ColorNote Backup Import turns version 7.1 backups into dated notes

Name: ColorNote Backup Import
Author: theluckystrike

Preview a local ColorNote backup and import notes and checklists.

MIT · no telemetry · core features free

The import dialog shows decoded records and counts for omitted record classes. — Open larger

version: 1.1.0
released: 2026-10-21
downloads: 26
review: Passed
health: Excellent
license: MIT
listed for: Desktop, Mobile
obsidian: 1.13.4 or later

The README reports checks with three version 7.1 backups and synthetic data. Physical mobile use and timestamp persistence after sync remain untested.

Directory facts fetched 2026-10-23 07:28 UTC from community.obsidian.md/users/theluckystrike.

About ColorNote Backup Import

You have a ColorNote version 7.1 backup and want its readable notes in your vault.

Select your backup, enter its password and review the record counts before writing notes. ColorNote Backup Import creates a timestamped folder with Markdown notes and an import report. Keep the backup to check your results.

Review a backup and open imported sample notes

Free features

Local backup preview

Select one local backup, including a file outside your vault. The decoder checks the version 7.1 header, cipher data and framed JSON before import.

Dated notes and checklists

Notes keep source IDs, titles, UTC dates and color indices in frontmatter. Checklist markers at line starts become Markdown tasks when followed by a space or the line ending. Filenames combine a cleaned title and UUID, with numeric suffixes for further collisions.

An imported shopping checklist shows checked tasks and source metadata. — Open larger

New import folder and report

Each import creates a separate timestamped folder. The report counts decoded records and omitted classes without including omitted note bodies. It reads past the header count to the end of the record stream.

The import report lists decoded records and omitted record classes. — Open larger

Pro features

Pro costs $5 a month or $15 one time through GitHub Sponsors. One sponsorship turns on Pro in every plugin that has it.

Saved mapping profiles Pro

Save up to twenty named profiles with a parent folder and color labels. A mapped label becomes color_label, while color_index stays in the frontmatter. Saving an existing profile name replaces that profile.

Open larger

Compare two backups Pro

Compare normal records by UUID to see added, removed and changed note text. Earlier and later text appear separately, without updating imported notes. Title-only changes don't count, and duplicate normal-record UUIDs stop comparison.

The comparison displays earlier and later text for a changed UUID. — Open larger

See how Pro works

Set up ColorNote Backup Import

needs

Obsidian 1.13.4 or later
A local ColorNote backup with a version 7.1 header and its password.

steps

Run Import a ColorNote backup from the command palette.
Select your backup and enter its password, then enter a parent folder.
Select Decode and review, and check decoded and omitted record counts.
Select Import notes, then open Import report.md in the completed folder.
Compare sample note bodies, checklist marks and dates against ColorNote.

If the app can't find a new plugin yet, try again later. Obsidian says a plugin that passes the review shows in the app within 24 hours.

How to import ColorNote backups into Obsidian

Known limits of ColorNote Backup Import

Only ColorNote backup headers with version 7.1 are accepted, up to 32 MiB.
System, locked, archive, trash and unsupported records do not become normal notes.
Reminders, calendar-specific titles and internal link repair are outside this version.
Checklist conversion requires a space or line ending immediately after a starting [ ] or [V] marker.
Repeat imports create separate folders and do not merge with earlier imports.
Closing the modal after writes begin does not cancel the import, and a failed write can leave a partial folder.
Comparison matches normal records by UUID and compares note text, so title-only changes do not appear.
Duplicate UUIDs in normal records stop comparison.
Physical mobile use, large production vaults and timestamp persistence after sync remain untested.

Questions about ColorNote Backup Import

Can I import a backup with another version?

The decoder accepts a version 7.1 header only. Other versions stop before import, and the input limit is 32 MiB.

Which records stay out of my notes?

System, locked, archive, trash and unsupported records appear in the report instead of becoming normal notes. Reminders and internal link repair are outside this version.

Does closing the dialog cancel an import?

Closing it before import discards the preview. Once vault writes start, closing it doesn't cancel them. A write failure can leave a partial folder; inspect it before retrying.

Where does my backup password go?

The password stays in the modal and clears when it closes or import succeeds. The plugin doesn't save it in settings or the report.

Network use

After you select Sign in with GitHub, device-flow requests send the public client ID, read:user scope and authorization codes to github.com. Authenticated sponsorship queries to api.github.com request your tier and total payment, without note content, file names or other vault data. No requests precede sign-in; successful checks last seven days, failed checks can retry after six hours, and Refresh checks sooner.

Read the full network disclosure