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Fix iCloud Sync between iPhone, iPad, and Mac

If your Goodnotes documents are not syncing between an iPhone or iPad and a Mac, complete each check below on every affected device.

Important: This article applies to iCloud Sync on Apple devices. All devices must use the same Apple Account and the latest available version of Goodnotes.

1. Update Goodnotes on every device

Install the latest Goodnotes update on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Sync can stop when devices use different app versions.

  1. Open the Goodnotes App Store page on each device.
  2. If Update appears, select it.
  3. Repeat these steps on every device you want to sync.

Check the App Store page directly even if the App Store icon does not show a pending update.

2. Use the same Apple Account

Confirm that your iPhone, iPad, and Mac are signed in to the same Apple Account used for iCloud. Documents will not sync between devices using different Apple Accounts.

3. Enable iCloud Sync in Goodnotes

  1. Open Goodnotes on each device.
  2. Open Goodnotes menu > Cloud & Backup > Cloud Storage.
  3. Enable “Use iCloud to Sync Documents”.
  4. Repeat these steps on every Apple device you want to sync.

4. Allow Goodnotes to use iCloud Drive on your Mac

  1. On your Mac, open System Settings > Apple Account > iCloud > iCloud Drive.
  2. Enable “Sync this Mac”.
  3. Select Apps Syncing to iCloud Drive.
  4. Enable Goodnotes.

Sync this Mac enabled in iCloud Drive settings on macOS

Goodnotes enabled under Apps Syncing to iCloud Drive on macOS

5. Check your available iCloud storage

Make sure your Apple Account has enough available iCloud storage to sync your Goodnotes library. See Apple's guide to manage iCloud storage on Mac.

If Goodnotes still does not sync

If the issue remains after completing every check, see Troubleshoot iCloud Sync issues for additional steps.