Notes has Google Notes. But Google has no such service. Where are they stored?

Question

If you go to System Preferences -> Internet Accounts and add a Google account, you can see Google has Notes. If you open Notes (OS X app), it somehow retrieves the notes I had put long long time ago on a different Mac. So, I am sure those notes are not locally stored. Not only can I see old notes, but I can also add new notes to Google Notes.

Google had Notebook service, but it was discontinued long time ago and existing notes were imported into Google Docs. But I cannot find the notes I see in Notes in Google Docs.

So where are the Google Notes stored and Notes is getting the notes from? Is it that Google discontinued the web interface of the Notebook service but somehow still provides an interface to Apple especially? Can I access the notes I saved to Google Notes in Notes outside the Notes application, in a web browser for example?

score 64 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 27 '19 at 14:35

64

The notes created in OS X can be found in GMail under the label "Notes". If you create a folder with [name] in OS X Notes app, the notes will be synced to Google Inbox unbundled label "Notes/name".

edited Jul 27 '19 at 14:35

Achilleas

103

answered Mar 01 '16 at 14:49

aleung

877

2

I found it. I wonder why I did not see it before. – Damn Vegetables Mar 02 '16 at 02:55
2

Such a weird idea. – Igor G. Nov 30 '18 at 09:57
Google has shut down Inbox, so this is no longer an option. – Sterling Archer Apr 04 '19 at 19:45
2

@SterlingArcher You can see it in Gmail under Notes label. – Thamilan May 08 '19 at 19:59
For the account in question, that label was completely empty. I should mention that it was a G Suite account. – Sterling Archer May 23 '19 at 21:55
is there a place in Gmail for deleted notes? I by mistake deleted a note from Mac Notes app which was synced to Google account. – Vikas Prasad Oct 30 '19 at 05:22
I found the notes in Gmail under the label. Is there a way to update the note outside of OSX? Maybe I can just email myself the updated doc with the same title etc? – PJH Aug 10 '20 at 13:48
1

Can you please share a screenshot? I still can not find Notes label. – Onat Korucu Jan 30 '22 at 23:56

mgiordi · Answer 2 · 2016-02-17T03:03:45.270

0

In you enable the sync, the notes are saved as "Sent mails" in Gmail. Sometimes this can be very annoying, since a new sent email is created every time you just modify a previous note. I had enabled once, but now I get rid of this sync option.

edited Feb 17 '16 at 03:03

answered Feb 16 '16 at 17:14

mgiordi

2,806

No, I cannot find notes in Drafts. My Gmail Drafts are empty. – Damn Vegetables Feb 17 '16 at 03:01
Sorry, try on "sent mails". I have notes there – mgiordi Feb 17 '16 at 03:03
No, I cannot see them in Sent either. I put a weird phrase in Notes and searched Gmail, Keep, Google Docs for that phrase, but there was no result. – Damn Vegetables Feb 18 '16 at 04:05

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 22 '20 at 10:29

0

My Macbook SSD broke down so I went to Gmail and entered label:notes on the search field. I found all my notes intact :) You can try the same.

answered Sep 22 '20 at 10:29

parkkis

1

1

Solid could sync strategy to save data. Well done - not seeing how this adds much over the selected answer, though. – bmike Sep 22 '20 at 11:10

score -1 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '18 at 22:34

-1

You have to create a new folder under Google in the Notes app, otherwise you won't find the bundle or anything in your Google inbox.

edited May 23 '18 at 22:34

Tony Williams

12,142

answered May 23 '18 at 22:25

Victor Ma

1

Could you expand your answer a little to make it clearer what the solution is. – Tony Williams May 23 '18 at 22:34

Notes has Google Notes. But Google has no such service. Where are they stored?

4 Answers4