Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- The Notes app on iPhone offers a “Recently Deleted” folder to recover notes deleted within the last 30 days.
- You can restore deleted notes from an iCloud or iTunes backup if you have one from before the notes were deleted.
- Third-party data recovery tools can help you recover permanently deleted notes directly from your iPhone, even without a backup.
The Notes app on iPhone is a handy tool for jotting down ideas, making lists, saving important information, and more. However, it can be frustrating if you accidentally delete a note containing valuable data. Fortunately, there are several ways to recover or restore deleted notes on your iPhone, depending on when the notes were deleted and whether you have a backup.
Recovering Notes From the “Recently Deleted” Folder
If you’ve deleted a note within the last 30 days, you can easily recover it from the “Recently Deleted” folder in the Notes app. Here’s how:
- Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
- Tap the back arrow (<) at the top left corner until you see the list of folders.
- Scroll down and tap on the “Recently Deleted” folder.
- Locate the note you want to recover.
- Tap the “Edit” button in the top right corner.
- Select the note(s) you want to recover by tapping the circle next to each one.
- Tap the “Move” button at the bottom.
- Select the folder where you want to move the recovered note(s), such as the default “Notes” folder.
The selected notes will now be moved back to the folder you chose, and you can access them as usual.
Restoring Notes From an iCloud Backup
If you’ve deleted notes more than 30 days ago or have permanently removed them from the “Recently Deleted” folder, you can try restoring them from an iCloud backup if you have one from before the notes were deleted.
Warning: Restoring from an iCloud backup will overwrite all data on your iPhone with the data from the backup. Make sure to back up your current data first if you want to keep it.
Here’s how to restore deleted notes from an iCloud backup:
- On your iPhone, go to “Settings” > “General” > “Reset.”
- Tap “Erase All Content and Settings.”
- Follow the prompts to erase your iPhone.
- During the setup process, when prompted, choose to “Restore from iCloud Backup.”
- Sign in with your Apple ID and select the most relevant iCloud backup from the list.
- Wait for the restore process to complete.
Your deleted notes should now be restored to your iPhone, along with all other data from the iCloud backup.
Restoring Notes From an iTunes Backup
If you’ve been backing up your iPhone to a computer using iTunes, you can also try restoring deleted notes from an iTunes backup. However, keep in mind that this will also overwrite all data on your iPhone with the data from the backup.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer you use for iTunes backups.
- Open iTunes and select your iPhone from the sidebar.
- Click the “Restore Backup” button in the Summary pane.
- Select the most relevant backup from the list and click “Restore.”
- Wait for the restore process to complete.
Your deleted notes should now be restored to your iPhone, along with all other data from the iTunes backup.
Using Third-Party Data Recovery Tools
If you don’t have a recent backup or the deleted notes are not included in your backups, you can try using a third-party data recovery tool to recover permanently deleted notes directly from your iPhone. These tools can scan your iPhone’s storage and recover deleted data that hasn’t been overwritten yet.
One popular data recovery tool for iOS devices is EaseUS MobiSaver. Here’s how to use it to recover deleted notes:
- Download and install EaseUS MobiSaver on your computer.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer and launch the software.
- Select “Recover from iOS Device” and click “Scan.”
- Once the scan is complete, select the “Notes” category from the list of recoverable data.
- Preview the recovered notes and select the ones you want to recover.
- Click “Recover” to save the selected notes to your computer.
Other popular data recovery tools for iOS include Dr.Fone, iMyFone D-Back, and Tenorshare UltData. These tools generally work in a similar way, allowing you to scan your iPhone for deleted data and recover it to your computer or directly to your device.
Preventing Note Loss in the Future
While it’s good to know how to recover deleted notes, it’s even better to prevent note loss in the first place. Here are some tips to help you keep your notes safe:
- Enable iCloud Sync for Notes: Go to “Settings” > “Apple ID” > “iCloud” and make sure the “Notes” toggle is turned on. This will automatically sync your notes to iCloud, allowing you to access them from other devices and recover them if needed.
- Regularly Back Up Your iPhone: Make it a habit to regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes. This way, you’ll always have a recent backup to restore from if you ever need to recover deleted notes or other data.
- Be Careful When Deleting Notes: Before deleting a note, double-check that you don’t need it anymore. If you’re unsure, consider moving it to a separate folder instead of deleting it.
- Use a Note-Taking App with Backup and Sync Features: While the built-in Notes app is convenient, you may want to consider using a third-party note-taking app with robust backup and sync features, such as Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, or Google Keep.
By following these tips and being proactive about backing up your data, you can minimize the risk of losing important notes and increase your chances of recovering them if they do get deleted accidentally.
In conclusion, while it’s frustrating to lose important notes, there are several ways to recover or restore deleted notes on your iPhone, whether it’s from the “Recently Deleted” folder, an iCloud or iTunes backup, or using a third-party data recovery tool. By taking preventive measures and regularly backing up your data, you can ensure that your valuable notes are always within reach.