Guide

Backup & Restore Your Notes

Your notes live in your browser. One backup saves them all. Here's how to protect your work in Notepad Online — and restore it on any device.

Important: Notes are stored in your browser's localStorage — not on a server. They will be lost if you clear browser data, use a new device, or browse in private mode. Backup regularly.

How to Backup Your Notes

1

Open the File Menu

Click "File" in the top menu bar of Notepad Online. The File menu contains all file operations including backup.

FileEditInsertAlertFormat
New Note
Open File
─────────
Save as PDF
Save txt
─────────
Backup Notes ✦
Restore Backup
2

Click Backup Notes

Select "Backup Notes" from the dropdown. Your browser will immediately download a ZIP file containing all your notes as HTML files with full formatting preserved.

📦
notepad-backup-2026-06-07.zip
├── Meeting Notes.html
├── Project Ideas.html
├── Shopping List.html
├── Diary.html
└── backup-manifest.json
4 notes · all formatting preserved

How to Restore a Backup

3

File → Restore Backup

Click "File" in the menu bar, then select "Restore Backup". A dialog will appear asking you to select your backup ZIP file.

📁Restore Backup
Drop your ZIP file here or
Browse Files
✅ notepad-backup-2026-06-07.zip selected (4 notes)
Cancel
Restore
4

Select Your ZIP & Restore

Browse to your downloaded backup ZIP file and click Restore. All notes from the backup will be loaded into your notepad instantly.

Restoring backup...
✅4 notes restored successfully!
Your notes are now in the sidebar.

Best Practices

🗓️

Backup Daily

Get into the habit of backing up at the end of each day if you have important notes. It only takes 2 seconds.

☁️

Store in the Cloud

Save your backup ZIP to Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud so it's accessible from any device, anywhere.

📱

Sync Across Devices

To use your notes on a different device: backup on device A, transfer the ZIP via cloud/email, restore on device B.

What's Inside the Backup ZIP?

The backup ZIP contains one HTML file per note — preserving all rich text formatting (bold, italic, headings, colors, lists) — plus a manifest for ordering and dates.

FileContents
{note-title}.htmlFull rich-text HTML content of the note — bold, italic, headings, lists, colors, all preserved
backup-manifest.jsonMetadata: note IDs, titles, filenames, creation & modification dates, sidebar order

Frequently Asked Questions

What format are notes backed up in?▾
Multiple notes are backed up as a ZIP file containing individual HTML files for each note (preserving all rich text formatting) plus a backup-manifest.json. A single note downloads as a standalone HTML file.
Will restoring a backup overwrite my current notes?▾
The restore operation merges your backup notes with any existing notes. Notes with the same ID may be overwritten, but new notes are preserved.
How often should I backup my notes?▾
We recommend backing up daily or after any important writing session. Since notes live in browser localStorage, they can be lost if you clear browser data.
Can I restore a backup on a different device?▾
Yes. Download the backup on one device, transfer the ZIP file (email, USB, cloud), then use Restore Backup on the other device.
Why did my notes disappear?▾
Notes are stored in browser localStorage. They can be lost if you clear browser data, use a new browser or device, or browse in private/incognito mode. Always keep a backup.

Ready to Back Up Your Notes?

Open Notepad Online and go to File → Backup Notes right now.

Open Notepad Online →

Related Pages