Notability PDF missing after sync?
If a note looks wrong after syncing — for example, your handwriting remains but the imported PDF background has disappeared — the exported .note package may help identify what is actually missing.
NoteMend does not repair Notability sync itself. It diagnoses one specific file-level condition that can sometimes be left behind after a note loses its PDF background.
The repair case NoteMend supports
The exported note still contains a reference to exactly one PDF background, but that PDF file is absent from the package. If you still have the same original PDF, NoteMend can prepare a repaired copy by restoring it under the internal filename Notability expects.
What to do first
- Keep the affected note and do not overwrite your only copy.
- Export or share it from Notability in Note (.note) format.
- Keep the original PDF that was imported into the note.
- Run NoteMend's free diagnosis.
Diagnose the exported note free →
When NoteMend will stop
It will not offer a repair if the expected PDF is already present, more than one PDF reference is missing, or the package metadata is unclear. It also cannot recover deleted notes, missing handwriting, or a PDF you no longer have.
Why diagnosis comes before payment
Sync-related symptoms can have different causes. NoteMend checks the actual exported package first, so you are only asked to pay when the narrow supported repair is detected and a repaired copy has been prepared locally.
Related guides
- Notability PDF background disappeared
- Annotations visible but PDF missing
- Recover a missing PDF inside a .note file
- How the NoteMend repair works
Always keep your original .note until the repaired copy has been imported and verified. NoteMend is independent and is not affiliated with Ginger Labs, Inc.