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BACKUP.md

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Backup & Restore 💾

🌍 Languages: Deutsch · English

Secure your notes locally - independent from the server

📋 Overview

The backup system works completely offline and independent from the WebDAV server. Perfect for:

  • 📥 Regular backups
  • 📤 Migration to new server
  • 🔄 Recovery after data loss
  • 💾 Archiving old notes

📥 Create Backup

Step-by-Step

  1. Open settings (⚙️ icon top right)
  2. Find "Backup & Restore" section
  3. Tap "📥 Create backup"
  4. Choose location:
    • 📁 Downloads
    • 💳 SD card
    • ☁️ Cloud folder (Nextcloud, Google Drive, etc.)
    • 📧 Email as attachment
  5. Done! Backup file is saved

File Format

Filename: simplenotes_backup_YYYY-MM-DD_HHmmss.json

Example: simplenotes_backup_2026-01-05_143022.json

Content:

{
  "version": "1.2.1",
  "exported_at": "2026-01-05T14:30:22Z",
  "notes_count": 42,
  "notes": [
    {
      "id": "abc-123-def",
      "title": "Shopping List",
      "content": "Milk\nBread\nCheese",
      "createdAt": 1704467422000,
      "updatedAt": 1704467422000
    }
  ]
}

Format details:

  • ✅ Human-readable (formatted JSON)
  • ✅ All data included (title, content, IDs, timestamps)
  • ✅ Version info for compatibility
  • ✅ Note count for validation

📤 Restore Backup

3 Restore Modes

1. Merge ⭐ Recommended

What happens:

  • ✅ New notes from backup are added
  • ✅ Existing notes remain unchanged
  • ✅ No data loss

When to use:

  • Import backup from another device
  • Recover old notes
  • Restore accidentally deleted notes

Example:

App:    [Note A, Note B, Note C]
Backup: [Note A, Note D, Note E]
Result: [Note A, Note B, Note C, Note D, Note E]

2. Replace

What happens:

  • ❌ ALL existing notes are deleted
  • ✅ Backup notes are imported
  • ⚠️ Irreversible (except through auto-backup)

When to use:

  • Server migration (complete restart)
  • Return to old backup state
  • App reinstallation

Example:

App:    [Note A, Note B, Note C]
Backup: [Note X, Note Y]
Result: [Note X, Note Y]

⚠️ Warning: Automatic safety backup is created!

3. Overwrite Duplicates

What happens:

  • ✅ New notes from backup are added
  • 🔄 On ID conflicts, backup wins
  • ✅ Other notes remain unchanged

When to use:

  • Backup is newer than app data
  • Import desktop changes
  • Conflict resolution

Example:

App:    [Note A (v1), Note B, Note C]
Backup: [Note A (v2), Note D]
Result: [Note A (v2), Note B, Note C, Note D]

Restore Process

  1. Settings → "📤 Restore from file"
  2. Select backup file (.json)
  3. Choose mode:
    • 🔵 Merge (Default)
    • 🟡 Overwrite duplicates
    • 🔴 Replace (Caution!)
  4. Confirm - Automatic safety backup is created
  5. Wait - Import runs
  6. Done! - Success message with number of imported notes

🛡️ Automatic Safety Backup

Before every restore:

  • ✅ Automatic backup is created
  • 📁 Saved in: Android/data/dev.dettmer.simplenotes/files/
  • 🏷️ Filename: auto_backup_before_restore_YYYY-MM-DD_HHmmss.json
  • ⏱️ Timestamp: Right before restore

Why?

  • Protection against accidental "Replace"
  • Ability to undo
  • Double security

Access via file manager:

/Android/data/dev.dettmer.simplenotes/files/auto_backup_before_restore_*.json

💡 Best Practices

Backup Strategy

Regular Backups

Daily:   ❌ Too often (server sync is enough)
Weekly:  ✅ Recommended for important notes
Monthly: ✅ Archiving
Before updates: ✅ Safety

3-2-1 Rule

  1. 3 copies - Original + 2 backups
  2. 2 media - e.g., SD card + cloud
  3. 1 offsite - e.g., cloud storage

Backup Locations

Local (fast):

  • 📱 Internal storage / Downloads
  • 💳 SD card
  • 🖥️ PC (via USB)

Cloud (secure):

  • ☁️ Nextcloud (self-hosted)
  • 📧 Email to yourself
  • 🗄️ Syncthing (sync between devices)

⚠️ Avoid:

  • ❌ Google Drive / Dropbox (privacy)
  • ❌ Only one copy
  • ❌ Only on server (if server fails)

🔧 Advanced Usage

Edit Backup File

The .json file can be edited with any text editor:

  1. Open with: VS Code, Notepad++, nano
  2. Add/remove notes
  3. Change title/content
  4. Adjust IDs (for migration)
  5. Save and import to app

⚠️ Important:

  • Keep valid JSON format
  • IDs must be unique (UUIDs)
  • Timestamps in milliseconds (Unix Epoch)

Bulk Import

Merge multiple backups:

  1. Import backup 1 (Mode: Merge)
  2. Import backup 2 (Mode: Merge)
  3. Import backup 3 (Mode: Merge)
  4. Result: All notes combined

Server Migration

Step-by-step:

  1. Create backup on old server
  2. Set up new server (see QUICKSTART.en.md)
  3. Change server URL in app settings
  4. Restore backup (Mode: Replace)
  5. Test sync - All notes on new server

❌ Troubleshooting

"Invalid backup file"

Causes:

  • Corrupt JSON file
  • Wrong file extension (must be .json)
  • Incompatible app version

Solution:

  1. Check JSON file with validator (e.g., jsonlint.com)
  2. Verify file extension
  3. Create backup with current app version

"No permission to save"

Causes:

  • Storage permission missing
  • Write-protected folder

Solution:

  1. Android: Settings → Apps → Simple Notes → Permissions
  2. Activate "Storage"
  3. Choose different location

"Import failed"

Causes:

  • Not enough storage space
  • Corrupt backup file
  • App crash during import

Solution:

  1. Free up storage space
  2. Create new backup file
  3. Restart app and try again

🔒 Security & Privacy

Data Protection

  • ✅ Locally stored - No cloud upload without your action
  • ✅ Optional encryption (v1.7.0+) - Password-protect backup files
  • ✅ Human-readable - Plain JSON format when unencrypted
  • ⚠️ Sensitive data? - Enable encryption or use external tools (e.g., 7-Zip)

Recommendations

  • 🔐 Store backup files in encrypted container
  • 🗑️ Regularly delete old backups
  • 📧 Don't send via unencrypted email
  • ☁️ Use self-hosted cloud (Nextcloud)

📊 Technical Details

Format Specification

JSON structure:

{
  "version": "string",        // App version at export
  "exported_at": "ISO8601",   // Export timestamp
  "notes_count": number,      // Number of notes
  "notes": [
    {
      "id": "UUID",           // Unique ID
      "title": "string",      // Note title
      "content": "string",    // Note content
      "createdAt": number,    // Unix timestamp (ms)
      "updatedAt": number     // Unix timestamp (ms)
    }
  ]
}

Compatibility

  • ✅ v1.2.0+ - Fully compatible
  • ⚠️ v1.1.x - Basic functions (without auto-backup)
  • ❌ v1.0.x - Not supported

📚 See also:

Last update: v1.8.1 (2026-02-11)