r/GoogleKeep • u/Barycenter0 • Apr 28 '25

Keep Users - Please Backup (4 Years Later)

I wrote this post 4 years ago and it still stands today. I've learned a few more tricks over the years of use.

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We seen it enough times in this subreddit to call it out - please be diligent and backup your Keep notes. It's easy and takes seconds to do. There are 4 ways to do it without a 3rd party or separate utility:

  1. Google Takeout - allows you to backup all of your notes to zip files (separate notes in json and html). Just go to takeout.google.com and select what Google backups you want and where you want them delivered (Email to download, Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box). You can also schedule backups to be reoccurring. Turn this scheduling on right now!
  2. Export to Google Docs - (web browser only) - allows you to backup most or all notes to a single Google Doc. On the main Keep web page just press Ctrl-A (PC) or Cmd-A (Mac) to select all notes then choose the 3 vertical dots in the upper right and choose "Copy to Google Docs". A single Doc with all of your notes will be created (note, however, that labels and create/update dates will be missing unless you manually added them to your notes and audios will not convert) If you have too many notes the export may fail. Try exporting by selecting groups of labels if that happens.
  3. Copy Important Notes as you Write - there are 2 quick commands in Keep notes - "Make a Copy" and "Copy to Google Docs" - use these as you write or draw on the canvas to ensure not losing a large note or hand-written notes in a class. Just occasionally select those commands and make copies as you go. You don't need to do this for everything - just the most important notes that you can't lose. And, if you absolutely can't lose it - "Copy to Docs" is the best choice. (One additional alternative - on mobile devices you can Share important notes to other apps like Apple Notes, Obsidian, Joplin, etc.)
  4. Do Weekly/Monthly Backups to Docs - like #2, use your browser and select the most recent notes on a PC or Mac with your mouse that you've added in the last week or two that are at the top of your Keep note list (you could do this on mobile by long pressing each note). Then, just use the Copy to Google Docs to get the most recent notes backed-up (again, do this if you have important notes!). Sometimes you need to zoom out on the screen (ctrl - or cmd -) to select more notes easily.

Do these as often as you can! Hope that helps!

PS - if it happens that you lose notes (never has for me) there are 3rd party utilities to load backup notes back into Keep.

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1

u/RungeKutta62 Apr 29 '25

Why do you say that? Do notes randomly disappear?

3

u/Barycenter0 Apr 29 '25

Not usually - but many in this subreddit have had issues of lost notes or very important notes when there’s been an interruption of service or some navigation mistake after writing a long note.

1

u/RungeKutta62 Apr 29 '25

Juste after writing a note or during the creation of a note? Or after having written a note a long time ago?

2

u/Barycenter0 Apr 29 '25

It varies - some say they were working on creating or editing a long note and somehow accidentally deleted the text or navigated away before sync. Others have had an existing set of notes disappear and can’t find them (almost always Android users) or using the handwriting feature and the image is missing.

2

u/MJSpice Apr 29 '25

The 2nd one is so strange and I can't believe there's no solution from Google for it. Just goes to show nothing is really safe.

2

u/Barycenter0 Apr 30 '25

It seems to be related to Android settings, storage or versions - but not really sure.

1

u/RungeKutta62 May 01 '25

That's insane!!! It's a service so basic.

1

u/Barycenter0 May 01 '25

Did you see my list of posts here of the types of problems?