How to permanently Delete notes on iPhone?

As the title says, I have deleted them from the "Notes" app, they still appear in the "Recently Deleted" folder. I have tried to delete them from there as well, but they still show up when I use the search function. I am concerned about my privacy, as some of the notes contain sensitive information. I want to ensure that they are completely deleted from my device, but I am not sure how to do so. I have already tried restarting my phone and updating to the latest software version, but the notes still persist.

How to permanently delete notes on iPhone?

Posted on Mar 20, 2024 2:18 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 21, 2024 12:59 AM

To ensure that you can permanently Delete notes on iPhone, you can also try the following steps:


1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.


2. Tap on your Apple ID at the top of the screen.


3. Scroll down and tap on "iCloud."


4. Find "Notes" and slide the switch to off.


5. A prompt will appear asking if you want to keep or delete the notes stored in iCloud. Choose "Delete from My iPhone" to permanently Delete notes on iPhone.


Note that once you turn off iCloud syncing for Notes, the new notes will not sync to your iCloud account in the future. Also, if you have any other Apple devices, you will need to repeat this process on each device to ensure complete deletion of the notes.

Hopefully you can permanently delete notes on your iPhone.

11 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 21, 2024 12:59 AM in response to HellAnna

To ensure that you can permanently Delete notes on iPhone, you can also try the following steps:


1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.


2. Tap on your Apple ID at the top of the screen.


3. Scroll down and tap on "iCloud."


4. Find "Notes" and slide the switch to off.


5. A prompt will appear asking if you want to keep or delete the notes stored in iCloud. Choose "Delete from My iPhone" to permanently Delete notes on iPhone.


Note that once you turn off iCloud syncing for Notes, the new notes will not sync to your iCloud account in the future. Also, if you have any other Apple devices, you will need to repeat this process on each device to ensure complete deletion of the notes.

Hopefully you can permanently delete notes on your iPhone.

Apr 6, 2024 10:14 PM in response to HellAnna

To use Safewiper for iOS software to permanently delete notes on iPhone, you can follow these steps:


1. Download and install Safewiper for iOS on your computer.


2. Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable.


3. Launch the Safewiper for iOS software on your computer and select "Erase Private Data" from the main menu.


4. Click on the "Start" button to begin scanning your device for private data.


5. Once the scan is complete, select "Notes" from the list of private data.


6. Click on the "Erase Now" button to permanently delete the selected notes from your iPhone.


7. Wait for the process to complete. The Safewiper for iOS software will overwrite the deleted notes with junk data, making them unrecoverable.


8. Once the process is complete, Safewiper for iOS will display a message indicating that the data erasure process was successful.


It is important to note that using Safewiper for iOS to permanently delete notes on iPhone will result in the complete erasure of all notes on your device. Therefore, it is recommended that you backup your data before using Safewiper for iOS to permanently delete notes on iPhone.

Mar 20, 2024 7:40 PM in response to HellAnna

It sounds like those notes are playing hard to get, huh? You've already tried the basics: kicking them out of the Notes app, clearing out the "Recently Deleted" folder, giving your phone the ol' restart treatment, and even updating your software. And yet, they're still popping up in search like uninvited guests.


If you want to permanently delete notes from iPhone, Here’s what you can do to really, really make sure those notes are gone for good:


  • Double-Check "Recently Deleted": Zip back to that "Recently Deleted" folder in your Notes app. Sometimes it's like those notes stick around for a last goodbye. Try deleting them again from this folder. There might be a prompt asking if you're absolutely sure about deleting them—hit that delete confirmation hard.
  • Search and Destroy: If those notes are still cheeky enough to show up in searches, use the search function to find them. Then, if you can, open and delete them directly from there. It's like playing whack-a-mole, but with notes.
  • Look Around Other Devices: Got other Apple gadgets linked up with iCloud? Those devices might be the secret hideout for your notes. Check any other iPhones, iPads, or Macs and see if the notes are there. Clear them out from those devices too.
  • Give iCloud Sync a Break: Sometimes iCloud needs a little reset. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, and turn off Notes sync. Wait a bit, then flip it back on. It's like telling iCloud to get its act together and forget those notes for good.

Mar 25, 2024 1:27 AM in response to HellAnna

Yes, it is possible to permanently delete notes on iPhone before selling it. Here are the steps to do so:


1. Backup your iPhone: Before you wipe your iPhone, make sure to backup your data to iCloud or iTunes. This will ensure that you can transfer your data to your new iPhone or retrieve your data if needed in the future.


2. Sign out of iCloud: Before wiping your iPhone, make sure to sign out of iCloud. Go to Settings > tap your Apple ID > scroll down and tap Sign Out. If your iPhone is running on an older version of operating system (iOS), go to Settings > iCloud > Sign Out.


3. Erase all content and settings: Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your passcode if prompted and confirm your decision. This process may take a while to complete depending on the size of the data on your iPhone.


4. Remove SIM card: Remove the SIM card from your iPhone before selling it. The process varies depending on your iPhone model, but generally involves locating the SIM card tray and removing it with a SIM tool or paperclip.


5. Confirm erasure: After the erasure is complete, your iPhone will restart and prompt you to set it up as new or restore from a backup. Choose "Set Up as New iPhone" to ensure that all data has been erased.


By following these steps, you can be sure that You have successfully permanently deleted notes from iPhone before selling it. It's important to take these precautions to safeguard your privacy and protect your personal information from being accessible to unauthorized individuals.

Mar 26, 2024 2:22 AM in response to HellAnna

To permanently delete notes on iPhone, you can follow these steps:


1. Open the "Notes" app on your iPhone.


2. Tap on the "Recently Deleted" folder located in the "Folders" section of the app.


3. In the Recently Deleted folder, you will find all the notes that have been deleted and are awaiting permanent removal.


4. Tap on the“Edit”button in the top-right corner of the screen.


5. Select the notes you want to permanently delete by tapping the circle button next to each note. You can also choose "Select All" to delete all the notes in the folder.


6. Once you have selected the notes, tap on the "Delete" button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.


7. Confirm the deletion by tapping on "Delete Notes" in the pop-up confirmation dialog.


After following these steps, you are able to permanently delete notes on iPhone and cannot be recovered. However, note that if you have your iPhone synced with iCloud, the notes might still be recoverable from the iCloud servers. To ensure complete removal, you can also try the following steps:


1. On your iPhone, go to the Settings app.


2. Tap on your Apple ID at the top of the screen.


3. Scroll down and tap on "iCloud".


4. Find the "Notes" toggle and turn it off. This will ensure that the notes are deleted from your iCloud account as well.


By following these steps, you should be able to permanently delete notes on iPhone and iCloud, providing you with additional privacy and data protection.

Mar 21, 2024 2:22 AM in response to HellAnna

First, open the Notes app on your iPhone. Browse through your notes or folders to find the note or notes you wish to delete. Swipe left on the note you want to delete and tap the red "Delete" button that appears. Alternatively, you can open the note, tap on the share button (or more options button in some iOS versions), and select "Delete Note" to remove it. This action moves the note to the Recently Deleted folder, where it stays for 30 days before being permanently deleted, allowing for recovery if you change your mind.


If you wish to immediately and permanently delete the note, go back to the main screen of the Notes app and locate the "Recently Deleted" folder. Open it, and here you will see all your recently deleted notes. You can either swipe left on individual notes and tap "Delete" to permanently remove them or tap "Edit" in the top-right corner, select "Delete All" in the bottom-left corner to remove all notes from the Recently Deleted folder permanently.

Apr 9, 2024 7:28 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

Mac Jim ID wrote:

Don't fall for these Safewiper scams and the people that are pushing them. They will take your money, but your results will be no different than simply deleting the note.

This thread seems to be almost entirely composed of AI answers. Not to mention, the question was how to delete, not recover notes. But, once one bot posts about recovering, the others follow. Sigh....

Apr 9, 2024 7:48 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright wrote:
This thread seems to be almost entirely composed of AI answers. Not to mention, the question was how to delete, not recover notes. But, once one bot posts about recovering, the others follow. Sigh....

Yep, seen too many lately. Calling them out for what they are is the only solution to avoid steering users in the wrong direction if not removed by the mods.

Mar 20, 2024 2:49 AM in response to HellAnna

To permanently delete notes on your iPhone, follow these steps:


  1. Locate the Notes app on your iPhone's home screen and tap to open it.
  2. Navigate to the note you want to delete. If you want to delete multiple notes, tap "Edit" in the top right corner of the screen, then select the notes you wish to delete by tapping on them.
  3. After selecting the note(s), tap the trash can icon usually located at the bottom of the screen. Confirm the deletion when prompted. Alternatively, if you're deleting a single note, you can swipe left on the note and tap "Delete".


By following these steps, you can ensure that the notes you want to delete are permanently removed from your iPhone.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

How to permanently Delete notes on iPhone?

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