Solutions presented in this article apply to MoneyWiz 2/3 only. If you're using MoneyWiz 2022, please see this article instead.

In this guide, we'll restore your database to an earlier state using a database backup you've made before. There will be 3 steps we’ll need to take (4 if you’re using SYNCbits to sync your data). Feel free to contact us at any time via e-mail. If in your e-mail you’ll mention that you’ve seen this guide and tell us which step you got stuck on, this will eliminate the need for us to ask questions, improving the case resolution time.

We have a separate guide that explains how to access various MoneyWiz database files, including how to access the backups folder. Please proceed only if you have obtained the backup file dated to the date you need.

In that guide, you need to access the folder we describe as “automatic backups” folder.

Once you obtain the backup file, you might think that it does not look like anything that MoneyWiz – or any other application on your computer – can open. But here’s the secret: the file is actually a ZIP archive that you can decompress to reveal the files stored within.

Suggestion: duplicate the backup file before you begin. In case anything goes wrong, you still have an intact version of the backup.

To begin, please click once on the name of the backup file you’ve chosen and macOS Finder should allow you to rename the file. If that does not happen, right-click and choose “Rename”. You can rename it to anything you wish – including leaving the name as it is – but what you do need to do is to add a “.zip” at the end. So something like this:

needs to become this:

Notice the bold part. That’s a period and “zip”. When you confirm the choice, Finder might ask you if you are sure – confirm again.

Now it should be recognized as a regular ZIP file – just click twice on it and it’ll unpack the archive for you. It’ll create a new folder with the contents of the file.

Please navigate into the folder that the ZIP archive created for you and notice that there are various files and folders inside. Leave it be for now and then access MoneyWiz’s database folder again – instructions for that once again can be found here. Please note that previously you had to access the backups folder for your MoneyWiz version – this time you need to access the database folder. It’s the first path that ends with "…/Data/".

Once you have navigated to your MoneyWiz database folder, you should see similar files and folders as the ones you’ve found in your backup. Now, please select all of the files you see in your database folder and place them to Trash (but perhaps don’t empty the Trash just yet). Then drag (or copy and paste) the files and folders found in your backup archive folder into the real database folder. That’s it – you have now successfully restored from backup. If you do not use our SYNCbits syncing service, you are done. If you do use SYNCbits syncing service, there is one more step. If you are not sure, just follow the step below as well.

If you have a SYNCbits account, all of your account changes are securely stored on our SYNCbits server. You have restored your local database but if you simply launch the application, MoneyWiz will notice that newer changes are present on the server and will just overwrite the earlier backup you wanted to restore.

To prevent this from happening, we need to re-create your SYNCbits account with the backup data you have. To do so: