# How to retrieve the RW addons from a Time Machine backup **URL:** \ **Category:** RapidWeaver Classic\ **Created:** [November 5, 2017, 10:26am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010 "2017-11-05T10:26:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Massimo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/massimo/32/25456_2.png) [@Massimo](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Massimo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 10:26am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/1 "2017-11-05T10:26:13Z")
Hello guys, I have a problem 🙂 Yesterday I did a clean install of macOS High Sierra. Obviously before doing this I did backup with Time Machine. (The OS system I had before was Yosemite.) I installed RW6 on MacOS High Sierra but how do I recover all the addons that were installed in the RW6 on Yosemite? Somebody know where I can find them on the Time Machine backup? I tried to go to the “Applications” folder of the backup and click with the right button on “Rapidweaver 6”, select “Show content” but then the “Plugins” folder there is only the standard plugin! [![](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/uploads/realmacsoftware1/original/2X/1/1277512c5e2e41c6b54065c4cfb5f82fac80f891.png) ](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/3c8ei001szths72/Screenshot%202017-11-05%2011.23.46.png?dl=0) Have I lost all the hundreds of stacks that I purchased in the past? Thanks to who can help me. Massimo ---
**Author:** ![instacks](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/instacks/32/23339_2.png) [@instacks](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/instacks)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 11:26am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/2 "2017-11-05T11:26:18Z")
Did you try to connect your Time Machine disk to your Mac, and when you are in that folder with finder, go to the Time Machine Symbol in the menu bar and select “enter Time Machine”? Then you should be able to jump back in time and see the addons from the past. > **[Back up your Mac with Time Machine](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250)** > > Learn how to create a backup of the files on your Mac. ---
**Author:** ![Massimo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/massimo/32/25456_2.png) [@Massimo](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Massimo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/3 "2017-11-05T11:38:00Z")
But now that I have macOS High Sierra can I connect with Time Machine the same disk that I used before when I had Yosemite? If I connect this disk with Time Machine now, do you know if I will lose old backup data? ---
**Author:** ![1611mac](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/1611mac/32/5675_2.png) [@1611mac](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/1611mac)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/4 "2017-11-05T12:44:53Z")
The whole purpose of Time Machine is to take incremental “snapshots” exactly as your disk is in points of time. Nothing “changes” - Things only get added or deleted for that “specific time” backup. So no, you will not lose backup data (unless you run out of disk space it will delete the oldest backup… but that isn’t what you want anyway. You want most recent good backup of the folder.) ---
**Author:** ![teefers](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/teefers/32/8173_2.png) [@teefers](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/teefers)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/5 "2017-11-05T14:01:33Z")
It’s been awhile since I’ve done this, but what you want to do is what’s called **inherit** the old backups in time machine. Since you’re done a clean install to Time Machine it’s like you’re on a new computer. As for where your add on folder is, since you’re still using RW6, I can’t help you (deleted 6 a while back). You might want to check out this article on time machine, migration assistant,etc. > **[How to restore Mac files from a Time Machine backup](https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/time-machine-restore-3449071/)** > > Apple's Time Machine software makes it really easy to recover old versions of files, restore your Mac to an earlier version, or set up a new Mac, here's how... ---
**Author:** ![Massimo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/massimo/32/25456_2.png) [@Massimo](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Massimo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/6 "2017-11-05T14:08:51Z")
> [@teefers](#): > > It’s been awhile since I’ve done this, but what you want to do is what’s called inherit the old backups in time machine. > > Since you’re done a clean install to Time Machine it’s like you’re on a new computer. > > As for where your add on folder is, since you’re still using RW6, I can’t help you (deleted 6 a while back). > > You might want to check out this article on time machine, migration assistant,etc. I already restored the Applications on a Time Machine backup by using Migration Assistant but seems that all applications, when I open them, are as installed the first time, each licenses are lost. And for Rapidweaver also the addons are lost. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![teefers](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/teefers/32/8173_2.png) [@teefers](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/teefers)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/7 "2017-11-05T14:21:06Z")
Most all applications keep some of their data (settings, preferences, etc.) in your library folder. That’s where RW keeps it’s addon’s. If you’ve inherited the time machine backups, then once you’ve found the path you should be able to restore them. If you’ve got any third party add on’s installed (like a free stack) you should be able to right click, and select show in finder. RW keeps the 3rd party stuff in a different location. ---
**Author:** ![thang](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/thang/32/303_2.png) [@thang](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/thang)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/8 "2017-11-05T16:21:48Z")
This is the location of the addon folder in RW 6: ~/Library/Containers/com.realmacsoftware.rapidweaver6/Data/Library/Application Support/RapidWeaver ---
**Author:** ![Massimo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/massimo/32/25456_2.png) [@Massimo](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Massimo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/9 "2017-11-05T17:02:32Z")
Unfortunately I don’t have that folder, and nothing that has a similar name 😳 ---
**Author:** ![thang](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/thang/32/303_2.png) [@thang](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/thang)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/10 "2017-11-05T17:11:02Z")
Have you tried to navigate to it on your Timemachine disk? ---
**Author:** ![bobafifi](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/bobafifi/32/8125_2.png) [@bobafifi](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/bobafifi)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/11 "2017-11-05T17:38:16Z")
I’d take your computer and TimeMachine backup to the Apple Store and have them help you (it’s free). They were able to completely restore my iMac from TimeMachine when the OS got corrupted. Might save you some grief. ---
**Author:** ![Fuellemann](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/fuellemann/32/22871_2.png) [@Fuellemann](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Fuellemann)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/12 "2017-11-05T17:45:36Z")
That folder is hidden from normal view. Press ALT to see it in the Finder GOTO menu. ---
**Author:** ![1611mac](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/1611mac/32/5675_2.png) [@1611mac](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/1611mac)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/13 "2017-11-05T18:04:03Z")
Make sure you are looking in your user library and not the system level library. Hold Shift Key and then from Finder menu at top of screen GO LIBRARY (for your user library) (As Fuellemann says above) - Do not look in the library that you see if you are clicking your disk icon. ---
**Author:** ![teefers](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/teefers/32/8173_2.png) [@teefers](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/teefers)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/14 "2017-11-05T18:09:01Z")
What Jan (@Fuellemann) said. You’re library is hidden. As @bobafifi said if you’ve close to an Apple store, and it’s easy for you to take your Mac in they’ll help you out. I would recommend you make appointment online for the Genius Bar. ---
**Author:** ![grajay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@grajay](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/grajay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/15 "2017-11-06T07:01:08Z")
I recently did much the same when I purchased a new iMac. This post made it so easy for me to get all of my add-ons and themes back into a new installation: > [@Best way to migrate RW to new Mac](http://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/best-way-to-migrate-rw-to-new-mac/9867): > > Hi, I’m moving macs and need a simple way to migrate. I’m not using the migration assistant because too much cruft is moved with it, so I’m doing a clean install. I will however have a Time Machine and SuperDuper backup. Is there an easy way to copy over all plugins and themes that doesn’t require me finding all my license codes again? I also don’t have a complete list of all my plugins. do they all reside in one place? If so where? Simon If this link doesn’t work - the reply was by @svsmailus Simon as follows: "For anyone interested, the path I chose was as follows (after a clean install (in my case El Capitan)): 1. ``` Install Rapidweaver and add your license ``` 2. ``` Go to your backup (in my case SpuerDuper) to: /User/Username/Library/Containers/com.realmacsoftware.rapidweaver/Data/Library/Application Support/Rapidweaver ``` 3. Copy the whole folder to your Desktop or some place else from your backup 4. Go into the Rapidweaver folder you just copied and select all the “.rapidweaverplugin” files and right-click and “open with” \> Rapidweaver 7. This will open Rapidweaver and install the plugins. 5. In the Rapidweaver folder you copied from your backup now go to the “Stacks folder”. Select all the stacks and right-click and “open with” \> Rapidweaver 7. This will install all your stacks. 6. In the Rapidweaver folder you copied from your backup now go to the “Themes folder”. Select all the Themes and right-click and “open with” \> Rapidweaver 7. This will install all your Themes. 7. In the Rapidweaver folder you copied from your backup now go to the “Snippets folder”. Select all the Snippets and right-click and “open with” \> Rapidweaver 7. This will install all your Snippets. 8. In Rapidweaver click on “Library” and “Updates”. This is only necessary if you have not updated your Rapidweaver library in some time. Update all items highlighted. 9. You will need your license keys for various stacks/plugin etc. 10. Open a project and you should be good to go." ---
**Author:** ![Massimo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/massimo/32/25456_2.png) [@Massimo](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Massimo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/16 "2017-11-06T08:41:01Z")
Hi guys, thanks to all, I found them on “~/Library/Containers/com.realmacsoftware.rapidweaver6/Data/Library/Application Support/RapidWeaver”. But for navigation of the folders backup is necessary to each folder by doing right-click on the folder name and select “Open”, otherwise it always enters the user library on the boot disk. ---
**Author:** ![Massimo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/massimo/32/25456_2.png) [@Massimo](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Massimo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 12:07pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/17 "2017-11-06T12:07:18Z")
Thank you all and if there is anyone who can help me with another problem would be very useful to me, here the topic: > [@I really need help - Strange errors after upgrade to RW7](http://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/blank-page-with-error-on-preview-mode/17025/1): > > Can someone help me? It’s a really bad situation for me, I can not work with Rapidweaver. I need help about this error that happens when I click the Preview mode. Do you know what’s the cause? [[image] ](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9yv6oxkuqie3bbc/Screenshot%202017-11-06%2012.49.42.png?dl=0) Take in mind that: Yesterday I did a new clean installation of macOS High Sierra Today I did the upgrade to Rapidweaver 7 (so I installed the latest version) Then I imported all addons from a Rapidweaver 6 stored on a Time Machine disk backup The original RW6… Thanks to all Massimo ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/system/32/25301_2.png) [@system](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 12:07pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/how-to-retrieve-the-rw-addons-from-a-time-machine-backup/17010/18 "2017-11-12T12:07:24Z")
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