If NotesExport Pro is taking time to read Apple Notes, first check whether Notes itself can open the content and whether macOS has allowed the app to access it. Reading the folder list and exporting selected content are separate stages; an empty list, a slow read and an unavailable attachment need different responses.
Version note: the US Mac App Store currently offers version 1.5. The Reading status, Cancel Reading and in-app Feedback controls described below are part of the upcoming 1.6 update, which is awaiting review as of September 13, 2026.
1. Check access to Apple Notes
Open Apple Notes and confirm that the account, folder and a sample note you want to export are visible. If macOS asks whether NotesExport Pro may control Notes, allow that request to continue with the export.
If you previously denied it, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation, find NotesExport Pro and check its access to Notes. Apple explains this permission in Allow apps to automate and control other apps.
2. Check whether the content is ready on this Mac
For iCloud notes, confirm that Notes is enabled for the intended Apple Account and that the content has appeared in the Mac Notes app. A note visible on another device may not yet be available locally. See Apple’s iCloud Notes setup instructions.
Open a note or attachment that was unavailable and let Notes finish loading it. Return to NotesExport Pro afterward. The exporter reads locally available content; it cannot promise to recover content that Notes itself cannot provide.
3. Understand a slow folder read
In the 1.6 preview, selecting notebooks immediately shows Reading… and an explanation that processing stays on your Mac. If the read takes longer, additional guidance appears. Repeated clicks do not start overlapping reads.
There is no fixed loading-time promise: Notes responsiveness, library size and synchronization state can affect the wait. The update improves visibility and cancellation; it does not establish a guaranteed speed increase.
With 1.6, use Cancel Reading to abandon the current read. The app may briefly show Finishing… while an in-flight Notes request completes. Its result is discarded instead of opening a selection screen later. This does not quit Apple Notes or stop iCloud synchronization. If a read fails, Try Again starts a fresh attempt after the current operation has finished.
4. Review partial exports before retrying
Version 1.5 already continues with ready items when a note or supported attachment is unavailable. Review the local attention report and any marked placeholders before treating the archive as complete.
Once the missing content is available in Notes, choose Retry Unavailable Items. It targets unresolved items and keeps successful exports intact. A successful folder read alone is not proof that every attachment exported; inspect the resulting files and report.
For the full workflow, see exporting Apple Notes to Markdown or making a local backup.
5. Send a useful support request
Email [email protected] with your app version, macOS version, the stage that failed and the visible error. Describe whether Notes itself can open the affected item. Avoid including private note content.
The 1.6 preview adds Feedback in the toolbar, Help → Send Feedback, and Contact Support after a partial export. The draft includes app/build and macOS versions plus an editable question prompt. Notes, titles, attachments and reports are not automatically attached, and you choose whether to send it. Copy Feedback Email provides an address-copy fallback.