7

I forgot to backup my notes before upgrading to a SSD and I'm trying to retrieve them. Instead of re-installing my old harddrive, I managed to find and copy the NoteStore.sqlite file out of it. Now the problem is, how to read this file so I can access my old notes. I tried downloading DB Browser for SQLite and then accessed the ZICCLOUDSYNCINGOBJECT table within that file but could only get snippets of info as well as the note titles, not the full note. It was the only table I found anything relevant in.

Any ideas where else to look or what other software can maybe search this file better? Thank you

Improve this question
2
  • Are you on High Sierra like this? apple.stackexchange.com/questions/396635/… editing your build and version into the question body will help anyone skimming if they miss details in the comments below...
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Sep 20, 2020 at 18:02
  • Thanks bmike, good point. So I was on High Sierra when I created the notes I am now trying to retrieve. When I swapped my old hard drive for a solid state, I had to revert back to El Capitan but that shouldn't be relevant because I'm not trying to retrieve the data from my macbook, I sent the file to my other computer (running Win 10). Or should I try to open it on my Macbook with some kind of SQL software?
    – loveknowledge
    Commented Sep 21, 2020 at 14:55

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
5

I've extra registered on this website to share this answer, because I have been trying to get my notes back for a month. Now I have them back and I am so happy and gratefull that somebody took their time to share their answer, so I will do the same in case somebody needs it here later.

These are the steps, from another Apple forum:

  1. Quit the Notes app.

  2. Back up to iCloud all of the notes previously stored on your Mac, and turn syncing off. You may want to create PDF backups of anything you don't want to risk losing.

  3. Restore these three files, located in ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/, from a backup to your desktop:

    • NoteStore.sqlite
    • NoteStore.sqlite-shm
    • NoteStore.sqlite-wal

  4. Drag the three files from your desktop to ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/ on your Mac and agree to replace all three files.

  5. Launch the Notes app and check your notes. Hopefully, they will be there.

Improve this answer
1

There is another way using the same software DB Browser for SQLite , if you don't want to replace your notes.

  1. Go to Browse Data under table ZICNOTEDATA
  2. Search in the ZDATA column
  3. Each row with blob type will be your note in binary data.
  4. Then Export to file, unzip and open with TextEdit

See attached below:

Steps in red

Now you can read your notes.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .