Google Keep makes it incredibly easy to manage your thoughts, lists, and reminders. However, its fast and responsive interface means that it is also easy to accidentally delete a note you did not mean to discard. Fortunately, Google has built in a safety net.
When you delete a note in Google Keep, it is not permanently erased immediately. Instead, it is moved to a temporary Trash folder where it sits for seven days before being permanently deleted.
In this guide, you will learn how to access your Trash folder and restore a deleted note before it is gone forever.
How to Restore a Note on the Web
If you are using Google Keep on your computer’s web browser, follow these steps to recover your data:
- Navigate to keep.google.com and ensure you are logged into your Google account.
- Look at the navigation menu on the left side of the screen. If the menu is collapsed, click the Main menu icon (the three horizontal lines in the top-left corner) to expand it.
- Click on Trash. This folder contains all the notes you have deleted within the last seven days.
- Locate the note you want to restore. Hover your mouse cursor over it.
- Two icons will appear at the bottom of the note. Click the Restore icon (it looks like a clock with a counter-clockwise arrow).
The note will immediately jump back to your main workspace, retaining all its original formatting, colors, and labels.
How to Restore a Note on Mobile (iOS and Android)
The recovery process is nearly identical if you are using the Google Keep app on a smartphone or tablet.
- Open the Google Keep app on your device.
- Tap the Main menu icon (the three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Tap on Trash.
- Find the note you wish to recover and tap it to open it.
- In the bottom-left corner of the screen, tap the Restore button.
Understanding the 7-Day Limit
It is crucial to understand that Google Keep’s Trash folder is temporary. Notes placed in the Trash are automatically and permanently deleted after seven days. There is no way to retrieve a note once this time has passed.
If you want to remove a note from your main workspace but do not want to risk losing it permanently, you should use the Archive feature instead of the Delete feature. Archiving hides the note from your main view, but keeps it permanently stored and searchable in your Archive folder.