Notes not syncing or uploading to iCloud After iOS 13 Update

Same here. Unbelievable...keep hoping an update will fix. At first I thought maybe a problem with sharing (everyone not on same versions), but have all devices for all users to the latest version now. The longer this goes on, the less confidence I have in the Apple’s ability to sort it out...which is the canonical version—iPhone, iPad, or Mac?

The other day my brother asked if he should switch to iPhone from android. I had to tell him that it wasn’t a good idea because the syncing is so buggy.

Now on iOS 13.1.3 the problems seems to go and come, or come and go, and when sync is not working I turn off (Power down) my iPhone. After immediately powering it up again it's instantaneous both ways, as if the connection needed to be rekindled. iPad works again, too.

Wonder how long it will last this time, but switching the phone off once a day or so won't kill me.

I have run in this behavior, too and done some testing. This doesn´t help at all but shows something.

How I have tested

• All 4 Devices in WLAN 5 GHz (2 iPad Pro 1st. gen.; iMac Late 2013; iPhone 8+, all with latest updates)
• 50 MBit-cable connection
• All devices in same iCloud Account
• All devices has been restarted and left alone for 20 minutes to get things sorted out
• Every run I have created a new note with a headline and no further content
• After sync or more then 5 minutes the note has been deleted and time noted
• Notes.app were always open
• More then 5 minutes waiting has been counted as no sync

Noted

• Almost every time all syncs were simultainly on all devices
• iPads shown sync-activity without any change
• Deleted Notes shown on some devices much longer then on other (up to 15 min and several successful syncs of new notes)
• Deleting Notes is not instantly shown on other devices (seems to relay on Upload-cycle) Sometimes deleted notes were deleted on different times different devices
• On the iPhone sync upload seems to be more often when on cellular (marked as "no WLAN in table)

Conclusions

• Downloading syncs seems to be „push“ for all devices show new notes on the same time
• Uploading changes seems to have a timeframe of aprox 5 minutes on a fixed base (e.g. 16:10, 16:15; 16:20) 
• Deleting notes seems to work on a different scheme (ridiculous, I know - perhaps coincident)
• This renders notes useless for collaborative shopping with my girlfriend.
• Shared notes with my gf seem to update even longer (not tested but recognized) up to several hours

UPDATE

I spoke with Apple this morning and had them dig into situation. Apparently it is now a known issues with the engineers and the activity on the issue is increasing meaning it rises in urgency. They hope that the next version of IPAD and IOS will fix this issue (Probably a simple fix hard part was getting Apple to know about it)

55% user install base of IOS 13 (so far)

maybe 15% use apple notes

maybe half only use Apple Notes on one device and never notice sync. Etc

so probably a very niche specific issue.

therefore don’t be shy in letting them know,. Each person who calls and starts a case escalates it.

direct message to Apple support on twitter is pretty responsive as well.

I think this *is* helpful. I see similar behaviour, though I haven't tested as well as you have! After iOS 13.1.3 and macOS 10.15 supplemental upgrade this week, things definitely improved, though still nowhere near fixed. Likewise, deleting notes seems to be the problem, as I don't see any deletions syncing within the first hour of the act. If I just leave things overnight iPhone, iPad and Mac do eventually sync. But overnight? Seriously Apple?

I created a temporary workaround; on my computer I went to my iCloud account to look at notes there. I then open my Notes app on the computer and copied the note that I needed to sync and created a new note in the iCloud notes. This immediately downloaded to my iPhone and my iPad. Hopefully, this will only be a temporary necessity.

Unfortunately mine is uploading to the cloud not downloading. Once it’s uploaded then should be no problem downloading to any devices. For me uploading from iphone to cloud has no problem. But from ipad to cloud that has problem. Both running new up to date ios

'Multitask'

That's it, at least for me it works now without powering down the iPhone:

-Add or change a note on my phone: nothing happens in iCloud, and therefore on iMac.

-Power iPhone down and up again, open Notes: near instant update on iMac.

Thanks to previous mention of 'multitask' I tried going to the home screen and 'shutting down' (swiping up) Notes on the iPhone after changing a note, then opening it again (from the home screen), and within seconds the iMac got refreshed.

Thanks for the workaround.

I need to do this after every single change on the iPhone though, while changes made on the iMac show up almost instantly on other devices.

Maybe a push/timed sync setting somewhere?

Anyone?

PS: On Reminders, I re-installed it on iOS, removed the Family list a while ago (it's still gone), but the problem (uploading from iPhone to iCloud) remains.

There are so many CloudKit errors in the Console... I've worked with CloudKit and "Asset File Not Found" could be referring to a CKAsset, which is typically some sort of attachment...

Error pushing in account ID 675...: <Note 3ED0FB15-E233-4B60-970A-F1A9254D3A8A changeTag=j1b> <CKModifyRecordsOperation 192DEA598575F2EB group=<CKOperationGroup 3CDFC32282483BDC quantity=7 expectedReceiveSize=1 name=SaveChangedObjects expectedSendSize=1> isExecuting=1 databaseScope=Private>: <CKError 0x600003a7bed0: "Asset File Not Found" (16/3002); "open error: 2 (No such file or directory)">

Potentially there are some modify notes operations which are failing, and causing the entire batch of changes to fail :

Partial error for modify operation <CKModifyRecordsOperation 192DEA598575F2EB isFinished=1 group=<CKOperationGroup 3CDFC32282483BDC quantity=7 expectedReceiveSize=1 name=SaveChangedObjects expectedSendSize=1> databaseScope=Private duration=0.7385960817337036>: <CKError 0x600003901170: "Partial Failure" (2/1011); "Failed to modify some records"; partial errors: {

3FE8933E-B177-4696-918E-D5462847F41D:(Notes:__defaultOwner__) = <CKError 0x600003901860: "Asset File Not Found" (16/3002); "open error: 2 (No such file or directory)">

3ED0FB15-E233-4B60-970A-F1A9254D3A8A:(Notes:__defaultOwner__) = <CKError 0x600003a78840: "Asset File Not Found" (16/3002); "open error: 2 (No such file or directory)">

_f2dafdb52687dc1d4ea74e4967320476:(_defaultZone:__defaultOwner__) = <CKError 0x600003aacc00: "Internal Error" (1/5000); "Failed to sync user keys">

... 5 "Batch Request Failed" CKError's omited ...

}>

The failing operations seem to be related to attachments. I know that before an attachment is uploaded it needs to be written to a local file, and it seems reading/writing to that location could be part of the problem?

RegisterItem exited registration with error: Error Domain=com.apple.mmcs Code=39 "Unable to register itemcom.apple.mmcs/39(CKInternalErrorDomain/3002)"

    Error Domain=com.apple.mmcs Code=39 "Opening the readerWriter failed. CKInternalErrorDomain/3002"

        Error Domain=CKInternalErrorDomain Code=3002 "open error: 2 (No such file or directory)"

            "NSFilePath" = "/var/folders/qw/mx8xdnr529jc39qlx7rjw0fw0000gn/T/com.apple.Notes/com.apple.Notes-TemporaryAssetFiles/EA85C22F-ABF4-4DF8-AFD2-AA4B1E1F6754"

            "CKErrorDescription" = "open error: 2 (No such file or directory)"

After a certain type or number of errors CloudKit will return a "retry after" value, telling Notes to wait for a number of seconds before attempting again. I've seen this value in the console at ~ 1500 seconds, which is 25 minutes. So that potentially could account for some of the delays.

It's really futile to try and debug their stuff...

Does anyone know if this affects ALL users, or are we unlucky? Does anyone have a friend you can ask to test it? If it affects all users, this is a REALLY bad issue...

Same here (iPad, iPhone, MacBook) all up to date.

Mostly it fails with new notes.

Workaround: airdrop the unsynced note from the device where you created it to one of the other devices. After that, it syncs with all other devices. Be aware: it duplicates the notes and syncs the duplicates......

For me nothing of the workarounds really worked. Sometimes closing notes from multitasking worked,but not always. I sign out from icloud and signed back but nothing happened. Either iphone or ipad had problem syncing. Icloud web page is an alternative and always syncs. But it’s not practical from mobile device...i also tried with airdrop but again one device doesn’t sync. The only thing I didn’t tried is deleting family reminders.

This certainly is causing me to find alternative solutions now. It used to be that you could rely on Apple. I’m, frankly, worried that if they can’t manage notes how can Apple be trusted now to manage Photos and my iCloud Drive. I’m very concerned. I’ve already lost my hand written notes.

I use the iPad as a hockey coach to draw up practice plans. They are gone. Sad. Worse, even when drawing up new plans on Thursday last week they didn’t appear on my Mac so I couldn’t print them on work’s printer. I had to AirDrop the note from IPad to macOS to print since work doesn’t support AirPrint.

Steve Jobs is rolling over in his grave. Sad. Very sad.

What was meant is to stop the Notes app process in iOS. Double click the home button to show the running apps (sort of task manager) and swipe up to stop the app. At least that's how I do it.

But I understand this does not always work for everybody.

I just called AppleCare support this morning and explained the situation to them. They put me on hold for a bit to discuss with some folks. They came back and asked me to go into Settings > Internet Accounts. Click on iCloud and uncheck Notes and check it again. After notes repopulated on my macOS, we tested it by creating a new note and everything was syncing again on my iPad, iPhone and iCloud.com. In the process of doing this, I did lose some of my notes typed in on my Mac prior to the call so just make sure it's on iCloud.com before you try this. I'd also make sure all your devices are on the latest versions.

Again, the key thing here is unchecking and checking the Notes check box. I've done that before but this time it worked. I think between the recent software updates it just needed a bit reset. Also I'd start with your macOS machine. Good luck!

Yes, everyone has the same issue. icloud.com notes post fine and synching notes sometimes happens/sometimes doesn't. No real solution provided by Apple as of yet. They tell you to sign out and sign in to iCloud (doesn't fix) and Apple support gives you the run around. Catalina is the worst Apple OS upgrade. Sidecar doesn't work if you have a slightly older machine (yet third party apps are available that do it just fine). Mac Mail loses email signatures. And the list goes on...