6 Ways to Fix the Sticky Notes App When It's Not Working in Windows 10

Can't see your notes in the Sticky Notes app? Getting errors when the app is loading? Here's how you can fix it.

Sticky Notes is a built-in note-taking app that lets Windows users jot down their daily agenda or take notes while working on a project. Despite regular updates from Microsoft, you're still likely to encounter problems when using it.

Some common issues include the app taking forever to load, showing errors such as error code 0x803f8001, or simply not allowing users to type anything into notes. If you experience any of these issues, we will discuss fixes to get your app working in no time.

Backup Your Sticky Notes

Before doing anything, you should backup your notes. Backing up the app data is essential before implementing any fix. So if anything goes wrong, you can reinstall the app, restore the backup, and pick up right where you left off.

Backing up Sticky Notes varies based on the Windows version you're using. To backup Sticky Notes in Windows 10 anniversary update version 1607 or later, follow the below steps:

1. Navigate to the following location in File Explorer:

   %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState

2. Make a copy of the plum.sqlite file and keep it somewhere safe.
   

That's all. This copy of the file contains all the Sticky Notes data. All you have to do is copy the same file back to the original location to restore a backup.

To back up Sticky Notes for Windows versions before the Windows 10 anniversary update version 1607, follow these steps:

1. Press Win+R to open the Run command.
2. Type "%AppData%" and click OK.
3. Navigate to Microsoft > Sticky Notes.
4. Copy the StickyNotes.snt file and save it in the backup.

As in the previous case, you only need to copy the same file to the exact location to restore the backup. After backing up the app's data, you can implement the following fixes.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

Before you begin troubleshooting, ensure your internet connection is working. While the Sticky Notes app can work offline, it may take longer to load your notes. Therefore, give the application more time to load correctly.

You may encounter a sync error displayed in the window's top-right corner without an internet connection. Due to this, you will not be able to access synced notes or sync new ones unless you restore your connection.

You must ensure your internet connection is working and resolve any problems you have before other fixes. Once you rule this possibility out, move on to the next fix.

2. Turn Off Any Other Note-Taking Apps Running in Parallel

To avoid conflicts between them, it's best to temporarily disable all other note-taking apps you're running in parallel with Sticky Notes.

If you don't have any other apps open, or closing the running apps doesn't make any difference, it's time to do major repairs. Don't forget to backup your Sticky Notes data before you do that.

3. Update and Repair Sticky Notes

You'll likely encounter issues with the app if you haven't updated it in a while. To rule out this possibility, visit the Microsoft Store, search for the Sticky Notes app, and click the Update button if available.

Next, you should repair the Sticky Notes app to ensure problems don't arise due to corrupt or damaged files. Here is how:

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button and go to Settings.
2. Navigate to Apps.
3. Search for Sticky Notes in the search bar.
4. Select the app and click on Advanced options.
5. Click on the Repair.

If this option isn't available for you, or if repairing the app doesn't fix the problem, proceed to the next step.

4. Eliminate the Possibility of Corrupt Sticky Notes Files or Notes

Resetting the application will rule out the possibility of a corrupt Sticky Notes file or notes that didn't get fixed during the update or repair. If that doesn't work, you can reinstall the app, too.

Before doing any of these, keep a backup of the app files since resetting or reinstalling will delete all of your data. If you haven't backed up files yet, do so before moving on.

To reset the Sticky Notes app, follow the below steps:

1. Go to Settings > Apps and search for "Sticky Notes" in the search bar.
2. Navigate to Advanced options.
3. Click the Reset button.
   

Resetting did not work? Uninstall the app and all of its associated files.

To uninstall the app, go to Settings > Apps, select Sticky Notes from the list of installed apps, and click Uninstall. After uninstalling, go to Microsoft Store, search for Sticky Notes, and click Get.

When you reinstall the app, copy the backup file you copied earlier and paste it into the exact location you specified in the previous step. If reinstalling Sticky Notes does not resolve the issue, disable the Sticky Notes insights feature.

5. Disable Insights Feature in Sticky Notes

With Sticky Notes insights, Cortana can access the information you add to the Sticky Notes app. For example, Cortana will convert the number you added in a note into a link that you can call from.

Disable this feature to ensure it doesn't conflict with the app. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Search for Sticky Notes in the Windows search bar and open it.
2. Click on the Settings (gear icon) in the top-right corner.
3. Under General settings, turn off the toggle for Enable insights.
   

If disabling insights doesn't work, run the Windows store apps troubleshooter.

6. Run the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

Windows has a dedicated troubleshooter for Windows store apps to help you identify and solve problems with the apps. Therefore, give it a chance to find and fix the issue.

Follow the steps below to run the Windows store apps troubleshooter:

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button and go to Settings.
2. Go to Update & Security.
3. Click on the Troubleshoot in the left-sidebar.
4. Click on Additional troubleshooters in the right-hand pane.
5. Click on Windows Store Apps and hit Run the troubleshooter.
   

After that, follow the on-screen instructions and let the troubleshooter figure out the problem. If you are still unable to resolve the issue after running a troubleshooter, you might need to turn off the Windows Defender Firewall to ensure it's not blocking the app's processing.

Jot Down Your Notes Using Sticky Notes or Try Alternatives

Following the above fixes should help you resolve the issue. When these solutions don't work, try updating Windows, switching accounts, and deleting the Microsoft store cache as a last resort.

If these fixes fail, you'd be better off finding Sticky Notes alternatives and using them for all your note-taking needs.