Mac: Restore a backup and export selected documents

SimpleumSafe restores a backup by creating a new .Safe file at a location you choose. After a clean restore, that file can be opened independently from the backup folder and from your original Safe. You can then export selected documents to Finder without changing the backup or the original Safe.

If you need to create a new backup first, see Create a backup and let it finish safely.

Illustration of the workflow: the current Safe leads through a backup folder to a restored Safe. — The backup contains the saved state of the current Safe. During restoration, SimpleumSafe creates a new, separate .Safe file from it.

Choose a new name and location for the restored Safe. An item already present at the chosen destination may be replaced. Never select your original Safe or your only copy as the restore destination.

Before you start

You need:

a complete backup folder,
the password that was valid for the Safe when the backup was created,
enough free space for the restored Safe and any exported documents, and
a new local destination for the restored .Safe file.

Keep the backup and the original Safe unchanged. Do not create the restored Safe in a cloud-synchronized folder.

For a manual backup, choose the empty folder that you originally selected for that backup. For an automatic backup, choose the individual date-and-time subfolder that contains the backup, not the parent folder that contains several dated backups.

Use the password from the time of the backup. If you changed the Safe password after creating the backup, you still need the password that was valid before that change. Use the backup's creation date and your record of password changes to make sure you can identify the password that applied at the time.

Restore the complete backup

In SimpleumSafe, choose Safe > Restore ….
Next to Backup folder, choose the exact folder that contains the backup you want to restore.
Next to Safe name and location, choose a new local file name and location. Use a clearly different name, such as Restored Safe.Safe.
Under Enter password used for backup safe, enter the password that was valid when this backup was created.
Choose Restore Safe and leave SimpleumSafe open while the restore is running.
Continue only if the progress reports Restore done!. Do not rely on a restore that reports Restore done with Error!, stops, or shows another error.

Open the restored Safe as a separate Safe

After the restore, SimpleumSafe displays Safe successfully created! Now go to Login. and opens the newly created .Safe file.

Unlock the Safe with the password you used for the restore.
Confirm that the Safe’s name matches the new name you chose.
In Finder, confirm that the new .Safe file is at the intended local location and is not the original Safe.
Open a few important documents in the restored Safe before exporting a large selection.

If the restored Safe does not open automatically, choose Safe > Open … and select the newly created .Safe file. Do not select the backup folder itself; it is an input for Restore …, not a Safe that can be opened directly.

Export selected documents

Files exported from a Safe are decrypted at the destination you choose. Store and handle the exported copies accordingly.

In the restored Safe, select the documents or folders you need.
From the menu, choose Files > Export ….
Select or create a destination folder in Finder, then start the export.
Wait until the progress reports Export done!.
Open the destination in Finder and verify the exported files before closing the restored Safe.

You can also drag selected items from the Safe to Finder. The explicit Files > Export … path is useful when you want to choose one destination for several selected items.

If restore or export reports an error

Stop if a completion message contains with Error, if the backup folder cannot be selected, or if SimpleumSafe proposes replacing an unexpected .Safe file. Leave the backup, original Safe, and partly restored Safe unchanged and contact Simpleum Support.

Include your SimpleumSafe version, macOS version, the exact message, whether the source was a manual or automatic backup, and which step failed. Never send your Safe password.