Search in the Notes app doesn’t always work

I did this on my iphone 6s and then replacement 8s (replacement sent after apple/verizon/asurian tech support unable to fix note problem). In the case of both phones, it only temporarily fixes the note search function. Wait a few hours and it is back to not working again. Factory reset, switching notes from folder to folder, turning off and on icloud for note app, either don't work at all for me (factory reset), or only solve the problem for a day at most.

Me Too! Turning on and off to re-index seems to only work sometimes and only temporarily.

I rely on notes all the time - anyone know of a good alternative to Apple notes? Looks like a fix isn't coming anytime soon!

Creating a new folder for notes on my iPhone and copying the notes from the existing folder to the new folder and then back temporarily solves the problem for not more than 24 hours. It’s the same situation for turning off iCloud for notes and then turning it back on.

After doing the intervention, I’m suddenly able to search on my notes and find everything. If I wait a few hours later though, I can still search many of my notes, but I get less search results than I did before. If I do it a day later, the problem is the same as if I had never done any of the interventions.

When I got with Apple Tech Support, the service was awful. They had me do a lot of time-consuming things such as reset the phone to factory settings and then reload everything and try to see if that worked which it didn’t. Finally, I was able to get a replacement phone to try to fix the issue but no difference. The phone I was using was iPhone 6s. When the replacement phone didn’t work properly for this and for other issues, and Tech Support at all levels couldn’t help me, I was given another replacement phone Apple iPhone 8S, which has the same exact problem. A different issue also is it system memory takes up approximately half of the storage capacity even in a phone that has over 200 GB of memory, but this is a separate issue from the Notes searching function.

I’m used to having an iPhone and my wife has one also which makes me reluctant to change quickly. But it seems that I am always using something with limited functionality because so many different functions don’t seem to work properly and I end up on forums like this trying to research it on my own.

The solution given to me by Apple support is simple, and works.

Double click Home Button

Swipe up at each app individually to clear off screen

Go to Settings

Select Siri and Search

Scroll down to Notes app and select it

Slide to off position both ‘Siri and Suggestions’ and ‘Allow on Lock Screen’

Exit Settings

Reset iPad by pressing Home Screen button and On-Off button simultaneously until it closes down, and then press On button.

Go back to Settings and select Siri and Search again

Scroll down to Notes, select it, and now slide back on ‘Siri and Suggestions’ and ‘Allow on Lock Screen’ to on position

Return to Notes, and it should now have repopulated search.

Sometimes I’ve had to do this twice in a run, as first attempt only brings a selection of Notes up, but not all of them, but on second attempt, they all are there again.

Hope this helps someone.

My solution to this is:

(1) On my Mac, in the Notes app, create a new folder.

(2) Move all notes to that folder.

(3) They are now immediately searchable via all other devices.

It's actually forced me to be a tad more organized with my notes by placing them in themed folders (i.e. Personal, Work, Phone Calls, etc.). Enjoy!

^ @ Starfish Day This helped me and fixed the issue. Thank you.

I had this issue with my iPhone XR. Turning the Search & Siri Suggestions in Notes off and back on solved the problem.

Thank you!

Thank you becky_s22 your advice fixed my problem,

Thanks, it worked a treat :)

I agree. It’s simple the notes search function does not work. Why does it take Apple so long and so many people talking around the point before they actually fix these malfunctions!

You’re absolutely right. It’s a serious recurrent issue that should be fixed for good. It’s terribly disappointing. Shame on Apple!

Worked for me , Notes was not working well for me for the last few weeks , worked fine on Mac , specially search did not . Thanks

THANK YOU Starfish Day! Very easy solution and not sure why I had to spend so much time searching for a solution. The geniuses at the Apple Store were stumped and told me to call support btw.