Apple Acknowledges iCloud Notes Disappearing and Explains How to Fix - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Acknowledges iCloud Notes Disappearing and Explains How to Fix

Earlier this month, we reported about some iPhone users temporarily losing all of their notes in the Notes app after accepting Apple's updated iCloud terms and conditions. Apple has now indirectly acknowledged this issue in a new support document that outlines steps to follow if your iCloud notes are not appearing on your iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro.

iCloud General Feature
Fortunately, the notes can be re-synced from iCloud. Apple's steps are pretty much identical to the ones we shared earlier this month:

If your iCloud notes aren't appearing on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro, follow these steps.

1. Open the Settings app and tap your name.
2. Tap iCloud, then tap Notes.
3. Make sure Sync this [device] is on, then check the Notes app.
4. If you still don't see your notes, restart your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro. After restarting, check your settings again.

After these steps, your iCloud notes should appear and start syncing again on devices signed in to the same Apple Account. When syncing completes, content previously synced to iCloud should appear.

Apple updated its iCloud terms and conditions with some minor changes in September, and it has been notifying users about accepting them in recent weeks. The issue with notes disappearing has continued to affect iPhone users since our initial coverage of it earlier this month, according to social media posts.

Notes disappearing has not been the only problem. In another new support document, Apple said iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro users who receive a "Cannot Complete Action" error message when trying to accept the updated iCloud terms and conditions should update to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or visionOS and try again.

Popular Stories

General iCloud App Feature

Apple Quietly Boosts Email Feature for iCloud+ Subscribers

Tuesday October 6, 2026 3:27 am PDT by
Yesterday we reported that Apple tripled the number of iCloud Mail aliases users can create, from three to nine. But it turns out that's not the only email-related limit Apple has raised. The company has also bumped the number of email addresses you can use per iCloud Custom Domain, from three to 10. If you subscribe to iCloud+, you can use a domain name you already own for your iCloud Mail...
iCloud Link Harmful Content Feature 1

Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3

Wednesday November 4, 2026 11:12 am PST by
Apple says it will start checking public iCloud links for harmful content in iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3, and visionOS 27.3. Images in iCloud Photos and files in iCloud Drive shared using the "Anyone with the link" option will be "made accessible to Apple" for a content check. Apple doesn't define harmful content, but it could mean malware, malicious files, and/or child sexual abuse...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products This Friday

Monday November 2, 2026 1:22 am PST by
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from Friday: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...

Top Rated Comments

26 months ago
With more and more important data in the Notes app, Apple really need to create a better way to make a local backup.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago
Apple needs to get out of the cloud business BEFORE a major disaster occurs.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago

Apple needs to get out of the cloud business BEFORE a major disaster occurs.
Couldn't agree more. None of their cloud services ever worked decently. I remember MobileMe (a yearly subscription BTW), which was so bad that Apple refunded its users and gave them a whole year of free "service".
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago

Good to know they finally acknowledging the bugs in iOS 18
This is a bug on ios17 as well
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago

With more and more important data in the Notes app, Apple really need to create a better way to make a local backup.
Agreed. I just tested the iCloud download your data page for Notes.

It took five days to complete the request to make my 50MB Notes zip file.

All the notes are plaintext. At least it included attachments.

They really need to do a better job with this. Pretty sure that backup only exists because they're required to provide users access to their data, but they never said it had to be in a useful format.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
26 months ago
Happened to me this week. On iOS 17. The fact that they all just disappeared from your local device is bad. It resynced to iCloud after that but took a while too. Apple has never been at the top with cloud services.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 256 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 256 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
3 hours ago
Apps Can Now Try to Stop You From Canceling Subscriptions
Apps Can Now Try to Stop You From Canceling Subscriptions
4 hours ago
'Super Mario Odyssey' Can Now Run on Apple TV Thanks to AI
'Super Mario Odyssey' Can Now Run on Apple TV Thanks to AI
4 hours ago
How 'Resident Evil' Director Zach Cregger Uses His iPhone to Make Movies
How 'Resident Evil' Director Zach Cregger Uses His iPhone to Make Movies
5 hours ago
HomePod Mini 2's Amount of RAM Confirmed
HomePod Mini 2's Amount of RAM Confirmed
6 hours ago
Apple TV's '12 Days of Snoopy' Special Arrives November 13
Apple TV's '12 Days of Snoopy' Special Arrives November 13
6 hours ago
Apple is Putting Employees on an AI Budget
Apple is Putting Employees on an AI Budget
7 hours ago
Apple Releases Xcode 27.3 Beta With Three New Features
Apple Releases Xcode 27.3 Beta With Three New Features
8 hours ago
Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3
Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3
8 hours ago
macOS 27.3 Brings Live Activities to Macs Without Dynamic Island
macOS 27.3 Brings Live Activities to Macs Without Dynamic Island
10 hours ago
Apple TV Reportedly Planning 'Silo' Spinoff
Apple TV Reportedly Planning 'Silo' Spinoff
11 hours ago
Is It Worth Buying a Titanium Apple Watch?
Is It Worth Buying a Titanium Apple Watch?
11 hours ago
macOS 27.3 Includes an Important Security Fix
macOS 27.3 Includes an Important Security Fix
11 hours ago
Massive Sale Hits Apple Watch Ultra 3 With Record Low $250 Discounts
Massive Sale Hits Apple Watch Ultra 3 With Record Low $250 Discounts
12 hours ago
Does HomePod Mini 2 Have Improved Sound? Here's What Reviews Say
Does HomePod Mini 2 Have Improved Sound? Here's What Reviews Say
13 hours ago
macOS 27.3 Makes Markdown Files Easier to Read
macOS 27.3 Makes Markdown Files Easier to Read
13 hours ago
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
14 hours ago
Apple May Phase Out Non-Touch High-End MacBook Pros
Apple May Phase Out Non-Touch High-End MacBook Pros
14 hours ago
Apple's Insider Trading Policy Now Covers Prediction Markets
Apple's Insider Trading Policy Now Covers Prediction Markets
15 hours ago
'Stick' Season 2 Premieres Today on Apple TV
'Stick' Season 2 Premieres Today on Apple TV
15 hours ago
iPhone 18e Rumored to Focus on Chip Upgrade With Few Major Changes
iPhone 18e Rumored to Focus on Chip Upgrade With Few Major Changes
15 hours ago
Google Maps Updated to Fully Support iPhone Duo Displays
Google Maps Updated to Fully Support iPhone Duo Displays
15 hours ago
Everything New in the iOS 27.3 Beta
Everything New in the iOS 27.3 Beta
1 day ago
Apple Music's New Selfie Sing Feature Lets You Record Karaoke Videos
Apple Music's New Selfie Sing Feature Lets You Record Karaoke Videos
1 day ago
iPhone Jailbreak Gets Past Lockdown Mode and Survives an Update
iPhone Jailbreak Gets Past Lockdown Mode and Survives an Update
1 day ago
iPadOS 27.3 Expands Siri Mode to Camera App
iPadOS 27.3 Expands Siri Mode to Camera App
1 day ago
Veterans Day Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launches November 11
Veterans Day Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launches November 11
1 day ago
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
1 day ago
Apple Fitness+ Gets Gym Strength Plans in iOS 27.3
Apple Fitness+ Gets Gym Strength Plans in iOS 27.3
1 day ago
iOS 27.3 Adding New StandBy Mode Features to iPhone 11 and Newer
iOS 27.3 Adding New StandBy Mode Features to iPhone 11 and Newer
1 day ago