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notes are gone after accepting new icloud terms and conditions

I got a notification from settings saying to accept the new iCloud terms and conditions if i wanted to keep using iCloud on my phone (iPhone 12 pro max) I accepted and everything was normal but then I opened my notes app and all of my notes were GONE. I logged into my iCloud account and saw my most recents were there but I still don’t understand why all of my notes are completely deleted from my phone. They’re very important to me and I need them in my phone. Is there any way I can get them back? How could this happen?

iPhone 6s Plus

Posted on Nov 5, 2024 8:11 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 6, 2024 10:17 AM

Hi,


Had this too and found a simple fix….


1) Go to Settings and search for iCloud

2) Select iCloud Apple ID (at the top of the list)

3) Under ‘Apps using iCloud’ select Show All

4) Select Notes

5) Turn off ‘Sync this Phone’ and wait for a few seconds

6) Turn ‘Sync this Phone’ back on


This should kick the notes app back into life to use iCloud again.


Hope this works for you and helps a few others along the way 😊


265 replies

Nov 6, 2024 2:36 PM in response to waitinthefire

I received the same notification on my iPhone this morning, agreed to terms and all of my notes vanished, although later 16 returned, but none of those were really relevant. Then I went to iCloud in settings and it said to back up which I did, and all of my notes returned. One thing I did after my notes vanished from my phone is take a screen shot of all of them from my iPad. Then around 4 PM I got that same notification from iCloud on my iPad, so again I agreed to their terms, and my notes again vanished. I fooled around a bit on my iPad and finally saw the back up iCloud and so I did that and all of my notes are back. This is probably a very simple process for most younger people, but I am not young…..and when my notes vanished my heart sank as most of my passwords are there!

However all is well now, and I’m happy that I figured out how to get back my notes on my own! 🤗

Nov 6, 2024 3:30 PM in response to waitinthefire

None of these solutions worked for me. I logged into iCloud and could see all my Notes were there but I could not get them to download to my phone. I confirmed that the Default Account was already set to "On My iPhone" and I restarted my phone several times. Nothing. Then I tried this, which did work! Go to Settings, select Accounts, there were 3 accounts listed but only my Gmail account listed Notes as one of the apps tied to it. I selected my Gmail account, flipped the toggle for Notes to the On position, and all my Notes showed up on my phone. Success!

Nov 7, 2024 11:07 AM in response to Honugirl808

I posted this which worked for me after all other suggestions failed. Hope it works for you.


None of these solutions worked for me. I logged into iCloud and could see all my Notes were there but I could not get them to download to my phone. I confirmed that the Default Account was already set to "On My iPhone" and I restarted my phone several times. Nothing. Then I tried this, which did work! Go to Settings, select Accounts, there were 3 accounts listed but only my Gmail account listed Notes as one of the apps tied to it. I selected my Gmail account, flipped the toggle for Notes to the On position, and all my Notes showed up on my phone. Success!

Nov 9, 2024 1:48 AM in response to AdamsiThings

All iCloud Notes = 1,787

After following instructions to reset Notes on my iPad, 802 have been restored … after 3 days. The little gear is still spinning and every once in a while a few more are added to the total. Several folders still not showing. At this rate it may be weeks before it is recovered. Oh, please, find an alternative to the frequently freezing up Notes.

now, it seems, Apple wants to thwart further discussion. When I click Post, a message appears “! Your post could not be saved. Please try again in a few moments.”

Nov 9, 2024 5:57 AM in response to waitinthefire

This morning I see the iCloud T&C alert on the lock screen.

Sadly, Apple doesn't tell us what has changed, so I scroll through the entire EULA and don't see anything suspicious. Once again, a software update wasting my time. 😤


I accept the T&C, and it required my iPhone (11 Pro) lock screen code. I've never seen this type of behavior before, after an Apple app update. Maybe it's 'cuz iCloud?


I tell Wifey and she spots the problem: Notes app has no notes.


I come to this fine community to find the solution of un-sync'ing then re-sync'ing Notes in the Control Panel.


Well, I get skittish at the last moment and don't un-sync, 'cuz I see several megabytes of storage used, and that Notes is [correctly] using iCloud. This was odd 'cuz Notes indicated zero notes/data. Therefore, there must be some data the app has stored, right?


I go back to Notes and see nothing. Then I go back to the Control Panel/iCloud/Notes and see the spinning spokes (not the beachball). I go back to Notes and the number of notes begins increasing. I go back to Settings and everything looks correct. Back to Notes and—thankfully—all my notes are there.


Dear Apple,

When giving us T&C updates, please tell us what changed. It can't be that difficult.

Sincerely,

Apple iCloud users.

Nov 9, 2024 11:08 AM in response to 5ivedegrees

If you are following this, then your iCloud Notes are already gone from your phone. Say yes. Delete Notes from your phone. Then go to the App Store and reload it. [If you had Notes in the Dock bar at the bottom of the screen, it will not appear there after the reload]. Set iCloud as the default in Notes. It will then start to reload from the Cloud. I had 1,797 notes and it took 2+ days to reload them, with a little spinning gear wheel showing when it was working. Note: If you open another App, it will stop the process. You will have to Close Notes then re-open it to get it working again. Apple has certainly given us a large pain in the you-know-where! 😠

Help with recovering Notes Contents

notes are gone after accepting new icloud terms and conditions

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