How to sync Notes from an iPhone to a Mac through iCloud, so your notes are always up-to-date
- You can sync your Notes from an iPhone to your Mac using an iCloud account.
- The option to turn this feature on is found in the settings on both devices.
- Syncing your Notes is helpful for accessing them on multiple devices, so the Notes you write while on your iPhone will automatically appear on your Mac when you get home.
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Notes are a great way to organize lists, ideas, and things to do - and thanks to iCloud, you can sync these notes across all your devices.
You probably use the Notes app the most on your iPhone, since it's great for jotting down quick thoughts and reminders throughout the day. You can easily sync these Notes by making a few changes to your iCloud settings. This will make it so any Note you take on one device will appear on all your iCloud-connected devices.
It's important to note that syncing will only work if you've signed in with the same Apple ID on both devices.
Here's how to set it up.
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How to sync your Notes on a Mac
First, you'll need to make sure your Mac is open for syncing.
1. Open the System Preferences app on your Mac. You can do this by clicking the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and selecting "System Preferences..."
2. Click on the "iCloud" icon. If you're running macOS Catalina, it may also be called "Apple ID."
3. Here you'll find details for your Apple ID account. The main portion of the screen should show which apps are currently using iCloud. Make sure the Notes app has a checkmark next to it. If it has an empty white box, click to check it off.
You can also access the iCloud settings page by going directly through the Notes app on your Mac.
1. Open Notes.
2. Click on "Notes" in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
3. Click "Accounts." This will bring you to your account information. You may have linked multiple email accounts to your Mac, but iCloud should always be the first option.
4. Select your iCloud account in the pane on the left.
5. Scroll down and make sure the Notes app has a checkmark next to it. It's also important to note that syncing will only work if you've signed in with the same Apple ID on both devices, so make sure this account on your Mac will be the same as the account on your iPhone.
How to sync your Notes on an iPhone
1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Tap your name at the top. This will bring you to your account details for your Apple ID, iCloud, and iTunes & App Store.
3. Tap "iCloud."
4. This will bring you to your iCloud details page, where you'll find how much storage you've used for photos, backups, and documents, along with which apps are currently using iCloud. Find the Notes app and make sure the toggle is switched from gray to green. Tap or swipe to change this.
If for some reason your notes aren't syncing, make sure the default account is set to iCloud, as there is a chance the notes you are typing on your iPhone are linked to a different account. To do so:
1. Open your Settings app.
2. From the homepage, scroll down to find the "Notes" tab in the fifth section. Tap to open it.
3. Make sure the "Default Account" is set to "iCloud." If it's not, tap to change it. Your Notes will now automatically sync with your Mac.
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