Where apps hide your files

Stickies: the folder behind your notes

Updated 2026-10-28 · 5 min read

Stickies stores each note as a small rich-text package in a sandbox folder, not in one database, which makes copying them out easy once you know where to look.

The location

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies/Data/Library/Stickies/

The folder holds one .rtfd package per note, named with a long random identifier, plus a hidden file called .SavedStickiesState. Each .rtfd contains a TXT.rtf file with the note's text, and pasted images sit beside it inside the same package.

Older releases (before macOS Catalina, by most accounts) kept every note in a single StickiesDatabase file directly in ~/Library. Current versions convert that file the first time Stickies opens, and a Mac upgraded from those days may still carry the old file as a leftover.

Open it

In Finder: Go > Go to Folder (⇧⌘G), then paste the path. In Terminal:

open ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies/Data/Library/Stickies

The identifier names tell you nothing about which note is which. Select a package and press Space to read it in Quick Look without opening anything, or drag it onto TextEdit.

What the files are

Item	Meaning
<identifier>.rtfd	One note. A package, so Finder shows it as one file.
TXT.rtf inside it	The note text with its formatting.
.SavedStickiesState	Hidden. Appears to record which notes are open and how they look on screen.

Use Show Package Contents only to read. Do not edit TXT.rtf inside a package by hand.

Getting notes out the supported way

The File menu has two export commands:

• Export All to Notes copies every sticky into the Notes app. Apple's Stickies guide says they land in an Imported Notes folder, sorted into a subfolder per colour, and your stickies stay in Stickies as well. Stickies itself says formatting, links and pictures are kept.
• Export Text saves the note in front to a file you choose.

File > Print also works per note, and the print dialog can save a PDF.

If you use Notes with iCloud, exporting to Notes is also the easiest way to get your stickies onto another Mac or onto your iPhone.

Do stickies sync

No. Stickies has no iCloud sync, so a note on one Mac is not on another unless you move it yourself. Until you export, treat this folder as the only copy.

Moving to a new Mac or backing up

Time Machine backs up the container with the rest of your home folder, and Migration Assistant brings it to a new Mac.

For a manual copy, quit Stickies first, then copy the whole Stickies folder somewhere safe, including the hidden state file (press ⇧⌘. in Finder to show hidden files). Putting those files into the same folder on another Mac is a do-it-yourself route rather than an Apple feature, and people report mixed results, so keep the originals and test with one note before relying on it. Export All to Notes is the dependable path.

Space and cleanup

Notes are tiny unless you pasted large images, so there is nothing to clean. To get rid of a note, close it in Stickies (File > Close). Stickies asks whether you are sure you want to discard it and offers Delete Note, which is cleaner than removing files from the folder by hand.

If notes seem to be missing

1. Try Window > Bring All to Front, then Window > Arrange By to pull every note into view. Notes can end up off-screen after you disconnect a display.
2. Look for .rtfd files in the folder above. If they are there, the notes are intact.
3. If the folder is empty, check Time Machine, and look for an old StickiesDatabase file in ~/Library.

Window state and colours

If you copy only the .rtfd packages to another Mac, the text arrives but the notes may open in default positions and colours. Copying the hidden state file as well usually brings the layout back. Neither file is meant to be edited by hand, and Stickies is free to rewrite the state file every time you quit.

A short checklist before wiping a Mac

1. Quit Stickies with ⌘Q so it writes its latest state.
2. Run File > Export All to Notes, and check that the Imported Notes folder appears in Notes.
3. Copy the Stickies folder to an external drive as a second copy.
4. Open a few of the copied packages in Quick Look to make sure they read correctly.

Why Spotlight cannot find them

The files sit inside an app container in ~/Library, which Spotlight leaves out, and their names are random identifiers that no search for a note's wording would match.

Finding them next time

The note packages hide in Stickies' sandbox container, and macOS lets no other app list a container until you grant it Full Disk Access, so allow that when Everywhere asks. Then typing rtfd lists every note package, and ⌘Y previews one so you can spot the right note without opening Stickies. It looks at file names only, so it cannot match words written inside a note.

Common questions

Where does Stickies store its notes on macOS?

In ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Stickies/Data/Library/Stickies, as one .rtfd package per note, plus a hidden .SavedStickiesState file.

How do I back up my Stickies?

Use File > Export All to Notes, which copies every sticky into the Notes app. For a file copy, quit Stickies and copy the Stickies folder; Time Machine also backs it up.

Do Stickies sync with iCloud?

No. Stickies has no sync, so treat the folder on each Mac as the only copy, or export the notes to the Notes app.

Can I open a sticky file without Stickies?

Yes. A note is an .rtfd package with a TXT.rtf inside, and TextEdit or Quick Look can open it.