Two ways to keep a copy
| Notes file in a synced folder | Backup file | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Settings → Backup & Data → Where your notes are kept | Settings → Backup & Data → Save a backup |
| Kept up to date | Yes, every change | No, only when you save one |
| Encrypted | Yes, for your Windows account on this PC | No, it's readable text |
| Readable on another PC | No | Yes, with Restore from a backup |
| Good for | Going back to an earlier version of your notes on this PC | A new PC, a reinstalled Windows, a PC that died |
Most people want both: the synced folder for everyday safety, and a backup file now and then, kept somewhere private.
Putting your notes in a synced folder
- Open Settings → Backup & Data.
- Under Where your notes are kept, click Choose a folder… and pick a folder inside OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing or a NAS share.
- Stickies copies your notes there, checks the copy, and restarts.
To undo it, click Move back to this PC in the same place.
Why it isn't sync between PCs
Every note is encrypted with Windows' built-in protection (DPAPI), using a key that belongs to your Windows account on this PC. That's what keeps the notes private: your sync app, the NAS, and anyone who gets hold of the file only see scrambled data. It also means another PC can't read the file, even when you sign in with the same Microsoft account.
So use the folder on one PC at a time. If another PC has the folder open in Stickies, Stickies tells you which PC it is before it opens the notes.
A synced folder alone doesn't protect you from losing the PC
If your PC dies, or you reset or reinstall Windows, the key that unlocks the notes file is gone with it. The copy in OneDrive stays safe, but nothing can read it. That's why I recommend saving a backup file too.
Saving a backup file
- Open Settings → Backup & Data and click Save a backup.
- If you use a PIN, type it so locked notes are included.
- Save the file somewhere you'll still have if the PC is gone: a USB stick, or a private cloud folder.
The backup has all your notes, archived ones and pictures too. It isn't encrypted, so anyone who opens it can read your notes, including the locked ones. Keep it somewhere only you can get to.
What happens when the folder isn't there
If the NAS is off or the sync app is signed out when Stickies starts, it uses a copy it keeps on this PC, and Settings says so. Your changes go back into the folder once Stickies finds it again. You never start with an empty set of notes because a drive wasn't plugged in.
Why not real sync?
Sync needs either an account on my server or keys you'd have to move between PCs yourself. I chose to keep notes on your PC with no account. If you need the same notes on several PCs, Microsoft Sticky Notes syncs through your Microsoft account. I compare the two in stickies.lol vs Windows Sticky Notes.
Try Stickies free for 7 days
Stickies is $4.99 once for up to 3 PCs. No subscription, no account, and your notes never leave your PC.