How to force sync Apple Notes across devices?

If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app

Here’s how to check your iCloud sync settings, and restart if needed.

If your iCloud notes aren't appearing on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Vision Pro, follow these steps.

1. Open the Settings app and tap your name. 
2. Tap iCloud, then tap Notes.
3. Make sure Sync this [device] is on, then check the Notes app.
4. If you still don't see your notes, restart your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro. After restarting, check your settings again.

After these steps, your iCloud notes should appear and start syncing again on devices signed in to the same Apple Account. When syncing completes, content previously synced to iCloud should appear.

If you upgrade your notes, you can view and edit them on other devices that use OS X 10.11 or later, iOS 9 or later or iPadOS 13 or later, and which are signed in to iCloud using the same Apple Account. You can’t access upgraded notes on devices that use earlier versions of OS X or iOS. Also, any notes you create or edit on those devices won’t appear on devices with upgraded notes.

Use iCloud Notes

Use iCloud notes to see notes on all your devices, and get the most up-to-date features — including additional formatting, and the use of checklists, tables and media from your iPhone or iPad. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click your name at the top of the sidebar, then click iCloud. Click See All next to “Saved to iCloud”, click Notes, then turn on Sync this Mac.

Use iCloud Notes

Use iCloud notes to see notes on all your devices, and get the most up-to-date features — including additional formatting, and the use of checklists, tables and media from your iPhone or iPad. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click your name at the top of the sidebar, then click iCloud. Click See All next to “Saved to iCloud”, click Notes, then turn on Sync this Mac.

If it was ON, turn it OFF then back ON.

This happens to me a lot - iCloud synch is a buggy mess from my perspective and you have my sympathy. Try the following, in no particular order.

Write a new note on the non-synching device.

If the problem is the note going from a Mac to another device then kill the process "bird" on the Mac using either Terminal or Activity monitor.

Turn iCloud synch off and on on each of the devices until Notes synchs. This won't work if you're out with your iPhone and the problem is on the Mac. If you've got a lot of notes and poor connectivity it's also not a good option; you can leave the notes on the device to speed up the download but that often doesn't fix the non-downloading items.

Well no, it's automatically synced depending on your Internet connection.

I just tested a short note and it's immediately synced between my Mac, iPhone and iPad.

BillfromPyrmont wrote:

It's helpful to have your straightforward summary. I've had Notes switched on in 'Saved to Cloud' on both Mac and Phone for years, yet syncing fails.

Are you saying that it didn't synced at all since the beginning?

Logon to iCloud using your Mac

https://icloud.com/notes with your Apple Account and password.

What do you see there?

Maybe here

Apple - Support - System Status

No. I'm asking how to force Apple notes to sync across devices.

There are often long delays. I‘ve started a note on my iPhone, and I want to amend on my MBP, but the note hasn't appeared.

Is there any way to sync when I need?

I have previously followed the steps you recommend without obtaining syncing across devices. On your advice I followed the final step [shown below with underline].

"Click See All next to “Saved to iCloud”, click Notes, then turn on Sync this Mac.

If it was ON, turn it OFF then back ON."

I turned “Saved to iCloud”, OFF, then ON.

This produced no change, and no syncing of Notes on the Mac. So I quit and re-opened Notes. The Notes app reopened with no content at all!

I rebooted iCloud Notes and iPhone notes, and they remain in sync.

There seems to be a problem with the MacBook Pro M1, with OS27.0.

I'll also attach a report from EtreCheckPro.

Any thoughts?

It helps to know that my difficulties are not unique, because Apple may decide to pay some attention.

I do have a lot of notes. They have become my database of collected information and memories.

I did not expect your "kill the bird" suggestion. I don't seem to have any problem in that area based on the Activity Monitor.

My Notes are once again spontaneously syncing across devices, following an overnight shutdown of my MBP.

Thanks to all those who have offered suggestions. I have no idea of what finally brought Notes back to life.

It's helpful to have your straightforward summary. I've had Notes switched on in 'Saved to Cloud' on both Mac and Phone for years, yet syncing fails.

I have very fast WiFi. Are there any other aspects of 'internet connection' that could be causing syncing delays?

System Status is fine.

New notes on iPhone sync to Notes in iCloud, yet fail to sync to MacBook Pro!?

Just a thought, do you happened to have any email accounts that include Notes?

No I never 'Share' a Note, if that's what you mean.

[When I ask Siri to check, "Have I sent any Apple Notes by email? Please identify." I get the Siri is down-loading response.]

BillfromPyrmont wrote:

No I never 'Share' a Note, if that's what you mean.

No I meant email accounts can include Notes syncing

eg. iCloud, Gmail, Hotmail, etc.

Check your email accounts on your Mac.

I have only 2 mail accounts: iCloud and Gmail.

iCloud does sync with Notes--which is necessary, of course.

Gmail is NOT synced with notes.

Glad to hear it's working again.