Lost Your Sticky Notes on Windows 10? Here Are 7 Easy Ways to Recover Them Quickly

ByJosh McAdams

Losing sticky notes on Windows 10 can be frustrating, especially if they hold important information. Many people wonder if the notes are gone for good or if there is a way to get them back. The good news is that lost Sticky Notes can often be recovered using different methods, depending on what caused them to disappear.

Sometimes notes get hidden, deleted, or the app may have a glitch. Users can try checking the app itself, searching for backup files, or using recovery tools to find missing notes. There are also ways to restore notes by looking for data stored in the computer’s cache or backed-up files.

This guide will share seven practical ways to recover lost Sticky Notes, helping people save their work without stress. Whether the notes vanished suddenly or after an update, these steps offer a chance to bring them back.

Recovering Sticky Notes on Windows 10

A laptop on a desk with colorful digital sticky notes visible on the screen, surrounded by office items like a coffee cup, smartphone, and notepad.

Sticky Notes can sometimes disappear or seem lost. There are specific steps to check the app itself, look for backup files, and use your Microsoft account or Outlook to find missing notes.

Check the Sticky Notes App

First, open the Sticky Notes app from the Start menu or by searching “Sticky Notes.” The app shows a list of all saved notes on the left side. Sometimes notes might be hidden if the app was closed unexpectedly.

If a note is missing, try scrolling through the list or using the search bar inside the app to find it by keywords. To bring a note back to the desktop, double-click it or click the pin icon.

Restarting Sticky Notes or your PC can also help refresh the app and may restore missing notes. Ensure the app is updated through the Microsoft Store for best results.

Restore from the Sticky Notes Backup File

Windows 10 stores Sticky Notes data in a backup file on your PC. The file is usually found in this folder:
%LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalState

Look for a file named plum.sqlite. This file contains your notes data.

To restore notes, close Sticky Notes, then copy and save this file elsewhere as a backup. You can replace a corrupted file with an older version if you have one saved. This might recover missing or deleted notes.

Be careful not to delete or overwrite these files unless you have a copy, as this might cause permanent data loss.

Retrieve Notes from Outlook or Microsoft Account

If Sticky Notes is synced with a Microsoft account, notes might be saved online. They can sometimes be viewed or restored through Outlook or the Microsoft OneNote app.

Checking the Outlook web app under the “Notes” section can help find synced notes. Also, logging into the same Microsoft account on another device linked with Sticky Notes may show your missing content.

Make sure Sticky Notes sync is turned on by opening the app, clicking on settings (gear icon), and verifying the “Sync” option is enabled. This way, notes are backed up automatically online.

Additional Troubleshooting and Prevention Tips

Sometimes Sticky Notes issues require deeper steps to fix. It can help to recover notes by using system tools, searching specific files, or fixing the app itself. These practical steps often solve problems when notes go missing or won’t open.

Use Windows System Restore for Lost Sticky Notes

Windows System Restore lets users reset their system to a earlier state without affecting personal files. If Sticky Notes disappeared after an update or system change, restoring to a date before the problem started can help.

To do this, search for “System Restore” in the Start menu and open the tool. Choose a restore point from a time when Sticky Notes were working. Follow the prompts to complete the restore. This can bring back lost app data, including notes.

However, System Restore may not always work if there are no suitable restore points. Users should back up important notes regularly to avoid loss.

Search for Sticky Notes Data in File Explorer

Sticky Notes data is saved in hidden files on the computer. Checking these files can sometimes recover lost notes, especially if notes disappeared unexpectedly.

To find the data:

  • Open File Explorer
  • Navigate to this folder: 
    %UserProfile%AppDataLocalPackagesMicrosoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalState
  • Look for files named plum.sqlite or similar names. This file stores the note content.

Copy the file to a safe location before opening it with a SQLite viewer or restoring it in the app. If the file is deleted or corrupted, recovery might be impossible.

Reinstall or Repair the Sticky Notes App

If Sticky Notes isn’t opening or acts strangely, reinstalling or repairing the app can fix the problem.

To repair:

  • Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features
  • Find Sticky Notes, select it, then click Advanced options.
  • Choose Repair. This attempts to fix the app without deleting notes.

If that doesn’t help, uninstall Sticky Notes completely and reinstall it from the Microsoft Store. After reinstalling, sign in with the same Microsoft account to sync notes if syncing was enabled before.

Users should backup important notes before uninstalling to avoid data loss.

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