I often use Apple's Notes app to sum up my work at the end of the day or to jot down the stuff I need to plan for an upcoming trip. It's light on features, but I like the convenience of using the same app across my iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch. Like any normal person, I do tend to make mistakes (accidentally) when switching between these devices, but the Undo option in Notes has saved me time and again. In this guide, I'll explain how to undo in the Notes app on your iPhone.
How to Undo in Notes on iPhone
There are numerous ways you can undo a change inside the Notes app on your iPhone.
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Using Undo Option
The simplest way to undo in Notes is by using the app's native Undo button. It's marked by a curved arrow icon pointing leftward, and it shows up at the top of the screen as soon as you start making changes to your current notes. Here's what you can do with it:
- Tap on the Undo button once: It undoes the last change you made inside the note.
- Long-press the Undo button: This will open an overflow menu with Undo and Redo options. Undo undoes the last action, while Redo brings back the previous action.
You can undo and redo any number of actions up until when you last opened the note you're on.
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Using Three-Finger Gestures
Apple also packs in some gestures inside the native Notes app, and you can use them to undo and redo actions.
Three-Finger Single Tap
After you make some edits inside an entry on the Notes app, you can tap anywhere on the screen (outside the keyboard) using three fingers. You'll then see an overlay bar appear at the top showing an Undo icon on the left and Redo icon on the right, with Cut, Copy and Paste options in-between.
You can use them to make changes inside the note, and this overlay can come in handy if you want to make repeated undos or redos.
Three-Finger Double Tap
You can also use three fingers to double-tap on the screen, and this will quickly undo the last action you made inside a specific note. This is quite useful if you wish to undo a bunch of your previous edits, as you can double-tap with three fingers any number of times since you last opened the current note.
Like with the single-tap, this action will also prompt the overlay bar at the top to show the Undo and Redo icons.
Three-Finger Single Tap Swipe
Now this is where things get interesting. Apple makes it even more convenient to undo notes on the iPhone, and you can do so using the same three fingers you used earlier. You can perform the following actions inside the entry you're editing inside the Notes app on iPhone:
- Swipe left with three fingers to undo the last action, can be repeated to undo multiple actions.
- Swipe right with three fingers to redo the edit and swipe multiple times to bring back content.
Like the Undo option, the swipe gesture only works until the last active edit is brought back. Once you've reached the last available undo/redo memory, it'll show the "Nothing to Undo/Redo" message at the top.
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Using Shake to Undo
iOS has a nifty little trick called 'Shake to Undo' that you can use to undo notes. It's an accessibility feature that needs to be enabled inside iPhone settings first before you can use it in the Notes app. Here's how to enable and use Shake to Undo in the Notes app on your iPhone:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to Accessibility > Touch.
- Here, scroll down and turn on the Shake to Undo toggle.
- Once enabled, you can open an entry inside the Notes app and make changes to it. To undo a recent change, shake your iPhone physically and tap on the Undo option inside the prompt that shows up.
Although this feature is fun to use, it can get pretty cumbersome if you want to undo several times since it'll prompt you every time you shake the iPhone to confirm.
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Undo Option Doesn't Appear in Notes App, Why?
The Undo button only shows up in the Notes app after you make an active edit like typing, pasting or erasing text in the editing mode. The app clears its undo memory the moment you tap on the check sign, switch to another app, lock your screen or open a different notes folder.
So, if you closed the Notes app or opened another app after your last edit, you won't be able to see the Undo icon inside Notes, and the previous changes cannot be undone. This also holds true when you close a note, switch to a different note and start editing there.
Another reason why the Undo option may not be showing up could be because your iPhone keyboard is hidden or inactive. But you can bring it back by tapping anywhere on the screen. Some third-party keyboard apps may also override Apple's formatting options, including the Undo bar, so we suggest switching back to the iOS keyboard to use Undo.
You can check whether you can undo a note even if there's no visible Undo button at the top by using the three-finger tap or swipe gestures we explained above.
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How to Undo Accidental Deletes in iPhone Notes App
If you deleted an entire entry inside the Notes app on your iPhone, you can easily recall it by following these steps:
- Navigate to the main Folders screen on the Notes app and select Recently Deleted.
- Here, long-press on the note you want to recover.
- Now, select Move and choose the folder you want to move this note to.
The selected note will now be restored to its previous state. It's important to note that Apple only allows you to recover notes for up to 30 days from when the note was deleted. Shared notes cannot be retrieved from the Recently Deleted sections, as they're removed immediately once deleted.
These undo tips should help you make the most out of the iPhone Notes app. For the folks who're only getting started with Notes, the swipe gestures and three-finger taps can come in quite handy in the long run. Keep jotting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Undo on any notes inside the Notes app?
You cannot undo changes across all notes at once nor can you undo edits after closing a note. The Notes app only lets you undo changes inside a single note entry that you are actively editing and only until you close it or switch to a different note or app.
Why do I not see the Undo option?
The Undo option may not appear inside the Notes app if you haven't made any recent changes to the note or if you've closed it or switched to another app or note since your last edit.
How do I redo an undo?
You can redo your undo by long-pressing on the Undo button inside a note and selecting Redo or by swiping right using three fingers on the screen. Alternatively, you can redo a change using a three-finger tap and hitting the Redo icon from the overlay.
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