Notes - Individual password question

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Level 1

12 points

Notes - Individual password question

I have a question on the Notes password reset that seems different than most of the questions here. First of all, I DO remember my password.

I have my notes app which is password protected, saved to iCloud, and available on all of my devices (Mac, iPad, iPhone). Dozens of notes - each note locked - access only by the main password, or face recognition.

I need to change my main password to unlock my app. Easy enough, directions are pretty straightforward and typical. I know I need to do the same on all three devices.

Here is where my question starts... Everything I've read says that the individual notes inside the app will still be locked with the old password. Unfortunately, that does not work well for me. I would like each individual note to also need the same main password to view. I keep reading pretty much ... "too bad - only new notes will have the new lock password". Is there a fix for applying the new password to the old notes? Wild random thought says I could copy each note to a new note, then save with the new password - but what a time consuming headache that would be.

More importantly - If I change the main password, will I still be able to even access the old notes at all?

iPhone 11

Posted on Feb 11, 2023 7:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Chris_C1

Community Specialist

Feb 14, 2023 8:04 AM in response to gsyrba

Hey there gsyrba,

You can learn how to change your individual Notes password and your available options to do so, here:

How to lock or unlock notes on your iPhone or iPad

"Switch from your notes password to your iPhone passcode

Make sure that iCloud Keychain is on. To use your device passcode for locked notes, you must turn on iCloud Keychain.
In the Settings app, tap Notes.
Tap Password.
Select Use Device Passcode.
Use Face ID or Touch ID, or enter your previous notes password.
Enter your iPhone passcode.
Tap OK. All your locked notes that used your most recent notes password are now updated to use your device passcode.

If you choose to use your device passcode to lock notes but later remove your passcode from the device, you can still access the notes you locked with your passcode.

Change your notes password

In the Settings app, tap Notes.
Tap Password.
Select the Notes account that you want to change, then tap Change Password.
Use Face ID or Touch ID, or enter your previous notes password.
Enter a new password and password hint."

Have a good one!

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Answer 2

green500

Community Specialist

Feb 13, 2023 1:07 PM in response to gsyrba

Hello gsyrba,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities.

We understand that you would like to provide feedback to Apple about how password protected notes work. We are happy to point you in the right direction.

Please kindly leave Apple feedback here: Feedback - Notes - Apple

You are correct that if you change your password, then those currently password protected Notes won’t be accessed using the new password as per How to lock or unlock notes on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Beginning in iOS 16, you have two options to lock your notes. You can lock notes with your iPhone passcode. Or, you can create a unique password only for Notes. Both options keep your information secure with end-to-end encryption for iCloud accounts.
If you use your iPhone passcode, you don't have to create and remember a separate password. If you access your iCloud notes on more than one Apple device, use the passcode or login password for that device to unlock those notes.
If you use a unique password for Notes, there is no way to access your locked notes if you forget the password. If you forget this password, you can reset your notes password and use your new password to lock other notes. If you access your iCloud notes on more than one Apple device, use the same notes password to lock and unlock all of them.

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.

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Answer 3

gsyrba Author

Level 1

12 points

Feb 14, 2023 6:55 AM in response to green500

Hello, and thank you for the reply! Good information there - some of it I knew, some of it I did not, so I appreciate that.

It still does not answer exactly what I am asking. Let me try to explain it a different way. To help, I will simply call these passwords A, B & C

Currently I use password A to unlock all of my devices. This is a very secure password, and exceeds most safety criteria.

The Notes app uses password B (or also face recognition) and the individual notes were locked using password B. Password B was created a long time ago, and is not very secure. I need to correct that since some of the notes are sensitive.

If I change the Notes app to password C (which seems easy enough), it is my understanding that the individual notes will still be locked by password B - and everything I've read so far said that these cannot be changed. This is what I am concerned about. I do know that new notes will be able to be locked with password C.

Is there a way to change the old individual notes to password C?

Will I even be able to access the old notes if I change the main Notes app password to C? Some of the things I have read here in the Community suggest I will not be able to access any note that was locked using password B once I change the app to password C.

I figure I can copy each old note to a different app before I change my main Notes password - then save them back as a new note so I can use password C - but with the volume of notes I have, this would be a very time consuming project, which I would rather avoid.

What are your thoughts?

Thank you,

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Answer 4

gsyrba Author

Level 1

12 points

Feb 15, 2023 7:38 AM in response to green500

Just wondering if you might know why after updating my Notes password on all three devices (iPhone, iPad & Mac) all of my individual notes doubled. Basically there are two notes for each of the individual notes that I had before. I did not change anything other than the password - and my notes are synced to iCloud.

Not a big deal... but I'm hesitant to delete any of them, fearing both copies will vanish.

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Answer 5

gsyrba Author

Level 1

12 points

Feb 14, 2023 9:32 AM in response to Chris_C1

Hi Chris,

"7. Tap OK. All your locked notes that used your most recent notes password are now updated to use your device passcode."

That was the answer I was looking for. Thank you!!

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