Windows 11 Notepad Session Data Location

Question

Hi, I am hoping someone can help me please.

Windows 11 has just tried to update to 24H2, however my computer will now not boot up.

I have tried all recovery options, including removing latest updates, it does not work.

Before I use reset option, I want to save my Notepad Session data as I have multiple tabs open unsaved.

Which folder location and file do I need to backup please, so I can restore my Notepad Session after resetting windows?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi Everyone,

I thank all who have taken the time to try and help me, however none of the above options worked.

I have now though found how to backup and restore all lost tabs from session data related to the use of Windows 11 Notepad.

Follow the below instructions, it worked perfectly for me. Please remember though, if you find yourself in the same position as I did, do not try to reset or perform a clean installation on Windows, until you have copied the full contents of your 'Users' folder on the main system drive, usually the C: drive. If like me, you can only access your system from the recovery command window, you can use the 'robocopy' command to do this easily. Search online for command usage if you are not sure, it is very simple.

Additionally, I also copied the 'Windows', 'Programs' and 'Programs (x86)' folders which has proven useful for other app restores.

Instructions:

To restore or view a Windows 11 Notepad tabstore .bin file, you need to locate the "TabState" and "WindowState" folders within the "LocalState" folder in your user's AppData directory. You can then copy these folders to restore your Notepad notes and tabs.

1. Locate the TabState and WindowState folders: Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsNotepad_randomcharacters\LocalState.

Replace "USERNAME" with your actual Windows username.
You'll find the "TabState" and "WindowState" folders within the "LocalState" folder.

2. Restore your notes and tabs: If you have a backup of these folders, copy them to the corresponding location on your current computer.

If you're trying to restore from a previous version or a backup, you may need to delete the existing "TabState" and "WindowState" folders in the current location before copying the backed-up ones.

NOTE:

My location was slightly different to the above, it may depend on your version and or revision of Windows 11 as to the exact location, so just search for the above folders, it is much easier.

I found them located at: "\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState"

Simply delete these folders on your new clean installation of Windows 11, then copy your original folders as detailed above to that same location. You will see a lot of .bin files, the amount will depend on how much you have used notepad and how many tabs you had open.

You can now run Notepad and like magic, all your tabs will be there waiting for you.

Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

I also found mine at: "\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState"

Thanks for sharing as this helped me get my replacement laptop up and running the way the old one was.

Answer 3

Hello ,

I’m here to help you in resolving your issue

Windows 11’s Notepad (with tab support and session restore) stores unsaved session data in a hidden folder associated with the Windows AppData directory. You can back up this data manually before resetting your system.

Location of Notepad Session Data:

C:\Users<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState

After trying above steps, please reach out to me if you have any doubts or issues

Answer 4

Thanks for the quick reply.

Unfortunately even safe mode will not boot.

I was hoping there might be a file or folder I could save with the session data for tgat reason.

It's my own fault for being complacent and not saving or backing up my system, something that will never happen again.

Thanks anyway.

Answer 5

Hello mav2k,

Greetings from Microsoft Community,

I can totally understand your concern. Please follow some steps to troubleshoot the issue.

1. Check for Temporary Files:

• Unsaved Notepad data might be stored in temporary files.
• Navigate to **C:\Users
  • [YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Temp**.
• Look for files with names resembling your Notepad tabs or recent edits.

2. Manually Save Open Tabs:

• If your computer boots into Safe Mode, open Notepad and manually save each tab to a secure location like an external drive.

3. Use File Recovery Tools:

• If the system reset is unavoidable, consider using file recovery software to scan for unsaved or temporary files after the reset

4. Prevent Future Loss:

• Enable AutoSave or use a text editor with session recovery features.

I hope this will work for you.

Best regards

Zack | Microsoft Community Support Specialist