How to use passcode-protected notes in iOS 9.3 and OS X El Capitan 10.11.4

One of the key features of Apple's latest iOS 9.3 or OS X El Capitan version 10.11.4 is password-protected notes. You can now protect your note-taking app using passcode to keep your private data that includes financial details, medical information or login credentials, secure from others.

Notes uses a single password for all the notes that you want to protect across all the devices. If you own an iPhone or iPod touch, you can use fingerprint to open your locked notes. Given below are details explaining how to use passcode-protected notes.

The first thing you will need to do is create a password that you can remember easily, before locking your notes. If you have access to your iCloud notes on more than one Apple device, you can use the same notes password to lock and unlock the notes across all devices.

Create a password in setting for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

• Head over to Settings
• Tap Password
• Enter a password then set a password hint
• Tap Done

To create a password in Notes iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

• Open any note that you want to lock
• Tap>> Lock Note
• Enter a password
• Tap Done

Passcode-protected Notes for Mac

You can create a password on your Mac directly in the Notes apps. In the menu bar, click Notes>> Set Password. Enter a password then give a password for hint and click Done.

Lock a note on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

• Open the note you want to lock
• Tap the sign showing a box with an arrow in it at the top of the screen
• Choose Lock Note

Alternatively, you can lock your note by tapping the lock sign at the top of the screen.

Lock a note on Mac

• Open the note you want to lock
• Click Lock Note
• Select Lock Note

Remember, you cannot lock notes that contain PDFs, audios, videos, keynotes, pages or number documents.

How to open a locked note on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

• Tap the locked note
• Tap View Note
• Enter your password or use Touch ID

How to open a locked note on Mac and iCloud

• Click the locked note
• Enter your password

The locked noted will stay unlocked for up to three minutes, allowing you to jump from another note. Copy the information from other apps and more. When you close the Notes app or your iOS device goes to sleep, the note gets locked again.

Remove lock from notes

For iPhone, iPad or iPod touch:

• Tap the locked note
• Enter your password or use Touch ID
• Tap the box with an arrow sign
• Choose Remove Lock

For Mac:

• Click the locked note
• Enter your password
• Click lock sign
• Select Remove lock

When you remove the lock from a note, it is removed on all the devices that you have signed in using the same Apple ID.

To change password in notes

• Head over to Settings>> Notes>> Password
• Tap Change Password
• Enter your current password, then enter a new password and password hint
• Those on Mac, Open Notes
• In the menu bar, choose Notes>> Change Password
• Enter your old password, then enter new password and a password hint
• Click Change Password

To reset notes password

If you happen to forget the password for your locked notes, Apple will not be able to help you regain access to your locked notes. But you can always reset your password. However, this will not give you access to your old notes. It will let you password-protect any notes that you create from that point.

iPhone, iPad or iPod touch user

• Head over to Settings>> Notes>> Password
• Tap Reset Notes Password
• Enter your Apple ID password
• Tap Reset Notes Password again
• Enter new password and password hint

For Mac, do the following

• Open Notes
• In the menu bar, click Notes>> Rest Password>> click OK
• Enter your Apple ID password
• Click Reset Password
• Enter new password and you are done

Resetting Notes password does not delete or change the password of your notes that are locked. You can always reset a locked note's password by entering your old password, then unlock the note and lock it again with a new password. Head over to Apple support site for more details about passcode-protected notes.