Here’s How to Fix the Error That Causes iPhone Notes to Disappear

Halloween may be over, but the scares are still coming for some iPhone users who encountered a rather alarming bug after agreeing to the updated iCloud Terms and Conditions. Affected by reported on social media that they lost all files saved in the Notes app and for a very good reason. I’m looking for answers.

If you’re like me, the Notes app is an integral part of staying organized. It helps me quickly jot down my ideas, keep track of assignments, scan important documents, and iOS 18 updateStore your voice memos in a convenient place. Since I also use a MacBook Air, I know these files will be waiting for me on my laptop, so I tend to use Notes on all my Apple devices. If my files suddenly disappeared, I would be a mess.

Here’s some background: When the iCloud Terms and Conditions were last updated on September 16, 2024, there were no significant changes. Accordingly MacRumors.comThe revisions included changing “Apple ID” to “Apple Account” and adding language stating that users must agree not to engage in activities that exploit, harm, or threaten minors in any way.

Then, this week, iPhone users were notified that they now had to accept these new Terms and Conditions to continue using iCloud; However, some users who did this felt that the contents of the Notes application suddenly disappeared and panic began.

If you found that your files disappeared, you are lucky. Steps are available to resolve the issue and a long, angry call to Technical Support will not be required.

1. Open your Settings app on your iPhone.

2. Tap your Apple Account settings (the top-bottom section with your name and profile picture).

3. Scroll down and tap iCloud.

4. On the next screen, tap Notes. It will be under “Saved to iCloud.”

5. Click the button next to “Sync This iPhone” so it turns green, indicating the feature is enabled. If it is already green, turn it off and on again.

6. Open your Notes app and wait a few minutes for your files to be restored from iCloud.

Although there is no current explanation as to the cause of the problem, I was relieved that it was so easy to fix.