How to Backup Sticky Notes and Restore in Windows

Microsoft have changed how they store Sticky Notes in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update version 1607 (and later). I thought I do a quick post on how to backup your Sticky Notes and restore them between the same version and between different version.

I will cover the older method and the new method, and how to transfer from old to new.

To find out your version of Windows, press your Windows key + R to bring up the Run prompt. In the “open” box type “winver” and click OK.

Sticky Notes

How to backup Sticky Notes pre Windows 10 Anniversary Update

This method also covers Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.

1. Press the Windows key and R to open the run window.
2. Type “%AppData%\Microsoft\Sticky Notes” and click OK.
3. In the folder that opens, copy the StickyNotes.snt file to a somewhere safe (eg USB drive).

To restore back to Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or pre Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

It’s basically the same but overwriting the file StickyNotes.snt with the one from USB.

1. Press the Windows key and R to open the run window.
2. Type “%AppData%\Microsoft\Sticky Notes” and click OK.
3. Copy the StickyNotes.snt from your backup location, overwriting the file in the current folder.

How to backup Sticky Notes after Windows 10 Anniversary Update

1. Press the Windows key and R to open the run window.
2. Type %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState and click OK.
3. In the folder that opens copy the plum.SQLite file to a somewhere safe (eg USB drive).

To restore back to post Windows 10 Anniversary Update

1. Open Task Manager (Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and click Task Manager).
2. Select Microsoft.notes.exe and click “End task”.
3. Press the Windows key and R to open the run window.
4. Type %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState and click OK.
5. Copy the plum.sqlite from your backup location, overwriting the file in the current folder.

To restore old StickyNotes.snt to post Windows 10 Anniversary Update

1. Open Task Manager (Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and click Task Manager).
2. Select Microsoft.notes.exe and click “End task”.
3. Press the Windows key and R to open the run window.
4. Type %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState and click OK.
5. Create a new folder called Legacy
6. Copy your StickyNotes.snt file to the new Legacy folder.
7. Rename StickNotes.snt to ThresholdNotes.snt
8. Open Sticky Notes and you should see your old Sticky Notes restored.

If this helps, please leave a comment below

Thanks for reading,

Ian