iPhone, notes in Contacts (NOT "yellow notes") randomly disappearing right after entry

On what appears to me to be a random basis, notes that I enter for a new iphone contact simply are not there after this sequence: I enter some contact notes, then I click away (using the top left arrow) and then I reverse back into the contact by clicking again to the contact details. The field simply is blank. Even weirder, if I copy the notes I enter, leave the screen by back clicking, return to find the field empty, paste what I lost back in...they have never to my recollection disappeared a 2nd time. The notes seem to stick after being pasted back in.


Please disregard the information below as to which device it occurs on. It hits all our current iPhones (all 13) and was a problem as well on our prior phones which were 6s & 6s+.


Currently using iOS 16.4.1 on all devices and the problem just occurred, again.


This happens infrequently but randomly. It is a problem of at least 4-5 years, has no known pattern, so I cannot localize it to a phone or an iOS. It does not seem to matter if I wait for as much as 30 seconds after entering such notes. Again, the restore by re-pasting seems to hold, but that wastes time and IT IS ANNOYING!

iPhone 13 Pro Max

Posted on Apr 11, 2023 9:53 AM

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Apr 12, 2023 9:54 PM in response to bruno75

REPLIED UNDER QUOTED LINES

We understand this occurs randomly, but does this only occur with one contact, or has it occurred with several?


---I believe I have only noted this behavior while adding a new contact. It is certainly not limited to a few contacts and has happened many many times.


How often does it occur, and when was the last time it occurred?


----It is random and I have no idea exactly how often (we add customer initial contact information sometimes several times a day)  but take note that it happened this AM (4/12/2023).


----FYI, all our devices area on 16.4.1 as of this week.


You mentioned this began to occur back on your iPhone 6s and up to your current iPhone 13, but did you restore from a backup each time you upgraded to a newer iPhone model?


----We have always restored from backups when acquiring new phones, and yes this random and infrequent behavior has continued across several phone transitions.  I am a retired CPA, and a good observer and documenter under most circumstances, but I do not see this coming when it does so there is no way to make any sort of record of the circumstances, but even if I could, I cannot figure out what is going on and cannot figure out anything unique about what went on before or when it occurs.


You also mentioned it's occurring on all current phones, but are these all ones you use only?


----My wife and I have both experienced this problem on all 3 phones between us, though my wife does not use the Notes box as much as I do.


---Maybe related 1: I have a heck of a time getting my Notes app to sync between our devices.  I've tried many things and sometimes sych takes hours to complete, especially between our mobiles and our desktop/laptops.

---Maybe related 2: at some time since our major phone upgrade to 3 new 13 level phones last May, I started having a frequent problem with adding contacts entries.  When I go from a phone call with a customer to making an entry in Contacts for their information--after I enter the names and company info, and save--I find that the upper right corner Edit button often does not come back.  I then have to swipe off the Phone app entirely and reopen it to regain an Edit button.  Weird and annoying, related??

---Maybe related 3: we have LOTS of contacts saved, at least 5 figures worth, my guess.


Thanks for taking this on.

Apr 12, 2023 2:06 PM in response to TW2210

Hey there TW2210,


We'd like to help by learning more about what's happening, along with ruling out some possible causes:


  1. We understand this occurs randomly, but does this only occur with one contact, or has it occurred with several?
  2. How often does it occur, and when was the last time it occurred?
  3. You mentioned this began to occur back on your iPhone 6s and up to your current iPhone 13, but did you restore from a backup each time you upgraded to a newer iPhone model? In other words, did you ever start using one of your iPhone models as new(not from a backup), and if yes, did the same issue occur on it?
  4. You also mentioned it's occurring on all current phones, but are these all ones you use only? The more details you provide about this, the better we'll understand what you meant.


Cheers!

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iPhone, notes in Contacts (NOT "yellow notes") randomly disappearing right after entry

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