Accidentally deleting important notes on your Mac can be an alarming experience, especially if those notes contain critical personal or professional information. Fortunately, macOS provides various ways to help you recover lost or deleted notes. This guide walks you through the most effective methods to restore deleted notes on your Mac, depending on how they were removed and whether you use iCloud or local storage.
1. Check the “Recently Deleted” Folder
When you delete a note on your Mac, it doesn’t vanish immediately. Instead, it typically moves into the Recently Deleted folder, where it stays for up to 30 days before being permanently deleted.
To recover from the Recently Deleted folder:
- Open the Notes app.
- In the sidebar, click on Recently Deleted.
- Select the note(s) you wish to recover.
- Click Edit in the menu bar, then choose Undo Move to Recently Deleted or simply drag the note back to another folder.
This is the easiest and quickest way to recover notes that were deleted recently.
2. Restore from iCloud
If you sync your notes through iCloud, there’s a good chance they can be recovered via the iCloud website. This is particularly useful if you’re on a different device and want to check remotely.
Follow these steps:
- Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Open the Notes app within iCloud.
- Check the Recently Deleted folder.
- Select the deleted note(s) and click Recover.
If the note isn’t in Recently Deleted on iCloud either, and has been permanently removed, there may still be other options to try.
3. Use Time Machine to Restore Notes
Time Machine is macOS’s built-in backup utility and can be a lifesaver when files or notes are mistakenly deleted. If you regularly back up your Mac using Time Machine, you can use it to restore your Notes database from a time before the note was deleted.
Here’s how to do it:
- Close the Notes app.
- Open Finder and navigate to:
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes/Data/Library/Notes/. - Enter Time Machine by clicking the Time Machine icon in the menu bar.
- Browse to a backup date before you deleted the note.
- Select the Notes database files, then click Restore.
- Reopen the Notes app and look for the restored content.
It’s advisable to back up your current Notes files before proceeding, in case you need to merge or compare data after restoring.
4. Use a Data Recovery Tool
If none of the above options are successful, you can consider using a trusted data recovery application. These tools scan your Mac’s storage for remnants of deleted files that haven’t been overwritten yet. Some noteworthy recovery tools include:
- Disk Drill
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
- Stellar Data Recovery
Keep in mind that success using these tools depends on when the data was deleted and how much has been written to the drive since. Always download recovery software from reputable sources to protect your device and data.
5. Prevention Tips for the Future
Losing notes can be frustrating, but you can minimize the risk by following these preventive measures:
- Enable iCloud synchronization for your Notes app to keep backups across devices.
- Regularly back up your Mac using Time Machine or another reliable backup method.
- Check the Recently Deleted folder before permanently deleting any note.
- Export important notes as PDF or plain text files and store them securely elsewhere.
Conclusion
Recovering deleted notes on a Mac is possible through several methods, ranging from using the Recently Deleted folder to restoring from iCloud or Time Machine. If all else fails, professional data recovery tools may provide a last line of defense. By understanding how these recovery solutions work and taking steps to prevent future data loss, you can ensure your notes remain safe and accessible when you need them most.