iCloud Notes and Contacts disappeared when storage filled up

Question

Level 1

9 points

iCloud Notes and Contacts disappeared when storage filled up

My iCloud storage space filled up on 04 April. I share Notes and contacts on iCloud between iMac and iPhone. Since this event, the bulk of my iCloud based notes and contacts have disappeared. I was able to restore my contacts from my iMac time machine backup, but the notes are still missing. There isn't a 'recently removed' folder in iCloud Notes at iCloud.com and I'm not sure where to find any backups or archives of my Notes.

Another concern is that my iTunes backups of my iPhone 8 to my iMac hard drive are not there to restore from as an option. I back up to my iMac (not iCloud) prior to every software update, and none of the backups exist on my iMac anymore. I do know they were there at the last backup I did to iOS12.1.4.

I appreciate any assistance.

iPhone 8, iOS 12

Posted on Apr 11, 2019 6:10 AM

Reply

Answer 1

CarlAVII

Community Specialist

Apr 12, 2019 12:22 PM in response to Denmarkatsea

Hello Denmarkatsea,

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities. I understand your concern with notes and contacts missing. You've reached the right place.

Here're some steps that can help with locating your notes and contacts:

1. You've already checked for Recently Deleted, but here are some other steps and locations to look for notes: iCloud: Delete and recover notes on iCloud.com

2. If you use any other accounts for notes, be sure those are also added to your Mac: Add or remove accounts in Notes on Mac

3 . Here're all the locations you could find the iPhone 8 backups: Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

If you're still unable to find or recover them, feel free to reach out to the Apple Support team by phone: Contact Apple Support

Thanks and have a great day.

Reply

Answer 2

Denmarkatsea Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2019 1:37 AM in response to CarlAVII

Hi Allen A. I contacted Apple Support and we concluded that because notes were stored in iCloud, they have irrecoverably disappeared. Same for the extra notes I lost today while iCloud storage was ample. They told me it may be an issue with iMac OS High Sierra (13.13.6) that Manage storage may not work. The recommendation was to update to Mojave, but I can't due to compatibility with key software I use. They also recommended I employ a 3rd party data recovery company to try to get notes back.

Very disappointed that a full iCloud drive will choose to blow away data rather than preventing the file save in the first place, that iCloud manage storage gets blown away on my iMac and I am losing more notes irrecoverably, even with ample iCloud storage.

Solutions provided by Apple Support: buy iCloud storage space, move other accounts off my iCloud; update to Mojave are all nice, but don't resolve the issue of continually losing notes in iCloud that was not present before on my existing platform.

It is frustrating that I could see 7.3MB of notes in System Preferences->iCloud-> Manage, suggesting the data might be there, but not visible. And the issue is getting worse without a real reason. I feel there is a technical issue here that is beyond my knowledge and does not fit the Apple Support scripts. Also annoyed that my version of OS is still supposed to be supported?

Reply

Answer 3

Denmarkatsea Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 12, 2019 5:09 PM in response to CarlAVII

Thank you for replying Allen A. I did try all of your suggestions without success. iCloud.com says there are no recoverable messages by virtue of there not being a Recover folder. I though it odd that my iCloud->Manage Storage->Notes says there is 7.3MB used by Notes, yet I can only see 25 notes that are all text, and one with a low res image. More odd is that I deleted the image from that one note to check storage management effect and now, Notes does not appear on my Manage Storage list of apps.\ on any device. Amended notes are on iCloud, iMac and iPhone. Signed in and out of iCloud, no change. Also, deselected and selected iCloud Notes on iPhone and lost 8 Notes from my iPhone. Something funky is going on that I'm not understanding.

Reply

iCloud Notes and Contacts disappeared when storage filled up

Similar questions