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notes not syncing

Notes are not syncing between iMac, iPod, and iPad.


Apparently, according to what I'm reading on this site, the issue isn't being addressed by Apple.


If the technical challenges of getting text files from one device to another is too complex (even for computers), I would suggest abandoning the attempt as noble but failed rather than frustrate users with the promise of functionality that goes unfulfilled. Drop Notes from the OS and restore Outlook note syncing. That worked.


I abandoned a journaling application after repeated and on-going syncing issues. All the data goes into a Word file now. It's just easier.


For notes, I'm getting close to keeping a piece of paper and pencil in a pocket. It just works.

iMac (27-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3), LED Cinema Display

Posted on Apr 10, 2013 6:47 AM

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18 replies

Apr 10, 2013 2:15 PM in response to Leigh Mackay

Note synching works fine. I've been using it for a year without major issues (I've had the occasional "burp" with note duplication, but never lost anything).


Notes uses IMAP (which is a mail server) to do the synching. You must ensure all devices are storing notes on the same account, and the notes must be on the server, not "On my Mac" or "On my iPhone."


iCloud works best for this.

Apr 12, 2013 6:51 AM in response to Linc Davis

How am I syncing?


All devices and the iMac are on the same account. Mail, Calendars, and Contacts sync without issue.


Notes are usually created and maintained in MS Outlook. Notes can be given a title in Outlook. Mountain Lion's Notes syncs with Outlook's notes but patience is required as this process seems to take some time. OS Notes indicates it is "Updating" but it takes a while. Might not happen for days. I thought the Notes-syncing functionality was broken when I first installed Mountain Lion but eventually entries did transfer from Outlook into OS Notes. Notes in iOS devices are not synced with OS Notes nor with Outlook Notes. They used to.


To test cross-functionality, I created a new note in OS Notes to see if it will appear in Outlook. Thirty minutes later, OS Notes says it is Updating but nothing in Outlook yet. I expect the new note will appear in Outlook but not today.


Syncing is performed by connecting devices to the iMac via the USB connector.

Apr 12, 2013 7:08 AM in response to William Lloyd

You may have hit on the issue, William. My ISP does not offer IMAP—POP only.


Calendars sync. I just don't have the time to ferret all of this out. Why is an account required to transfer a note from a desktop computer into a device directly connected to the computer?


There is a push on to get people to use iCloud. Call me old fashoined but I resist putting all my stuff onto a hard drive so far away it is in another country. When I reluctantly agreed to try putting my Calendar data onto the cloud becuase it was pushed as part of the Mountain Lion installation process, I was shocked to see that that data overruled whatever I might do in my computer. It was a time-consuming struggle to restore things to previous funtionality.


Appreciating your interest,

L

May 3, 2013 6:21 AM in response to npaler

Evernote, to my knowledge, uses cloud storage too. I don't like the idea of my data residing on a hard drive out of my control. My initial experiences with syncing iCal in iCloud confirmed my uneasy feelings as iCloud took control of my calendar. Duplicate entries appeared with no easy means of resolution. It was a struggle to get things back to functioning on my hard drive not iCloud.


Now I see that iCal will not sync with my devices. Used to work. Now it just doesn't.


I've been an Apple fan from the beginning but I have to say I'm starting to loose faith and I'm becoming tired of resolving issues. It all used to just work. Now it's one issue after another.


Seems to me that Apple is married to clould computing. If you don't want to embrace putting your data out there, too bad for you.


Notes don't sync. iCal does not sync.


For sale 27" iMac. Moving to Windows. It just works.

May 24, 2013 11:26 PM in response to William Lloyd

Hi, new to Mountain Lion, I happily discovered the Notes app. However no syncing between this app and the Notes app on my iPhone 4 occurs.


As it is recommended in dozens of threads here and elsewhere, I checked that I use my me.com account to do that.


  • Notes are checked in the iCloud pref pane on my Mac
  • Notes are checked in the iCloud settings on my iPhone
  • All my notes are in the me.com, none local on the iPhone or on the Mac


Still, I have two separate sets of notes, one on my Mac, one on my iPhone and they don't sync.


What am I missing?

May 26, 2013 6:47 AM in response to Rodolphe Paccard

I have not implemented this feature on Mountain Lion. However, I do know that notes can no longer be synced locally (tethered or wi-fi) in this OS. You must use a cloud to sync notes (eg. iCloud). iCloud does NOT encrypt your notes when it stores them. I will NOT store sensitive data on a cloud unencrypted.


I have loaded Lion as my OS on my Macs. Notes are still there as part of the Mail app. Syncing using the iTunes app works fine, either using the cable or local wi-fi in my house.


I urge Apple to restore the sync via iTunes option to Mountain Lion. Failing that, they should at least store your data encrypted on iCloud, like PGP whole disk encryption for computers.

May 26, 2013 2:17 PM in response to Eric Root

Thanks for the tip.


I checked the Notes on icloud.com. They are the same as on the iPhone and the ones from my Mac are not present. So there is a broken sync link somewhere between icloud and my Mac.


So I unchecked the Notes in System Preferences and was warned that all my notes on the Mac will be replaced with the icloud ones. Since I only had 2 on my Mac, I copied them and accepted the replacement.


Now my notes are perfectly synchronized.


Thank you.

notes not syncing

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