1. Check iCloud Settings on New Phone
Make sure your new iPhone is syncing the right iCloud data:
Go to:
Settings → Tap your name at the top → iCloud
- Contacts: Ensure the toggle is on.
- Notes: Ensure the toggle is on.
- Scroll down in the Notes app to check if it's set to "iCloud" and not "On My iPhone" or another email account.
2. Verify You're Logged into the Same iCloud Account
Sometimes we unknowingly use a different Apple ID:
Go to:
Settings → Tap your name at the top
Check that the Apple ID/email matches the one from your old phone.
3. Check iCloud.com from a Computer
Visit www.icloud.com and log in with your Apple ID.
- Check Contacts → Are they visible there?
- Check Notes → Are the missing notes listed there?
If they're present here, they should sync to your new phone once the correct iCloud toggles are on and the device has internet access.
4. Restore from an Older iCloud Backup (Optional Last Resort)
If your contacts/notes were in a previous backup, you can:
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings
- When prompted, choose to restore from a previous iCloud backup — select one from the day before or just before the shutdown issue started.
Warning: This will erase the current contents of the phone. Only do this if you’ve exhausted other options and have a current backup of what's on your new phone.
5. Notes May Be Linked to Email Accounts
Open the Notes app → Tap < Folders in the top left → See if notes are stored under Gmail, Yahoo, etc.
If you had notes saved under another email account (not iCloud), re-adding that email in:
Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account
Then enable “Notes” for that account.
6. Favorite Contacts Missing? Try This
Favorites are usually stored per-device unless your contacts were synced and re-added manually:
- Once contacts are restored, you may need to manually re-add favorites.
- If you're using WhatsApp favorites or custom ringtones, they may also need resetting.
