6 Ways to Find and Recover Disappeared iPhone Notes
Arshmeet has been a tech tinkerer since childhood, but she realized her love for technology and writing about 5 years ago. Since then, she has been honing her skills and helping people figure out how things work, troubleshoot problems, choose the right app and products, and dig deep into the new and old concepts of technology. She is a self-professed Apple Enthusiast who loves debating what’s good and what’s not. It is her passion for finding techniques, hacks, apps, and products that make everyday life simpler.
Basic Troubleshoot
Fix 1. How to Search for Notes in a Specific Folder or Group
Step 1: In the Notes app, select thefolderand tap thethree-dot iconfrom the top-right corner.
Step 2: SelectGroup By DateorSort By.
Once organized in groups and sorted per your preference, you can look for the missing notes under the expected date group.
Fix 2. Check the Account Settings for Notes Sync
If you use multiple email accounts on your device, the disappeared note is likely linked to one of those accounts. The same is true for a previously removed account from your iPhone.
Now, the plan is to ensure Notes sync is turned on for all existing accounts. Plus, add back the deleted accounts to retrieve the missing notes.
Step 1: Launch theSettingsapp. Go toMail/Notes.
Step 2: SelectAccounts.
Step 3: Tap the existing accounts. Ensure to toggle onNotes.
Step 4: Next, if an account is missing, tapAdd Accountand follow the on-screen instructions. Just ensure the Notes sync is turned on for the account.
Step 5: Once done, go to theNotes app→folders list(tap back < if needed).
Step 6: Select theaccountfrom the list and look for your note.
Notably, you can also try searching again for the note. You’ll probably find it under the newly synced notes. Although, if your notes are still lost, try the next step to get them back on the iPhone.
Fix 3. Check iCloud for the Missing Note
Although a little out-of-the-box solution, it’s worth trying. The idea here is to temporarily disconnect the iPhone’s connection to iCloud, stopping notes from syncing.
In turn, this might prevent the disappeared note on iPhone from being deleted or lost from iCloud or another non-active device.
Step 1: On your iPhone, turnoff Wi-FiandCellular Data. This will stop iCloud from being connected and thus, prevent the synchronization across devices.
Step 2: Now, open theiCloud websiteon any other device. Sign in with yourApple ID.
Step 3: SelectNotes.
Step 4: Here, look for the missing note. You can scroll, search, and check individual folders (don’t forget the Recently Deleted folder).
Step 5: If found, copy the content of the note/notes into a new one.
Step 6: On your iPhone, turn onWi-FiandCellular Datato allow the new note to sync with your iPhone.
Note: If you have a non-active Apple Device handy, that can also help you recover the deleted note. Turn on thedevice→ turn offWi-FiorCellular Data→ open theNotesapp → look for the notes → create a new note with the content of the old one.
Fix 4. Restore an Older Backup to Retrieve a Missing Note
If you have an iCloud or Finder/iTunes backup of the iPhone that might have the lost note, restoring it is the best way to get it back. However, you can’t just select the notes section of the backup and restore it.
You’ll have to completely erase the iPhone and then restore it with the old backup. Notably, this step will remove new data from the iPhone, so try these steps only if the data is extremely important.
1. Create a Backup of the Recent Data on the iPhone
Step 1: On iPhone, launch theSettingsapp. Tapyour namefrom the top.
Step 2: TapiCloud> selectiCloud Backup.
Step 3: Turn on the toggle forBack Up This iPhone. If already enabled, tapBack Up Nowto take an updated backup of your iPhone.
2. Reset Your iPhone
Next up,reset your iPhoneto ensure old content is completely erased.
Step 1:Go toSettings→General. Scroll down and selectTransfer or Reset iPhone.
Step 2: SelectErase All Content and Settings.
Step 3: TapContinueandenter the passcodeif prompted.
Now, let the process finish. Once done, the phone will restart with the set-up screen.
3. Restore the iPhone With a Backup
Step 1: On the setup screen, selectSet Up Manually. Follow the on-screen instructions, till you reach theApps & Data screen.
Step 2: Select either of the following to find the old backup,
Step 4: Accordingly, follow theon-screen instructionsand select theprevious backupyou want to update.
Step 5: Wait while the backup is restored.
Once done, look for the missing note and transfer it to a different account, such asGoogle Keep, Outlook, etc. Hopefully, you’ll finally find the lost notes.
Now, if you want to restore the latest backup on an iPhone, repeat the steps in sections 2 and 3, selecting the most recent backup we made in section 1. We’ll reiterate, that these methods should be the last-case scenario because you could lose some other data in the to and fro. Although, if the lost note is worth it, it’s your call.
FAQs
Yes, but only if you have an old iPhone backup. You can recover the old notes by restoring this backup on the iPhone. However, your current iPhone data will be removed.
Most probably, the iCloud or third-party email account sync was disabled during the update. Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → select account → toggle on Notes.
Yes, although there is a risk of data breach in such scenarios. So, first, try the above-mentioned solutions and opt for a third-party app only if nothing else works.
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Last updated on 16 July, 2024
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