If you are a Mac user, you are probably familiar with many of its useful tools. One of them is Notes, an app designed for quickly jotting down your ideas. Whether you need to save useful links, important memos, or to-do lists, Notes is here to get the job done. Show
And it all works great until you realize that some of the notes are missing. Maybe they disappeared after you’ve installed an update or you’ve accidentally deleted them. That doesn’t matter. What you need are efficient ways to restore them and get on with your work. Today, we will show you 5 ways that can make that happen. Where Does Mac Store My Notes?For extra security, Mac gives you 2 ways in which you can save your work. Ideally, you should rely on them both.
What Happened to My Deleted Notes?Once notes are deleted, they will be stored in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 to 40 days. In case more time has passed, you will have to use recovery software to restore them. If you’ve previously saved notes and haven’t overwritten them, partial, if not full, recovery is possible. But, it’s important that you act quickly. Note: to maximize your chances of recovery, stop using Mac immediately, and disconnect it from the internet. 5 Best Ways to Recover Notes on a Mac1. Restore Lost Memos via Recently Deleted FolderIn case your notes disappeared in the last month, they may still be in the app. Removed Notes don’t go to the Trash Bin, but are kept in the Recently Deleted folder before permanent deletion. Here is how to access it.
2. Find Deleted Notes With iCloudCloud storage is very popular these days and rightfully so. By storing your data online, you are guaranteed to have access to them even in case of hard-drive failure and other unforeseen circumstances. In case you’ve synced your files with iCloud, it’s very straightforward to recover notes on Mac. Guide to Recovering Files With iCloud
Note: don’t forget to turn iCloud syncing back on, so that your notes continue being protected. 3. Recover Notes With Time MachineApple has always handled user files with great care, giving us a lot of options to protect them. One of them is Time Machine, a built-in feature that lets you back up every important file, such as music, documents, and memos, on your Mac. If Time Machine is enabled on your device, you can use it to bring back your lost notes. Time Machine is a fast and easy-to-use method that’s very effective. However, it will overwrite your latest notes, so it’s necessary to protect them first. How to Create Backup Before Starting Time MachineThere are 2 ways, and both are very easy to do.
How to Use a Time MachineAfter you’ve created a copy of your Notes database, it’s time for a 4-step recovery:
Note: Time Machine works only if you’ve created a backup before. Even then, if it’s too old, your notes will still be missing. In this case, you should consider using specialized data recovery software. 4. Access Deleted Memos Through .storedataThe .storedata files are designed to temporarily store important information. You can easily browse to it and try to locate your missing notes from there.
5. Use Data Recovery SoftwareIf none of the above methods work, it’s time to use data recovery software for Mac. However, there’s a sea of these apps on Mac, some of which deliver mediocre results, at best. Others can even infect your computer with malware. To come up with the best recommendation, we have tested a dozen of recovery apps and paid attention to the following metrics:
In the end, we’ve found that Disk Drill was the most successful with recovering lost files on Mac. So much so, that it became a go-to solution for our editorial team in case of accidental deletion. Disk Drill has a reasonable price, is very straightforward to use, and is very stable across various operating systems. Aside from recovery, there are other useful tools such as disk health, cleanup, and data backup that are also free. See also: Disk Drill Review: Is It Really That Good? Recover Notes on Mac Via Disk DrillDisk Drill is a versatile data recovery software application that can recover hundreds of different file formats, including Mac notes exported as PDFs. Let’s take a closer look at how it works. 1. Install Disk DrillFirst, you need to download Disk Drill and install it on your Mac. Make sure that you don’t install it on the drive where your lost Mac notes were stored to avoid overwriting them with Disk Drill data, which would make their recovery impossible. 2. Launch the ProgramNext, open Finder, navigate to the Application folder, and launch Disk Drill. The software will present you with Logical volumes and Hardware disks. Choose the place where your lost notes were located and click on Search for lost data to start the recovery process. 3. Browse Through the Preview ListWait for Disk Drill to finish scanning, which may take some time depending on the speed and size of your storage device. Once the scan is done, you will be presented with a list of deleted files that you are able to restore. 4. Restore Your DataYou now need to go through the list of recoverable files and look for your notes. You can use the scan results filters on the left, as well as the integrated preview feature, to help you find what you’re looking for. Tick the boxes next to the notes that you wish to recover and click Recover. You will be asked to choose a recovery folder. Make sure to select a folder that’s located on a different storage device than the one you’ve scanned. Note: It’s best to start with a free version and scan your storage first. This will show if your deleted note can be recovered in the first place. How Did Notes Disappear From My Mac?There are many reasons why users can’t find their notes on Mac. Usually, we are talking about one of these 5 scenarios.
Final ThoughtsAs you can see, there are many paths you can take to restore your notes. Even better, they are easy to try and you can go through them quickly. Time is everything, so start now to have the best chance of recovering them. There may be no need to take your Mac to the expensive restoration services. This way, you’ve learned something valuable and saved your money. |