Restore Notability Notes After Deleting the App

Issues

  • I deleted Notability and lost my notes. How do I get them back?
  • How can I restore my Notability notes from iCloud?
  • Can I re-download my notes if I used Notability's Third-Party Backup feature?
  • My notes were not synced to iCloud, but they might be in an iPad backup. What do I do?
  • How do I check whether my iPad's iCloud backup contains Notability data?
  • I have a new device. How can I recover my Notability notes from a backup or iCloud?

Environment

This article applies to anyone at Bowdoin who has used a version of Notability on macOS or iPadOS and needs to recover notes after the app was deleted.

Resolution

Download Synced Notes from iCloud

If your notes were synced to iCloud, you can restore them by turning on Notability's iCloud settings so the synced notes download again.

Download Backup Copies of Notes

If Notability's Third-Party Backup feature was turned on, you can download your backup copies back into Notability. See Download Notability Backup Copies into Notability in the Related Articles section for the steps.

Restore a Device from an iCloud Backup

If your notes were not synced to iCloud, they may have been included in an iCloud backup of your entire iPad.

  1. On your iPad, go to Settings > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage.
  2. If there is a BACKUPS list, tap a backup to see whether it contains data from Notability.

If you find a backup that contains Notability data, you can erase your iPad and restore that backup. See Apple's instructions in the Additional Resources section below.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

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