Learn how to restore notes from iCloud with 4 methods - full iCloud restore, Recently Deleted, iTunes backup, and direct recovery. Plus a tool to keep notes safe.
Delete notes on iPhone accidentally
I somehow deleted my notes on my iPhone 16. This is very bad because I had a lot of important information in my Notes. Can you please tell me how to restore notes on iPhone from iCloud?
- Question from Apple Community
The Notes app on iPhone has a way of becoming a catch-all for things you can't afford to lose - passwords scribbled in a hurry, meeting notes you meant to type up later, even that random thought you wanted to remember. So when you open the app one day and find a chunk of them missing, the panic is real. Maybe you were clearing out old files. Maybe your thumb slipped. However it happened, you need those notes back.
If you've been using iCloud, there's a solid chance your notes are still sitting there, waiting to be retrieved. This guide covers four ways to restore notes from iCloud, depending on how your phone was set up before the deletion.
Before diving into recovery methods, take a quick second to check your iCloud settings. This tells you what's possible.
Step 1. Open Settings > tap your name at the top > iCloud.
Step 2. Under "APPS USING ICLOUD," tap Show All, then find Notes. If the toggle is green, your notes were syncing to iCloud. If it's off, skip ahead to Method 2 or 3.
Step 3. Go back to iCloud > iCloud Backup. If that toggle is on, your notes were being backed up periodically.
If both were enabled, your notes are recoverable through a full iCloud restore. If not, you have other options.
If Notes were enabled in iCloud, you can pull your deleted notes back by restoring your iPhone from an iCloud backup made before they were deleted.
This process erases your iPhone and replaces it with the backup. Any data you've added since that backup will be lost. So if there's anything on your phone right now you can't afford to lose, back it up first.
AOMEI FoneBackup is a free Windows tool that lets you save a copy of your current iPhone data to your computer. It takes just a few minutes.
How to back up iPhone notes with AOMEI FoneBackup (5 Simple Steps):
1. Download and install AOMEI FoneBackup on your Windows PC. Connect your iPhone with a USB cable and tap "Trust This Computer" when prompted.
2. Open AOMEI FoneBackup. Click Phone Backup, then choose Selective Backup and click Get Started.
3. Select the data you want to save Notes, Photos, Contacts, etc. Preview and pick what matters. Click OK.
4. Choose where to save the backup on your PC. Click Start Backup. Your data is now safe.
1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Confirm your passcode.
2. After the erase completes, your iPhone will restart. Follow the setup prompts until you reach the Apps & Data screen.
3. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup. Sign in with your Apple ID and choose the backup you want, pick one from before your notes were deleted.
4. Let the restore finish. Your notes will be back, along with everything else from that backup.
Once your notes are restored, you want to make sure they don't get overwritten by current iCloud sync.
1. Turn on Airplane Mode (Settings > Airplane Mode) to stop iCloud from syncing temporarily.
2. Go to Settings > Notes > Default Account and change it to On My iPhone.
3. Open the Notes app. Tap the circle icon with three dots, choose Select Notes, then Move All. Move your recovered notes to a folder under "On My iPhone."
4. Turn off Airplane Mode. Your notes are now stored locally and won't be affected by iCloud.
If you deleted your notes within the last 30 days, they might still be in the Recently Deleted folder. This is the fastest recovery option.
Step 1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap Recently Deleted in the folder list. (If you don't see it, go back to the main Folders screen and scroll down.)
Step 3. Tap the three‑dot menu in the top‑right corner, then tap Select Notes.
Step 4. Select the notes you want to recover, tap Move To, and choose where to save them.
If you've been backing up your iPhone to iTunes or Finder on a computer, you can restore an older backup to recover your notes. Like iCloud restore, this replaces your current data, so back up anything new first.
Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the computer you use for iTunes backups. Open iTunes (or Finder on newer Macs).
Step 2. Click the device icon near the top left. Under Summary, find the Backups section.
Step 3. Choose Restore Backup. Select the backup you want, look for one from before your notes were deleted.
Step 4. Click Restore. Your iPhone will restart with the restored data.
If you never had iCloud Backup turned on, your notes aren't in Recently Deleted, and you never backed up to iTunes, there's still a last resort. AOMEI FastRecovery for iOS can scan your iPhone directly for deleted notes.
How to recover notes without a backup (5 Simple Steps):
Step 1. Download and install AOMEI FastRecovery for iOS on your Windows PC. Connect your iPhone with a USB cable and tap "Trust This Computer" when prompted.
Step 2. Launch the software. Select your iPhone from the list and click Scan Now.
Step 3. Wait for the scan to finish. This may take a few minutes, depending on how much data is on your phone.
Step 4. In the results, go to the Notes tab. You'll see a list of deleted notes that can be recovered.
Step 5. Select the notes you want and click Recover. Choose a location on your computer to save them.
If you want to clean up your iCloud notes without scrolling through your iPhone, AOMEI FoneBackup lets you manage them directly from your computer.
Step 1. Open AOMEI FoneBackup. Click My iCloud, sign in with your Apple ID, and click Manage iCloud.
Step 2. Click Notes. You'll see all your iCloud notes. Select the ones you want to delete or move.
Step 3. Click Delete to remove them, or use the upload feature to add new notes from your PC.
Now you must know how to restore notes from iCloud on your iPhone. By backing up your iPhone with AOMEI FoneBackup and then erasing it to restore data from iCloud Backup, we can easily get the notes without any data loss.
Apart from that, you could also find your deleted notes in the “Recently Deleted” Folder, use iTunes if you have backup on it before. But if you are not, AOMEI FastRecovery for iOS could be your best choice.