iPhone Notes Disappeared? Troubleshooting the iPhone Notes App (2022 Update)

Recover deleted notes on iPhone, redownload a missing Notes app, and restore backed-up notes from iCloud with these simple tips.

iPhone notes disappearing or the entire Notes app being lost are common issues for iPhone users, unfortunately. We’ll show you how to recover any notes you accidentally deleted, plus how to get the Notes app back on your iPhone if you accidentally removed it.

How to Reinstall the Notes App on Your iPhone
This is the easiest Notes app problem to fix. If you simply can’t find the Notes app, swipe down from the middle of your Home screen. This will open Siri search on your iPhone. Type in "Notes." If the app icon doesn't appear in your search options or if it appears under App Store, it got deleted somehow. Here's how to get the Notes app back on your iPhone:

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone.
2. Tap into the Search bar.
3. Search for "notes."
4. Find Apple's Notes app. You will recognize the Notes app icon from when it was installed on your iPhone.
5. Download Notes to your iPhone by tapping on the iCloud download icon.
6. Restore your Notes through iCloud.

Unfortunately, if you had notes stored locally on your iPhone that weren't in iCloud when you deleted the Notes app, the only way to get those lost notes back is to restore an iPhone backup that included them. If you had iCloud backups automatically turned on, you should be able to restore a recent enough backup that you don't lose other information in the process. I was able to do this after deleting my Notes app for this article. It's not super fun to erase and restore your iPhone, but if those notes were important to you, it's nice that getting them back is possible.

[for_everlez]

guys first go to settings and then turn off the note appes icloud, and then delete the note app and download it again on the app store and after the app note downloads then go back to settings and turn on icloud for notes then ur notes will all be back! i did this and it literally worked i’m so happy i had like so many notes

[TimothyCobain]

I didn’t delete them… they just disappeared. Never had an iCloud backup. But I did do a computer backup quite some time ago. Not sure if it’s worth it to restore that back up or not.

[TVHAD_]

I HAD THE BIGGEST BREAK DOWN BC THEY DELETED I AM SO THANKFUL

[Lavoz]

I can’t believe this. I had so much on notes. Literally EVERYTHING. I’m NEVER buying an iPhone ever again because of this. absolutely ridiculous. I’ve lost everything.

[jdcv]

My notes in my iPhone are gone! The only remarkable thing I did earlier and before this happened was agreeing to the new iCloud terms that popped in my phone.

[sidraajmal]

My notes suddenly disappeared i dnt knw how even I didn’t do anything n i powerd off my cell n still couldn’t find. N i dnt have anything in iCloud due to shortage of storage. Plz help how to get back these notes. These were important for me plz help

[dsmith]

This happens every day. I go to my notes app and the notes are gone. I have to shut my phone off and restart it and the notes come back. Anyone know how to fix this? I did not accidentally delete them

[PatsyCarter-og]

You just saved my life with turning the iphone notes back on!! Not sure where they went or why they went, but they are back now!! Thank you!!

[furrtraploli]

Sadly none of these worked for me. My notes disappeared over night and nothing is working. I lost many passwords I haven’t had the time to write down yet and other things like birthdays and things because I have horrible memory. And now it’s all gone.

[jessie]

I usually don’t like videos because it will affect my recommendations on YouTube but I had to make an exception here. Thanks a bunch! I signed out and in my Apple ID and everything was going fine until I noticed I was missing a few notes from months back. Your trick to reinstall notes did the trick and brought the rest of my notes back and I’m thankful!

[tiimbob]

they still arent popping up please help

[Nayops]

1:43
^ It’s been on but nothing is going back, so I turn it off & then back on as it was or will that delete everything🤔

[rachelkang]

There is no Recently Deleted section for my Iphone XS! PLS HELP : ((((

[pesutkinclong]

If you didn’t do anything and suddenly your notes disappear, it could be because of a glitch.

If you store your notes on the iCloud folder then you’d just have to refresh and it’ll come back. But if your notes are stored on the “on my iPhone” folder, then the only way to get it back (as far as i know) is if you have an icloud backup of your device, then you have to erase your phone and restore the backup using an earlier version of your phone (one where your notes hopefully still exist). I had 800+ notes and thankfully i was able to restore it that way, good luck everyone.

[jesteramogus]

Bro my notes app is empty literally, the thing i can click is “new note” button and when i type and go back it still shows nothing

[parisbrown]

TYSM!!! I thought there were gone forever I was crying so much ❤ you’re a lifesaver

[samuelsolar]

Bless your heart You just saved me I thought I lost my whole life. Happy New Years

[markjohnson]

Problem - my search function in my Notes is not working accurately. Any suggestions?

[Mthegymqueen]

Is there a way to get them back because I turned on I cloud and it synced from the notes on my i pad and took away all of my I phone notes? So I turned off the I cloud and it deleted even my notes on my I pad

[DANA-lrvn]

I didn’t do anything for the notes, suddenly it’s disappeared also the folders, even if i make new notes and write it’s didn’t show also