How to recover deleted notes on Windows 11

Sticky Notes is a native note-taking app for Windows 11, perfect for jotting down quick reminders to yourself and making sure you don't forget anything.

But say, you accidentally deleted some notes and are looking for a way to get them back. You can check the Recycle Bin, but there's a chance it's empty. Fortunately, there is a way to recover your notes.

What causes my Windows 11 to delete notes?

Notes can get lost due to various reasons. It's not just because you deleted them. There may be a problem with your computer that you need to diagnose quickly.

• Your computer is infected with malware –Malware may disrupt the operation of your computer. For this reason, it is recommended that you purchase some antivirus software to clean everything.
• Files on your system are corrupted – Due to malware, your computer files may become corrupted and unusable. You need to run an SFC scan to clean up the corruption.
• You have lost notes due to system crash – System crashes can also corrupt files, and if they occur repeatedly, they can cause serious damage. There may be a problem with your memory.
• Your note may be hidden –Double check that you haven’t accidentally hidden a note. Right-click the app in the taskbar and select Show All Notes. They should be there.
• The wrong Windows update removed them - Microsoft has a series of steps on how to uninstall Windows updates if you have a wrong patch.

How to restore notes?

There are many ways to recover lost notes files from third-party applications to native tools on Windows 11. If simpler solutions don't work, try one of the more complex fixes.

• Use some data recovery software to recover notes. Applications like Kernel Data Recovery and Disk Drill are excellent options for recovering lost or deleted files.
• Check your note list carefully. With Notes open, right-click the app on the Windows 11 taskbar. Select the notes list. See if your listing annotation is there.
• Whenever you delete something from your notes, you can find these files in the Deleted Items list on Outlook. From there, you can restore the discarded notes to the app.
• Run the Windows Store App Troubleshooter. You can find this tool in the Troubleshooting section of the Apps tab in Windows 11 Settings. Just make sure to give it enough time to complete.
• Update Notes app. New patches can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store or from the Windows Update tab in the Settings menu. The latter will also update other applications.
• If all else fails, reinstall the Notes app. Go to the Applications section of the Windows 11 Settings menu. You can uninstall the app from there and re-download it from the Microsoft Store.

1. Check the note file carefully

1. Launch File Explorer and open the username’s home folder. It should be on the "Home" tab.
2. Open the following folders in order: AppData > Local > Packages.
3. In the "Packages" folder, find the folder titled Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe. Once found, open it.
4. Open the "Local Status" folder. You should see StickyNotes.snt or plum.sqlite.
5. If you don't see any, make sure "Hide Items" is enabled under "View".
6. Click on StickyNotes.snt or plum.sqlite, whichever appears, and open it in Notepad. The note you lost earlier should be there.
7. If this doesn't work, right-click the file and select "Show more options".
8. In the context menu that appears, click Restore the previous version.

2. Reset the application

1. Start the Settings menu. Go to Apps and select Installed Apps.
2. Find "Notes" under "Installed Applications". Click the three dots on the right and select Advanced Options.
3. Scroll down in this new window. Click Reset after finding the button.
4. Resetting should be enough, but if the notes don't come back, select the "Repair" button.

3. Reinstall the application via PowerShell

1. Bring up Windows PowerShell in the search bar. Select "Run as Administrator" to have Administrator level permissions.
2. Copy and paste the following command into PowerShell: <strong>PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage *MicrosoftStickyNotes*).InstallLocation '\AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}"</strong>
3. Press the keyboard to run the command. Give PowerShell enough time to re-register the note. Enter
4. When completed, restart your computer.

4. Reset the Microsoft Store cache

1. Similar to the previous solution, launch the command prompt with administrator-level permissions.
2. Enter the following command and run it: <strong>wsreset</strong>
3. Wait for the process to complete. Once completed, the Microsoft Store will open automatically.

5. Prevent notes from being deleted

1. Launch Notes and click the gear icon in the upper right corner to open the "Settings" menu.
2. Toggle the switch next to "Confirm" to turn it on before deleting.

After you open this reminder, a window will appear and a note will be removed that warns you of the action you are about to take. This is an extra step to make you think twice before you leap, and hopefully save you some trouble.

What should I do if Notes still doesn't work?

Expert Tip:

Certain PC problems are difficult to solve, especially when Windows’ system files and repositories are missing or corrupted.
Be sure to use a specialized tool, such as Fortect, which will scan for corrupted files and replace them with new versions from their repository.

Notes can be a fickle app. The previously listed solutions should resolve any issues with the software, but there may be one or two that remain.

For consistent issues, there are a few things you can do. First, disable the Insights feature on Notes. It's in the Settings menu above the Remove warnings toggle switch.

Another workaround is to create a new user account. The configuration file you are using may be corrupted or malfunctioning in some way. Making a new one completely solved the problem.

While we have you, be sure to check out our list of the best Sticky Notes alternatives for Windows 11. Many people have complained about glitches with the app, ranging from not taking notes to users being unable to log in.

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