How to Undo in Notes on iPhone: The Easiest Guide

Tenley Haraldson

Last updated January 16, 2024

The Notes app is a handy tool for jotting down quick ideas, reminders, and other notes on Apple devices. However, knowing how to undo in Notes on iPhone is critical when you accidentally delete details, modify important information, or simply have a typo.

No matter the device, there are a few methods to go back in Apple Notes. From shaking an iPhone to using finger gestures, I’m walking you through all the directions you’ll need – on any device.

This Article Covers:

How To Undo in Notes on iPhone

If you’re using an iPhone, There are three ways to undo in the Notes app.

Using the Undo button
Simply shaking your phone
Using finger gestures

Is There an Undo Button on Apple’s Notes App?

You bet there is. To use the undo button:

Create a new note by tapping the “Compose” button (lower-right corner). You can also edit an existing note by choosing from the list or gallery.
Type or sketch your Note. To undo mistakes, tap on the “left arrow” sign in the upper-right corner of the keyboard.
If you change your mind, simply press the curved arrow pointing to the right.

Shaking Your iPhone to Undo

Shaking your iPhone is particularly useful if you’re using your device with one hand.

To set it up, you’ll first need to open Settings > Accessibility > Touch option > Shake to Undo.

In the Notes app, type or sketch your changes.
To undo something, shake the phone by quickly moving it with a jerking motion. One shake should be enough.
A menu option should appear, asking you to “Undo Typing” or “Undo Add Strokes.” This depends on whether you typed or sketched something.
You can redo these changes by shaking the phone and tapping “Redo Typing” or “Redo Add Strokes.”

Using Finger Gestures

Looking for ways to undo Notes without shaking your iPhone? Using finger gestures is another quick and easy method.

In the Notes app, place three fingers on the screen and swipe them to the left. This should undo your last action. As confirmation, the “Undo” notification will appear at the top of the screen.
To redo the action, swipe to the right with three fingers. You should see the “Redo” notification at the top of the screen.

Tapping with Three Fingers

You can also double-tap using three fingers. Doing so will bring up the Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, and Redo options.

Can You Recover Deleted Text in Notes on iPhone?

Unfortunately, once your text has been undone and altered again, there’s not much you can do to retrieve it. According to Apple, you can only recover deleted notes for 30 days. Permanently deleted notes cannot be recovered at all.

In Notes, click the Recently Deleted folder.
Slide the desired Note to the left and select the file symbol.
Select “Notes” to remove it from the “Recently Deleted” folder.

How To Undo in Notes on iPad

Since it’s a much larger device than an iPhone, iPads are able to fit more commands onto its screen. This makes it easier to undo and redo tablet changes.

You can do this in two ways: by accessing the “Undo” button and by using the keyboard.

Using the Undo Button

Here’s how to undo changes on iPad Notes using the “undo” button:

To undo a change, tap on the “Markup tool” icon on the top-right corner of the screen. Select the “Undo” icon, which is a curved arrow pointing to the left.
If you changed your mind, tap “Redo” (the curved arrow pointing to the right).

Using the Keyboard

Using an iPad keyboard is better for undoing text.

Undo a change by tapping on the “Compose” button in the upper-right corner of the screen. The keyboard should appear on the screen at this point.
To undo, press the left-curved arrow. To redo, press the right-curved arrow.

How To Undo Notes on a Mac

To undo changes on a Mac:

Firstly, you can use the external keyboard shortcut “Command + Z”. You can also select Edit > Undo Typing in the menu bar.

To restore the action, press Shift + Cmd + Z. Otherwise, select Edit > Redo typing.

Wrapping Up

Knowing how to undo in Notes on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac is an incredibly useful feature that saves time and hassle. Using these simple steps and shortcuts, you can undo and redo actions in Notes in almost no time!

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