iPad and IPhone notes not syncing, but will receive and sync notes if typed directly into the iCloud notes website

1: both devices have icloud notes turned on

2: both devices have on my iPad/iPhone notes turned off

3: signed out and back into ICloud


this issue has been going on and off recently and help would be appreciated

iPhone SE, iOS 16

Posted on May 9, 2023 7:47 PM

Reply
13 replies

May 12, 2023 7:47 AM in response to taco3351

Hi taco3351,


It may be normal for syncing to take a moment.


On your iPhone, try closing notes and restarting the device:

Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch

Restart your iPhone


If Notes app still isn't syncing, make sure the notes are being created on the correct iCloud account.


You can check the default for Notes in Settings > Notes.


Let us know more about what you find and we'll help.


Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities.

Nov 10, 2023 8:11 AM in response to lezgoverci

lez, for those of us complaining about not having access to our iPad notes on other devices, including the iCloud, do not have this option. You really didn't have a problem. All you probably need to do is this: Set up iCloud for Notes on all your devices - Apple Support


I/We have all of our settings as they should be and when I orginally tried to drop any notes from my iPad into the "All iCloud" folder it did let allow 🚫.


May 12, 2023 9:08 PM in response to Rigo_O86

I find this an oddity. Other apps (e.g., Reminders, Contacts, and many 3rd party) which use iCloud sync relatively quickly. In a moment I may select an item in a Reminders list, mark it as “completed” (on e.g., my iPhone) and see it appear as “completed” on my iPad. And vice versa. However, the only way in which I have been able to acquire Notes sync is to stop and start the app *on both devices*. I’m glad I may resort to other notes resources and fall back on Notes only when absolutely necessary.

Oct 22, 2023 7:55 PM in response to Rigo_O86

The exact same thing happened to me today. Ive been working with Apple notes for a long time now and today, it started to get buggy while using it on the iPad (updated to the latest version, iPad Pro 2022). I was writing down some notes in a cell and it stopped typing so I had to select the cell over and over again to put some characters in it.


Restarted the iPad, several times, then deleted it and installed it again and now shows 0 notes out many more that I have, and no indication thats syncing, switched the toggle on and off several times, restarted it, nothing.


Thks!!!

Oct 25, 2023 10:21 AM in response to SongbirdDiane

After a full day with support on chat and phone, restoring the iPad in every way possible, backup, no backup, new iPad, etc. I went to an Apple Store restored from their local copies the latest iOS, they said there's nothing more they could do. In desperation I ended up buying a new iPad :( and it slowly worked out and pushed the Notes tothe new one. Till that point, the last guy in Support said that they were going to take this bug to the engineers cause there's nothing more to be done.


It seems that somehow the error damages the communication between Apple Notes, iCloud and the hardware id with the database in iCloud, that's the only logical theory an Apple Genius said it could be happening, and there's no way to be fixed, at least until yesterday, October 24th.

iPad and IPhone notes not syncing, but will receive and sync notes if typed directly into the iCloud notes website

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.