How to Fix Notes Collaboration Errors on iPhone & iPad

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14 easy troubleshooting tips for when you can't collaborate on a Note
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Are you trying to collaborate on a Note on your iPhone or iPad, but you keep getting the "Unable to Start Collaboration" error? This is a frustrating issue, especially if Notes collaboration worked for you in the past. Most of the time, the cause of this error is a mismatch in your iCloud settings, but there are a number of ways to try to fix this issue. In this article, we cover them all with easy step-by-step instructions. Keep reading to learn more.

Fixing Notes Collaboration Issues

First, try updating your iPhone or iPad. Make sure you're signed in to iCloud and that iCloud Drive is enabled. Ensure the Notes app also is syncing to your iCloud. The other user must also have an Apple device and be signed in to iCloud to collaborate on Notes.

1

Update your iPhone or iPad.

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  1. Sometimes, older versions of iOS or iPadOS can have bugs that interfere with Notes collaboration. Updating your device to the newest version of iOS or iPadOS is the best thing to try first when encountering this problem. [1]
    • To update your device, open the Settings app and tap General > Software Update . If an update is available, you can install it from this screen.
    • Unfortunately, sometimes updating your device can actually break Notes collaboration instead of fixing it. If this is the case, jump to the bottom of this article to learn more.
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2

Ensure the other user has an Apple device.

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  1. Notes collaboration can only be done between Apple devices. If the person you're trying to collaborate with is not using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer, you won't be able to share a Note with them. This is because Notes collaboration happens through the Notes app, which is an Apple-specific system app.
    • If you need to share and collaborate notes with a non-Apple user, consider using a different app instead. Google Keep is a popular option that is available on Apple devices, Android devices, and on the web.
3

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  1. Ensure both you and the other user are signed in to iCloud. Notes collaboration works by using iCloud. If you or the other person aren't signed in to iCloud, that can cause issues when trying to collaborate on a Note. [2]
    • To sign in to iCloud, open the Settings app on your device and tap the banner at the top of the menu. If you've previously signed in, this banner will say your name. If you've never signed in to your Apple Account (also called Apple ID on older versions of iOS), it will say "Apple Account."
    • If you've recently changed your iCloud password , you may need to re-sign in to iCloud on your device. Tap your name at the top of the Settings menu to sign back in.
    • If you're currently signed in to iCloud, try logging out and then logging back in. Some users have found that this fixes the issue of Notes collaboration not working.
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4

Restart your device.

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  1. Turning your device off and back on can fix random glitches. A number of bugs and glitches can occur when your device is on, and these bugs can affect random things on your device—such as Notes collaboration. Restarting your device will refresh it, and potentially clear out those glitches that are causing you problems.
    • If your device has a Home button, press and hold the single button on the top or side of your device until you see the power off slider, then swipe that slider to turn off your device. Turn the device back on by pressing and holding the same button until you see the Apple logo.
    • If your device doesn't have a Home button, press and hold the single button on the top or side of your device and the volume up or down button until you see the power off slider, then swipe that slider to turn off your device. Turn the device back on by pressing and holding the single button on the top or side of your device until you see the Apple logo.
5

Enable iCloud Drive.

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  1. Even if you're signed in to iCloud, you may still encounter issues with Notes collaboration if iCloud Drive isn't enabled. To check, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud , then tap Drive under "Saved to iCloud." Toggle on "Sync this iPhone" to enable iCloud Drive, then try to collaborate again.
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6

Ensure you have enough storage.

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  1. Check your iCloud storage. If you don't have enough iCloud storage available, you may not be able to collaborate in Notes. To check how much iCloud storage you have available, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud . The amount of storage available is shown at the top of the screen.
    • If your storage is almost full, tap on Storage and see what is all saved in your iCloud storage. Tap one of the options and choose Turn Off and Delete from iCloud or Delete Data From iCloud to free up some storage.
    • If you don't want to delete anything in your iCloud storage, tap Storage > Get More Storage to sign up for iCloud+. Getting more storage isn't free, and it will cost between $0.99 and $59.99 per month (depending on which option you choose).
7

Ensure your Notes aren't locked.

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  1. Make sure your Note doesn't have a password. Open the Note you want to share and tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner. If you see an icon of a lock with a slash through it that says Remove , tap it. This will remove the password protection from your Note and unlock it. Locked, password-protected Notes cannot be shared.
    • If you tap the three-dot icon and see the word Lock with an icon of a lock, your Note is not locked, and you can try a different method.
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8

Turn off Private Relay.

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  1. Disable Private Relay if you have iCloud+. Other users have found that turning off the Private Relay setting fixed the issue of not being able to start Notes collaboration. This option is only available if you have iCloud+. [3]
    • To disable Private Relay, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay . Then, tap Turn Off Private Relay to disable it.
9

Ignore Private Relay.

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  1. If you don't want to fully disable Private Relay, some users have found that choosing to ignore it when sharing a Note fixed the problem of not being able to collaborate. [4]
    • With Private Relay on, share a Note, then choose Ignore Private Relay .
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10

Enable Notes syncing in iCloud.

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  1. Ensure your Notes app is syncing with iCloud. If your Notes app isn't synced with iCloud, it can cause issues with Notes collaboration. To do this, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Saved to iCloud . Then, tap on Notes and toggle on Sync this iPhone .
11

Move your Note to the iCloud folder.

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  1. Ensure the Note is in the iCloud folder. If the Note you want to share and collaborate on isn't in the iCloud folder, it can cause issues with starting up collaboration. To change the Note's location in your device's files, open the Note and tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner. Then, tap Move Note and choose a destination folder under the "iCloud" heading.
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12

Enable FreeForm in iCloud.

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  1. Make sure to enable FreeForm in iCloud, if you have it. If you use the FreeForm app, some users have found that if it's not enabled in iCloud, it can cause issues with Notes collaboration. [5] To do this, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Saved to iCloud . Then, toggle on FreeForm .
13

Try sharing on your MacBook.

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  1. Switch to your MacBook if your iPhone or iPad isn't working. Some users found that starting a Notes collaboration on their MacBook fixed the issue on their iPhone or iPad. And, even if this doesn't solve the issue on your mobile device immediately, it might be a good temporary workaround. If your MacBook and iPhone/iPad are both connected to the same Apple account, the Note will sync across your devices.
    • To share a Note on your Mac, open the Note in the Notes app, then click the share button in the toolbar. Choose the option to collaborate, then invite other users to collaborate on the note. [6]
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14

Wait for an update.

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  1. Sometimes, iOS/iPadOS updates can cause issues with Notes collaboration. If nothing else in this article has fixed the problem, you may need to wait for an operating system update to fix the issue.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102462
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102462
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/iphone/iph499d287c2/ios
      4. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/1dol3xt/unable_to_start_collaboration_error/
      5. ↑ https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254425837?sortBy=oldest_first&page=1 https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254425837
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/notes/apda5307056b/mac

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