. Make sure Stickies app (Catalina) is closed while doing the following
2. Locate Old "StickiesDatabase" file (Mojave etc) ~/Library - copy to same location in Catalina
3. Locate and Delete these 2 folders in Catalina (Hidden) user library, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies and ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migrated
4. Do not delete, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migration this folder is needed for importing the old data.
5. Open Stickies in Catalina - (if it cannot find the above mentioned "2 deleted folders" Catalina will search for the StickiesDatabase file and automatically import info and create new Stickie Notes in Catalina

Hope that helps someone and saves them some time.

thanks MCR2582 for the info

THIS worked perfectly. If there is no ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migration folder anymore, just add it and follow all the instructions.

 

[zzz1822]

My StickiesDatabase was going from Sierra (X.12) to Big Sir (X.15). The process outlined above did not work for me even though I tried multiple times and multiple ways.

Some things different about Big Sir is:
* ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies gets translated into ~/Library/Containers/Stickies. So you can consider them one in the same.
* There is no ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migration in my Big Sir. However, there is a ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickiesmigration. I duplicated the com.apple.Stickesmigration and put a dot in the name thus having 2 similar folders.
* With the StickiesDatabase in the ~/Library folder, the import did not work until I restarted the computer and launched the Stickies app.
* As mentioned in another thread elsewhere, all my Stickies were stacked on top of each other. Just pull them out and resize.

 

[mikzn]

^^^^^

thanks for the update - when I upgraded from Catalina to Big Sur everything migrated / updated fine with Stickeys and did not have to make any adjustments.

Thanks for your post / update - it may help some other members that choose to do a "Clean install of Big Sur" and then realize the stickies are starting from scratch (empty) 👍

 

[EuroChilli]

An update, for those who might still be trying to migrate Stickies from something as old as a 2011 MBP with High Sierra to an M1 MBA with Big Sur. I set this new machine up fresh and have been manually migrating stuff as needed. You may be surprised just how much digital rubbish you can collect in 10 years.

What ended up working for me was to simply copy the StickiesDatabase from /Library on the old Mac to the same location on the new Mac. With Stickies closed, I then went to Library/Containers/Stickies on the new Mac and deleted that, as well as Library/Containers/com.apple.StickiesMigration. Yes, I had already opened Stickies, found nothing, then decided I wanted to bring my old ones over.

When I opened Stickies again, the folder at Library/Containers/Stickies and Library/Containers/com.apple.StickiesMigration had been re-created and all my old Stickies appeared, all stacked on top of each other. Just drag them off one by one and expand as required. You can now delete the StickiesDatabase file from /Library as Big Sur doesn't need that going forward. All your Stickie data is now in Library/Containers/Stickies

As always, be sure things are working as desired before you empty the trash. TM Backups are also a very good idea.

1. "Locate and Delete these 2 folders in Catalina (Hidden) user library, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies and ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migrated" - These 2 folders don't seem to exist at all in Big Sur, at least I haven't seen them, before and after the manual migration of the old stickies.

1. "Do not delete, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migration this folder is needed for importing the old data." - I did delete it, together with Library/Containers/Stickies, but both were re-created when I opened Stickies again. No computer restart required. I think the migration folder is only for when upgrading the OS on a machine with existing stickies, not when manually transferring stickies from another computer. I can now see all the stickies in Library/Containers/Stickies/Data/Library/Stickies.

 

[rsworden]

...

1. "Locate and Delete these 2 folders in Catalina (Hidden) user library, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies and ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migrated" - These 2 folders don't seem to exist at all in Big Sur, at least I haven't seen them, before and after the manual migration of the old stickies.

1. "Do not delete, ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies.migration this folder is needed for importing the old data." - I did delete it, together with Library/Containers/Stickies, but both were re-created when I opened Stickies again. No computer restart required. I think the migration folder is only for when upgrading the OS on a machine with existing stickies, not when manually transferring stickies from another computer. I can now see all the stickies in Library/Containers/Stickies/Data/Library/Stickies.

This procedure also worked for me on Monterey. Copied StickiesDatabase from a Time Machine backup, ensured that the folders were as described, and started the Stickies app. It recovered them all, including all the formatting.

Thanks.