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Why multiple passwords for locked notes?

For over an hour now, I’ve been trying to figure out a password for some notes I have locked. And I tried to reset the password, but I then saw that it didn’t do anything. And all I have to say, what in the actual heck is that. Why give the option to change it, if it can’t reset previously locked notes??? I’m genuinely confused and would actually like to know who made that choice. And I rather not have to delete my notes, I would like an option where I can reset the password and not stress what guesses I made for the password. And why is touch id turned off for it, it defeats the purpose of trying to recover the password :|.

iPhone 8

Posted on Dec 26, 2020 12:27 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 26, 2020 12:37 PM

Once you assign a password the only way to change it is to enter that password. You can lock different notes with different passwords, but that doesn’t change the password for previously locked notes. If you created passcode reminders when you created the passcode you can view them if you enter the wrong passcode. But if there was a way to reset a passcode you forgot there would be no point in having a passcode in the first place. If you can’t remember the password for a set of notes there is no way to recover those notes.


Touch ID for notes will reset when notes are transferred to a new device or restored from a backup, or the Touch ID settings are redone. Again, because if they didn’t someone could restore your phone to their phone, enabled their touch ID and access your supposedly locked notes.


Here’s the official word ➡️ How to lock notes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support


Oh, and from that, this might be of use:


If you enable Face ID or Touch ID for your notes password, it adds the encryption keys used to encrypt your notes to your keychain, which can be accessed with your device passcode. This means that anyone with your device passcode can access your locked notes. For maximum security, you can opt to not enable Face ID or Touch ID for your notes password.

10 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 26, 2020 12:37 PM in response to randomo

Once you assign a password the only way to change it is to enter that password. You can lock different notes with different passwords, but that doesn’t change the password for previously locked notes. If you created passcode reminders when you created the passcode you can view them if you enter the wrong passcode. But if there was a way to reset a passcode you forgot there would be no point in having a passcode in the first place. If you can’t remember the password for a set of notes there is no way to recover those notes.


Touch ID for notes will reset when notes are transferred to a new device or restored from a backup, or the Touch ID settings are redone. Again, because if they didn’t someone could restore your phone to their phone, enabled their touch ID and access your supposedly locked notes.


Here’s the official word ➡️ How to lock notes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support


Oh, and from that, this might be of use:


If you enable Face ID or Touch ID for your notes password, it adds the encryption keys used to encrypt your notes to your keychain, which can be accessed with your device passcode. This means that anyone with your device passcode can access your locked notes. For maximum security, you can opt to not enable Face ID or Touch ID for your notes password.

Dec 26, 2020 9:06 PM in response to randomo


randomo Said:

"Why multiple passwords for locked notes?: For over an hour now, I’ve been trying to figure out a password for some notes I have locked. And I tried to reset the password, but I then saw that it didn’t do anything. And all I have to say, what in the actual heck is that. Why give the option to change it, if it can’t reset previously locked notes??? I’m genuinely confused and would actually like to know who made that choice. And I rather not have to delete my notes, I would like an option where I can reset the password and not stress what guesses I made for the password. And why is touch id turned off for it, it defeats the purpose of trying to recover the password :|."

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Dec 26, 2020 6:33 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Anything to a phone number or a somewhat long process to at least recover some letters of the password would help. Yes, it is a secure encryption system, but there are circumstances where people simply forget and those passwords hints set up doesn’t trigger any memory. So, wouldn’t it make sense to set up some sort of procedure to help recover the note? Perhaps, I am not intelligent, but it does make sense in a way. But, I never did thank you for trying to at least help in a way. Just wished there was a bit more recovery options than just flat out deleting the note. I dont know, but thanks again. Have a good one.

Dec 26, 2020 8:31 PM in response to KiltedTim

Cool, thanks for being so rude. I was literally just asking questions because I genuinely just wanted to know other ways to recover my locked notes. But thanks again for waking up and choosing violence. Also, people forget, it happens, you can’t blame people for forgetting. And not everyone is tech savvy enough to write down their passwords like you :). Have a good night/day/evening, and hope you feel better <3.

Why multiple passwords for locked notes?

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