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(Mac) How to access MoneyWiz database file?
(Mac) How to access MoneyWiz database file?

Learn how to make manual backups of MoneyWiz for Mac database file or share it with someone.

Iliya Yordanov avatar
Written by Iliya Yordanov
Updated over a week ago

Solutions presented in this article apply to MoneyWiz 2024 only. If you're using MoneyWiz 1, MoneyWiz 2 or MoneyWiz 3, please see this article instead.

MoneyWiz for Mac database is stored separately from the application file, usually located in Applications folder, these are 3 main files:

ipadMoneyWiz.sqlite-wal

ipadMoneyWiz.sqlite-shm

ipadMoneyWiz.sqlite

In this article we'll explain where it is located and how to access it.

Accessing the database file if you can launch MoneyWiz

Use this method if MoneyWiz for Mac starts fine or if there is no risk of overwriting/corrupting the local data. Please see this guide for more information.

Accessing the database file if you can't launch MoneyWiz (f.e. due to crash) or need to access the database files directly

Database location

The database is located at the following path:

~/Library/Containers/com.moneywiz.personalfinance/Data/Documents/.AppData

Please note that the database folder is hidden and you will not find it via regular search -- please read on to learn how to easily access the database folder.

To begin, please launch Terminal.app on your Mac. The easiest way to launch it is via Spotlight -- please see this Apple article to learn how to use it. You should search for Terminal and press Enter on your keyboard start this application.

Screenshot_2020-08-25_at_09.42.15.png

Terminal is an Apple application that allows you to execute operations on your computer by typing commands. What you'll now need to do is copy the commands below (depending on what you want to do) and press Enter to execute the command.

Please read

Executing commands below is safe but you need to execute them exactly as they are listed. For this reason please use caution and make sure to select the entire command: from left to right. If you quickly click 3 times on one of the words from the commands below, it should select the entire command for you.

Please make sure MoneyWiz for Mac is not running before executing the below.

Copy the database folder to Desktop

Use this if you need to make a backup of your database file. This command does not make any changes to your database file.

cp -r ~/Library/Containers/com.moneywiz.personalfinance/Data/Documents/.AppData ~/Desktop/MW_AppData

Your database files will be placed in the "MW_AppData" folder placed on your Desktop.

Explanation: "cp" is a shorthand for "copy" so this command copies the files from the first path to the second. "-r" is a "recursive" flag, meaning that this command will also copy all folders inside the location from the first path instead of skipping them (which is the default behavior).

Archive the database file to a ZIP file

Use this if you need to send the database to someone (e.g. to us for investigation) or make a backup. This command does not make any changes to your database file.

cd ~/Library/Containers/com.moneywiz.personalfinance/Data/Documents/.AppData && zip ~/Desktop/MW_AppData.zip *

Your database files will be placed in the "MW_AppData" ZIP archive placed on your Desktop.

Explanation: "cd" is a shorthand for "change directory" so this command first switches the active directory to MoneyWiz database folder. The "&&" characters tell Terminal to execute the second part later. "zip" is a command to create ZIP archive files and so it'll create a ZIP archive in the first location containing all files (the * sign) from active directory (that's why we changed active directory earlier).

Delete the database folder

Use this if you need to erase the local database file (or perform "clean sync"). This command does not make any changes to your database file -- you'll be asked to perform them manually.

open ~/Library/Containers/com.moneywiz.personalfinance/Data/Documents/.AppData

Explanation: this command tells Terminal to open the specified location in Finder (the application that you use to browse files on your Mac).

After executing this command, you'll see a folder open with some files and folders. Please select everything you see in this folder and place it in Trash.

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