Microsoft has enhanced Sticky Notes with Windows 10 while preserving the simplicity of note taking that comes with the classic version. It’s no surprise that this is a popular way to take quick notes that you can easily delete later. I used it for a long time but I recently switched to Google Keep.
Sticky Notes has no archive feature which means clicking the delete button will directly delete it. So how to recover deleted Sticky Notes in Windows 10?
That can be worrisome. If you are facing the same problem, here are some ways to recover deleted Sticky Notes and some solutions to make sure you will never face the same situation again.
1. Check outlook
Yes, that’s right. I’m guessing that you don’t use the web version of Outlook much because if you were, you probably wouldn’t be here. See, every time you delete a note, a copy of the note is stored in Outlook’s Trash folder.
Click the link below to open Outlook in your favorite browser and sign in with the same Microsoft account you use on your computer. Click Deleted Items in the left sidebar and you will see all the notes there waiting for you to recover!
How long these deleted notes stay there depends on your Outlook settings but if you’ve never used it, chances are it’s still there.
2. Restore it
Microsoft has made it difficult to find this feature, but it exists and is very easy to use. You can restore Sticky Notes to a previous version. This version will restore any deleted notes the next time you launch Sticky Notes.
Search for Sticky Notes, right-click it and select Properties. You can also use the Alt+Enter keyboard shortcut if you have a desktop shortcut for the application to directly launch the Properties dialog box. In the Previous Versions tab, you’ll find older versions of Sticky Notes with dates. If there is a previous version, select it and click Restore, Apply and OK.
In my case there was no previous version because I stopped using Sticky Notes last year and I will share why later in the tutorial. Now close Sticky Notes and relaunch it and you will see all the deleted notes from that date back in the list.
3. Hidden files
Your computer does not display all files and folders. Some files are hidden to protect them from accidental deletion — mainly system files. There is a folder where you can find the contents of your deleted Sticky Notes. However, you will have to unhide it first. Search for Show Hidden Files in Windows search and open it.
In the View tab, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives and click Apply and OK. Now you will see hidden files that were not visible before and they will be a bit blurry compared to other folders/files. Navigate to the directory below:
C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Sticky Notes
That’s where you’ll see the StickyNotes.snt file. Right click on this file and open it with Notepad as it is a file format not recognized by Windows.
When the file opens, you’ll notice that there’s a lot of gibberish text that doesn’t make any sense and that’s okay. Don’t change anything.
Use the search feature (Ctrl+F) to find the contents of your deleted notes. This file will have text from notes you accidentally deleted. So if your note has the word ‘call’ in it, look for it.
4. Enable Delete Confirmation
Sticky Notes in older versions before Windows 10 came out will delete the live note when you click the little ‘x’ button. Thankfully Microsoft fixed that.
On Windows 10 running the latest version of Sticky Notes, clicking the ‘x’ will only close the note. Sticky Note will only delete the note when you click on the trash can icon.
But if you go to Settings and enable the Confirm before deleting option, you will get a pop-up asking your permission before deleting the note. That will act as a safety net in case you accidentally click the delete button.
5. Backup Notes
If you’re using Sticky Notes to store important information, backing up these notes is imperative as a precaution. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard to launch the Run prompt and type the following command before pressing enter.
%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState
You should see a file named plum.sqlite that you need to copy and paste into a safe folder.
I recommend using a flash drive or your favorite cloud storage service. To restore, paste the backup file back into the folder where you found it replacing the old file. I recommend backing up the old file you’re replacing to avoid losing those notes.
6. Use Google Keep
I started using Google Keep because it replaces sticky notes perfectly. Google designed Keep with sticky notes in mind. You can color code notes, create lists with checkboxes, and use labels to group them.
One feature that you will love is the ability to archive notes that you no longer need instead of deleting them. This way, you can always come back to them if needed. Another benefit of using Keep is that it works on all platforms like Windows, Android, and iOS. Alternatively, you can open Keep in any browser.
Paste it, forget it
The idea of digitizing your Sticky Notes is awesome. You can take it anywhere you want and it packs a lot of features while keeping it simple and visually appealing. If you plan to continue using Sticky Notes, these helpful tips will help you stay on top of things.
Next up: Are you using Google Keep or want to get started? Here are 16 great keyboard shortcuts that will save you time.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
