Apple Notes disappeared? Simple steps to restore them

Apple Notes disappearing glitch doesn’t impact specific iPhone models but rather devices running latest iOS 18 software

Tech Desk - Nov 10, 2024

An undated image of Apple Notes app. — depositphotos

Apple Notes users have reported a bug causing some of their notes to disappear, leaving many confused and concerned about lost data.

According to 9to5Mac, the issue seems to affect iPhone users who recently accepted new iCloud terms and conditions introduced by Apple in September.

This glitch, however, doesn’t impact specific iPhone models but rather devices running the latest iOS 18 software. Although some users found that the notes reappeared on their own, others have had to take specific steps to recover them manually.

How to restore disappeared Apple Notes

If your Apple Notes have disappeared, follow these steps to restore them:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap your name at the top to access Apple ID settings.
Select iCloud and then Notes.
Toggle Sync this iPhone to on if it isn’t already enabled. Wait a few minutes to see if the notes return.
If this doesn’t work, try toggling the sync option off and on again.

This should help restore any missing notes by forcing the iPhone to resync with iCloud.

Despite this technical hiccup, iCloud has introduced some helpful updates this year. In October 2024, Apple allowed users to change their iCloud email address directly in iOS 18.1, making it easier to update old or unused addresses.

Earlier in February, iCloud users on Windows received an app redesign, enabling them to sync iCloud photos to a specific folder and sync bookmarks across Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.