Q: Why are my notes messed up after iOS9 update?

I just got back in and was able to connect both my iPad Mini and the iPhone 5s and I discovered as of today, the ability to sync Notes in iTunes and Outlook has disappeared. Funny thing was I had updated iTunes before I updated the two devices. I'm not sure what it was. I didn't update the Notes application on the iPad at first, maybe that was what it was, but once I updated it and synced both devices it must have changed. Guess I'm going to have to figure something else out. It would be interesting to know why that was changed. Time to write some feedback to Apple on the feedback page.

So it appears that Apple has dropped support for Outlook syncing of notes.  It sounds like we will be limited to only view iCloud notes in Outlook according to this webpage:

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21254

It would have been nice if Apple had mentioned this before I downgraded to iOS 9!

Hi There MrGoodHammer !

I have had the same problem since I updated in the week and it has been seriously frustrating and time consuming is an understatement.

I have tried everything, changing passwords on iPhone and Mac various Accounts, you think of it and I believe I have done it.

I have Googled so many times to find a solution and just some re-wording on my search actually brought up this, of which I do believe is the solution to the problem but it will have to be a waiting game to see.

I, or We, owe this to the following "Apple Community User" which everything now makes sense to me.

Hope the following helps !

Oh ! And Thanks to "kevoniel" !

kevoneilSep 17, 2015 4:08 AM Re: Since updating to iOS 9 Notes does not sync with wifes iPhone
Re: Since updating to iOS 9 Notes does not sync with wifes iPhonein response to Jeremy Kamp

Hi Jeremy, I had the same problem, found this - not exactly a fix... but explains why... The first time you launch the app you'll be asked if you want to upgrade to the new Notes app. Keep in mind if you say "yes," any Apple device not running iOS 9 or OS X El Capitan will not have access to the new Notes format. With OS X El Capitan scheduled for release on September 30, you might want to hold off on upgrading until then.

What also seems strange is that it must be coded somewhere else, because as I synced my phone last night before bed, it went through all of the sequence and then popped up an error saying that it could not sync Notes as the iPhone disconnected. So I wonder what exactly has happened. Part of the code is there and part isn't??

I am unsure but what I do know for certain, is that since I upgraded, I have had several other problems that I have not mentioned.

One of the problems, I was asked to input my "Apple iCloud Password" kind of normal procedure but it would not accept it. I tried so many times and even pulled up my Password to make sure I was not missing anything and then I tried other passwords and nothing. I carried on for a while and went back to my original Password that I input many times previously and "I was in" first time.

Just issues and strange behaviours.

What I do not understand is, Notes being an Apple App, why give us the option to upgrade the Notes App, knowing that most of us Sych our Notes between iPhone and Macs, why not put in place the upgrade on the Mac at the same time ? Or hold off on the iPhone Notes upgrade until the Macs are upgraded and then give us the option !

This is seriously simple Management for a serious Company !

Has anyone found a solution to the OP's problem?  Or is everyone just manually fixing the formatting of their notes?

I have the same problem.

I noticed that some notes I have on iPhone are double: one without returns and the other with returns.

Some notes don't have this problem.  I think because I started the note on the iPhone before syncing.

Not sure why the spaces disappeared after the 'update' to iOS 9

You cannot sync with Outlook anymore because the new Notes app has more features like adding photos and drawings.  Outlook notes only has plain text.

What you can do is emailing all the notes, which don't have returns on the iPhone, from Outlook to the iPhone and copying and pasting to Notes app.  Admittedly, a very annoying process.

I tried to use iCloud Notes to see if it fixed the problem.  No cigar!

I also discovered last night that notes created on the iPhone will sync to my Outlook, but notes created in Outlook will not sync to the phone. I still receive the error message that the phone disconnected.

I am finding that the notes are not loading fully in the web version at icloud any more.  There were always huge problems with notes, e.g. if you typed text in the Search field, it would be entered into the head of the note instead, ahead of the first item of text. No formatting features that would enable you to undo copied formatting with text, such as colour or font type.  I had hopes the new release would address these, and so far the only open on my iPhone 6+ and iPad and not on the web any more.  They can  however be viewed in full as emails in the Mail IMAP.

iCloud isn't loading the notes at all now for me

I have this and it's quite frustrating as I have over 800 notes that I live and die by.  Major constraint on my work ability that this isn't working.  I've tried all sorts of things the last couple of weeks and none worked until I just did a hard power down on my phone (press both buttons at the same time and it powers down without prompting for the slide.)  It may just be a coincidence, but after powering back on, the search is working fine. 

I called them the other day and was told that only El Capitan is supported now.  However since then I have raised a support ticket because my phone is still under warranty, and I was told by the second agent that Notes should still be available in all the same places they had been previously.  They were supposed to have called me back today, but didn't so now I am starting to suspect that what I was told the other day is true after all, and that Notes is no longer going to be any use to anyone without a machine able to run El Capitan.

If they did intend Notes to run on all the same OS they used to the it does astonish me that it wasn't tested in all these situations prior to release.

More on this in my own posting here:

Re: iOS 9 update has stopped iCloud notes being accessible on Windows

I TOTALLY agree with you about these updates! You spoke my mind. With every Apple software update is becoming very 'PC Like'! I too am having trouble with the notes app.. it double spaces which I hate, to add insult to injury when I update the notes app on my iPhone it doesn't update.. I have a messed up 'old/ note app that doesn't act right!

Forget about what El Capitan did to my MBP!

I Had  very similar experience. After I updated  have lost over half of my notes - this happened on both iPhone and iPad.

They don't seem to be retrievable at all at this point. This is indeed very frustrating!