At the moment I am facing the issue that the PDF export of my handwritten Apple-Notes is not working properly. Though I still have a good quality on my screen in the app, the generated pdf is of very poor quality and barely legible. It almost looks like a scaled miniature preview.
This was not the case from the beginning on and occured for the first time after the update to iOS12, but only with some documents.
Is there a fix?
iPad (6th gen) WiFi
Sorry, but if it’s a bug, nobody here will be able to fix it for you.
Apple don’t participate in this user-to-user forum. You can submit a report detailing your frustration, to Apple, using their feedback form:
https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html
You won’t receive any reply, but we understand that all submissions are logged by Apple.
Alternatively, you can raise a case with the Apple Support team using the Contact Support link at the top-right of this page.
There is something that you could try as a possible workaround and alternative method of exporting to PDF. No guarantees that it’ll work for you - but it a method of generating a PDF from anywhere in iOS that has a print option.
From whatever App you’re using, select the Print option.
• When the print dialogue appears, in the first page image shown, reverse-pinch (i.e., spread your fingers) to reveal a PDF version of the page.
• Using the Share icon at top-right of this page, select Save To Files
• Choose the path that you wish to save the file
Sorry, but if it’s a bug, nobody here will be able to fix it for you.
Apple don’t participate in this user-to-user forum. You can submit a report detailing your frustration, to Apple, using their feedback form:
https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html
You won’t receive any reply, but we understand that all submissions are logged by Apple.
Alternatively, you can raise a case with the Apple Support team using the Contact Support link at the top-right of this page.
There is something that you could try as a possible workaround and alternative method of exporting to PDF. No guarantees that it’ll work for you - but it a method of generating a PDF from anywhere in iOS that has a print option.
From whatever App you’re using, select the Print option.
• When the print dialogue appears, in the first page image shown, reverse-pinch (i.e., spread your fingers) to reveal a PDF version of the page.
• Using the Share icon at top-right of this page, select Save To Files
• Choose the path that you wish to save the file
Hello JanPower,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities! I understand from the information you provided that some of your notes are being printed with poor quality; I'd like to help.
This resource will help you to know how to share your notes via email:
Use Notes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Specifically, reference the section labeled "Share notes"
Hope you find this information helpful.
It happens when I export my notes as JPG, PDF or directly as JPG via email and even on the icloud web app. The output only covers half the page starting from the left side and is very small, in each orientation. I have not tried to print it on paper as I want to use my devise as a paper replacement. Only in the actual app I can see my handwriting in a proper resolution.
Reinstalling the app also could not solve the problem yet.
Hello JanPower,
Thanks for getting back to me. So I know a little more, how exactly are you exporting these notes out of the Notes app?
Are you using the share function, to then save theses notes as a PDF or saving them to Files?
Best Regards.
Thank you for your answer.
It happens when I create a PDF out of the app using the PDF export function of notes, as well as when I share the notes as a picture via mail. And even in the notes webapp the document is displayed in poor quality.
OK, this DEFINITELY is a bug. I could locate the error at the stage, where the PDF output exceeds 3 pages in the vertical format. Removing the lower half of my longer document and copying the upper part into a new file, the PDF export now produces a larger output, which gets gradually larger as I am repeating the above method. At some point, while a boundary remains on the left edge, the part on the very right side of the writing exceeds the boundaries of the paper.
I was buying the device to replace paper and export my notes to PDF, so
Apple, please fix this!
Thank you. As you say, the PDF version appears with your method. But it is the same version as in the direct PDF export.
Sorry it didn’t work for you.
If you’ve found a bug, you should definitely report it directly to Apple - maybe submit feedback and raise a support call. All it’ll cost you is some time.
Good luck.
PDF export of notes suddenly in poor quality
