Notes app crashes with iOS 11 on iPad 10.5" 256gb 2017

I am having the same issue using the Apple Pencil iPad Pro 10.5 inch 256GB model. It frequently freezes for several seconds and then will catch up. Sometimes all the markings disappear and reappear after each stroke as well. I’ve restored the iPad multiple times but it doesn’t help. All these glitches with using the Apple Pencil in the notes app started after updating to iOS 11. I am using the latest update 11.0.2 as well. All of us are using the 256 gb 10.5 inch iPad Pro so I think this problem is limited to only this particular configuration of the iPad Pro. I reported this issue to Apple over two weeks ago and they still haven‘t fixed it. It is good to know that I am not alone with this problem. I hope they fix this soon.

I have a Pro 9.7 and didn’t encounter a similar problem at all until today when copying text from Notability to Notes. Suddenly, Notes just crashed every time I tried to open it. I tested to see if the problem was duplicated on my iPhone. The app opened properly, but I found a new note titled “New Note Handwritten Note” that I did not intentionally create at any time. I don’t know if it was related to the process of copying and pasting from Notability or just an accidental note created while using my Pencil. I was not aware of any handwritten notes or markings in the text I was copying but had been using my pencil with the MyScript Stylus keyboard to enter text as needed in Notability. I tried to open the note on my iPhone to check the content and the application crashed. I was able to open the app again and delete it from the list and Notes has worked fine on the iPhone from that point.

Next, I tested to see if Notes on my iPad was working and if the rogue Note was in the Recently Deleted foldee on the iPad but still was not successful in opening the app. I decided to turn off iCloud sync on the iPad, which deleted all notes. With the rogue note successfully deleted on the iPhone, turning iCloud sync back on for the iPad resulted in all my notes loading properly. The app is now working properly.

The note was still on my iPhone in the Recently Deleted folder, so I tested to make sure it was the problem by trying to open it and the app crashed just as before. I have permanently deleted it and the app is now working properly on both devices.

I’m experience the same thing on a 10.5” 2017, 64 GB, iOS 11.0.3. It appears to only happen in the quick notes mode and not in ”add sketch” mode. Restarts/restores don’t seem to affect it.

I have this too (pro 12.9, iOS 11.0.1). Sometimes when writing with the pencil, the screen freezes for about 10 seconds. Then screen catches up with everything I wrote in that period. This evening, it crashed to black screen. Support suggested restore, made no difference. I think it may be something to do with palm rejection as it happens more when my handing is resting on the right hand side of the screen.

I am having this problem as well. When using the Apple Pencil the notes app will often freeze for a few seconds when opening a note or resuming a note (after a few minutes of inactivity and/or after the screen has locked). Also, the app is crashing frequently, primarily when using the Apple Pencil. Lastly, sometimes when resuming a note I can scroll but the writing from the pencil is not recognized/visible on the screen (although I can still scroll and switch between notes). When I force-close the notes app and go back into the note, the writing is there. I’ve tried restarting the ipad as well a restore and still experiencing the issue. I am running iOS 11.0.2.

I have this problem also, iPad Pro 10.5. I notice it most when I’m taking notes using pencils, but I also get freezes when just typing into the Notes app or copy/pasting. Indeed, I can get a consistent crash by copying a URL from safari, pasting into notes, going back into safari to get another URL, going to notes and pasting.

I think there’s a lot of instability in Notes app. I suspect that it has to do with syncing to iCloud and locking up from there.

Apple, please fix!

The instability hits every time I use Notes. If I go to Home and then right back to Notes, a previously stable session will lock up. Once locked it takes multiple re-tries to get it going again. For some restarts, it will work for a second or two and then hang.

I suspect you're right; it's in the sync to iCloud that's the problem, which is a shame as that is a really useful feature. I see no way to turn iCloud off for Notes to test -- think I'd have to turn iCloud off globally. I could try to sync through Exchange but not sure my work Exchange server will do that.

1st gen iPad Pro 256gb. The problem is not with the iPad. It’s that Apple released a sub par version of the notes, filled with bugs. Hopefully they fix it.

I’m having the exact same issue on an iPad Pro 10.5” 256GB. As described by another commenter, it’ll freeze for approximately 10 seconds and then will catch up to my work. I want to love the new notes update and I’m really hoping that this gets resolved. I’m on the latest software update (11.0.2) and I have force closed the app and restarted. Let’s hope 11.1 has a fix. I expect more from an iPad Pro.

I’ve noticed that too. I second your speculation of the palm-rejection as I’m also finding it happening more when my palm is on the right side. I’ve noticed it happening more and more as I’ve written more and more handwritten notes (“drawings” inserted and interspersed with the text). I was also wondering if maybe its something to do with the handwriting recognition? I can’t find any way of turning that off to test though.

I have the same problem.

iPad often freezes for about 10 seconds while using Apple pencil in notes. Also in Procreate. First noticed the problem after updating to iOS11.

Realy hope Apple fix this soon. As great Apple pencil is, as annoying is it to use with this bug.

iPad Pro 10.5 64GB.

So I was too optimistic. Problem is back and about as bad as before: frequent freezes, lock-outs, and stuttering. It will eventually become stable and work, but if I jump back Home for a second and then return to Notes, the problems start all over again. I not only updated to iOS 11.2 but also put a new tip on the pencil. I don't want to turn off iCloud as sync'ing notes is important to me but I may have no choice (or switch to another notes application). It's too bad because Notes was doing everything I needed.

I hard quit notes maybe 20 times a day! There is obviously some bug preventing me to use notes with pencil. I use notes for work, but now it really is painful experience every day. Notes freezing indefinitely, crashing. IOS 11.1

Please fix this, the notes app is unusable and ruins the whole user experience with ipad.

Unfortunately – if you want to sync the new note to iCloud you're going to need to move it from iPad to the iCloud and once you turn off the iCloud again, the note will be removed from the iPad.

If you find this workaround helpful, could you please mark my previous message as useful so that others can discover it easier? Thanks!

Hi. Please see my note from 12/4 and today. The crashing continues on iOS 11.2. The iPad Pro is completely up to date. The crashing continued again today -- Notes is not usable. No other app is a problem as best as I can tell. This problem very much seems to be an iCloud issue with Notes. I thought for a bit that 11.2 fixed this but it hasn't.