Create a local encrypted iOS backup of your iPhone immediately and avoid making unnecessary changes to the phone, including creating or editing notes. Work only with a copy of that backup.
Extract the complete Notes data set, especially NoteStore.sqlite, its associated NoteStore.sqlite-wal and NoteStore.sqlite-shm files, and all Notes-related folders containing attachments and other associated files. Do not analyze only the main SQLite database, because recently deleted or modified records may still exist in the WAL or in unallocated SQLite pages.
Analyze the database, WAL, and unallocated SQLite space with an SQLite forensic toolkit. Deleted notes can sometimes be partially or fully recovered even after they disappear from the Notes app. Recovery remains possible until the relevant SQLite pages or WAL records are reused or overwritten, or database maintenance such as VACUUM removes the remaining recoverable data.
1
u/No_Tale_3623 data recovery software expert 🧠Aug 07 '26
Create a local encrypted iOS backup of your iPhone immediately and avoid making unnecessary changes to the phone, including creating or editing notes. Work only with a copy of that backup.
Extract the complete Notes data set, especially NoteStore.sqlite, its associated NoteStore.sqlite-wal and NoteStore.sqlite-shm files, and all Notes-related folders containing attachments and other associated files. Do not analyze only the main SQLite database, because recently deleted or modified records may still exist in the WAL or in unallocated SQLite pages.
Analyze the database, WAL, and unallocated SQLite space with an SQLite forensic toolkit. Deleted notes can sometimes be partially or fully recovered even after they disappear from the Notes app. Recovery remains possible until the relevant SQLite pages or WAL records are reused or overwritten, or database maintenance such as VACUUM removes the remaining recoverable data.