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Recover from iCloud file conflicts

Updated: 2025-10-13

You recorded a great note. Now you can't find it. Or worse — you find two versions of it with slightly different content, and you're not sure which is correct.

This is an iCloud sync conflict. It happens. Here's how to fix it.

Why conflicts happen

iCloud works great most of the time. But occasionally, timing creates problems:

Scenario 1: Simultaneous edits You edit a note on your iPhone. Before it syncs, you edit the same note on your Mac. iCloud doesn't know which version is "correct," so it keeps both and adds "(conflicted copy)" to one.

Scenario 2: Folder moves during sync You're reorganizing folders while a note is still uploading. The sync gets confused about where the file should land.

Scenario 3: Offline edits You edit a note in Airplane Mode. Your Mac (still online) also edits it. When your phone reconnects, iCloud creates a conflict instead of overwriting.

These aren't bugs. They're iCloud being careful not to lose your data when it encounters ambiguity.

How to find the missing or conflicted note

Step 1: Check Recents in Files app

  1. Open Files app on iPhone or iPad
  2. Tap Recents in the bottom navigation
  3. Scroll through recent files
  4. Look for filenames containing "(conflicted copy)" or your note's date

Conflicted copies usually appear here with timestamps close to when you recorded.

Step 2: Search the Brain Dump folder

  1. Open Files app → iCloud Drive → Brain Dump
  2. Tap the search box at the top
  3. Type today's date in your filename format (e.g., 2025-01-15)
  4. Or search for a unique word you remember from the note

Step 3: Full-text search in Obsidian (if you use it)

  1. Open Obsidian
  2. Tap search icon
  3. Type a distinctive phrase from your note
  4. Obsidian searches the full content, not just filenames

This finds notes even if the filename got mangled.

How to merge conflicted copies

When you find two versions of the same note:

Step 1: Open both files side-by-side

On Mac:

On iPhone/iPad:

Step 2: Identify which version is newer/better

Look at:

Usually one version is clearly more complete.

Step 3: Copy missing content

If both versions have unique content:

  1. Keep the more complete version open
  2. Copy any missing paragraphs from the other version
  3. Paste them into the version you're keeping

Step 4: Delete the duplicate

Once you've merged everything into one file:

  1. Delete the conflicted copy
  2. Keep the original filename (without "conflicted copy" in the name)
  3. The clean version will sync to all devices

Step 5: Verify sync

Wait 30 seconds, then check another device (Mac, iPad). Make sure the merged version appeared and the duplicate is gone.

Real example: How I recovered a lost note

I was working on project planning notes. Edited on my iPhone during a walk. Came home, opened the same note on my Mac, made more edits. Both saved.

An hour later: two files with different content.

What I found:

What I did:

  1. Opened both in VS Code side-by-side
  2. The iPhone version had 3 paragraphs the Mac version didn't
  3. The Mac version had 2 bullet points the iPhone version didn't
  4. Copied the missing content from each into the original file
  5. Deleted the conflicted copy
  6. Checked my iPhone — the merged version synced within 30 seconds

Total time: 2 minutes.

How to prevent conflicts

Don't edit the same note on multiple devices without syncing first

Before editing a note, make sure it's fully synced:

Let sync finish before reorganizing folders

When you move notes into folders:

  1. Wait for the uploads to complete
  2. Don't force-quit the Files app during sync
  3. Keep wifi/cellular on until you see the sync indicator finish

Use one device at a time for active editing

I treat my iPhone as my capture device and my Mac as my refining device. I don't edit the same note on both in the same hour.

If I do need to edit on both, I make sure to sync between edits: capture on iPhone → wait 30 seconds → refresh on Mac → edit on Mac.

Enable "Keep Downloaded" for critical notes

In Files app:

  1. Long-press an important note
  2. Tap "Keep Downloaded"
  3. This forces the file to stay locally synced

Helps prevent conflicts when you're moving between wifi and cellular.

What if you still can't find the note?

Check Time Machine (Mac only)

If you have Time Machine backup:

  1. Open Finder → iCloud Drive → Brain Dump folder
  2. Enter Time Machine (clock icon in menu bar)
  3. Navigate back to when the note existed
  4. Restore it

Check iCloud.com on a desktop browser

Sometimes files appear on iCloud.com that aren't showing on your devices:

  1. Go to iCloud.com in a browser
  2. Sign in
  3. Open iCloud Drive → Brain Dump
  4. Look for your note
  5. Download it if you find it

Email support (last resort)

If the note is truly gone and it's critical:

The folder reorganization trap

This is the most common way people lose notes:

  1. You record a new note (it starts uploading to iCloud)
  2. Before upload finishes, you reorganize folders
  3. The note gets orphaned — it's in iCloud but not in the expected folder structure
  4. You can't find it because you're looking in the wrong folder

Solution: Always wait 30-60 seconds after recording before reorganizing folders. Let the sync indicator finish.

Use Git for insurance

If you lose notes regularly, consider backing up with Git. It gives you complete version history independent of iCloud.

See the backup with Git guide for setup instructions.

With Git, you can always roll back to yesterday's version, even if iCloud created a conflict.

The bottom line

Conflicts are annoying but recoverable. Most "lost" notes aren't actually lost — they're just in Recents with a weird filename.

Check Recents. Search by date. Merge the versions. Delete the duplicate. Move on.

And next time: let sync finish before editing on a different device.

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