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High Sierra Contacts – Is the Notes Section Truncated?

Since I have upgraded to High Sierra I have noticed that my Notes in the Contacts app are truncated after six lines. The information is still there if I do a ‘select all’ and paste into another app. Thus this is a visual problem only – but annoying. Has anyone else noticed this? Is there a fix?
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Ken

Comments: 39 Responses to “High Sierra Contacts – Is the Notes Section Truncated?”

    7 years ago

    I'm not seeing this. When I look at a Contact in High Sierra I see as many lines as will fit in the window. Even if I shrink the window to show the least number of lines, I can then use the arrow keys to get around and scroll it but placing the cursor in the notes and using the down arrow. I can add as many lines as I want.

    Ken
    7 years ago

    I have some screenshots to share. All works fine on iCloud but is truncated on my laptop.

    7 years ago

    Ken: It have been able to get this to behave like you say, but only by creating a new contact with just a note. But the whole note is there, it is just a visual glitch. I can easily see the rest of the note by editing it, moving the cursor to the bottom (out of sight) and pressing Return.

    Ken
    7 years ago

    Gary: Great idea, and it works while on that contact but once you move away and then return it is truncated again! Must be a glitch somewhere as it is OK on iCloud. I will report back if I ever discover what it was.

    arnold
    7 years ago

    Ken, I have the same problem, and have reported the same to apple today. They have escalated the matter for a fix. However I am working to find a work around, and the only way I can show the entire note field is to select Edit / insert the cursor anywhere in the note field and type any key, presto the entire note field will show with the scroll bar on the side.

    Niel Ransom
    7 years ago

    Indeed, I found the identical problem in the beta version of High Sierra. Hard to believe the developers didn't notice this. My work around is to select all, cut, then paste. I then have the full note for editing / viewing, though I have the same display problem the next time I go to that same contact. For now, I'm holding off upgrading my main computer until this is fixed.

    Carol Rose
    7 years ago

    I just put High Sierra on my Mac and this issue with notes is a real problem. Hopefully it will get fixed soon! I love putting info in my contacts!

    Niel Ransom
    7 years ago

    Has anyone heard of any fixes in the plans? I've just installed the latest beta of the next release (10.13.1), and the problem is still not fixed.

    James
    7 years ago

    I have notice the same problem. The hidden lines are also shown on iOS devices (iPhone 11.0.3), and entering further comment lines on the device will sync via iCloud to the Mac running High Sierra and reveal more comment lines there. As noted before - appears to be a visual glitch.

    Eric
    6 years ago

    Still happening in 10.13.1. The workaround (click and any key) works OK.
    Thanks for all the great work, Gary!

    Benoit J.P. Flammang
    6 years ago

    I also have my notes truncated on OS X, but visible on IOS. Extremely annoying.

    Steve
    6 years ago

    I have the same problem. I use the Notes field of Contacts very extensively and they are visually cut off and problematic when trying to edit. They work fine in iOS 11, though. Pretty frustrating that with every software release there are always new bugs, stuff that worked fine before but now does not and should have been caught in testing!!!!

    Mark R
    6 years ago

    I have same problem ... truncated notes on my MacBook Pro using Contacts (Version 11.0 (1806)). Only way I can see the complete note is to move the cursor into the note field and hit enter. When I go away from that now visible note/contact, and then return, I have to repeat the process. Not a good work around for a program bug. When will Apple fix?? (High Sierra Vers 10.13.1 (17B48))

    James Wright
    6 years ago

    I have had the same problem since upgrading to High Sierra (10.13.1). Placing the cursor at the end of the visible text and backspacing makes the rest of the note appear. A pain but good to know the information is still there.

    Kent B.
    6 years ago

    As of Nov.20 2017 I still am experiencing same problem. Very frustrating. Easy to accidentally delete part of a note back spacing, which just happened to me.

    Jeff T
    6 years ago

    The problem persists and is a major irritation. Notes are truncated on my MacBook, although they appear in full on my iPhone. The suggestion by arnold to click on "edit" and type any key works, but it's hardly a convenient way of viewing the information each time. Any ideas as to when the glitch will be fixed?

    Lorenzo B.
    6 years ago

    I delayed a system upgrade for years and this one of the many reasons why... I necessarily have and vigilantly maintain, a very large Contacts file. Initially, after upgrade, it completely disappeared - which required a full day of valuable work time to hook up with a "genius" and recover from a back-up with nothing but a shrug as to why. Now this truncation, even with the helpful copes presented, is a ROYAL PAIN IN MY ARSE. Get it together Apple!! this kind of glitch lasting so long is...

    Niel Ransom
    6 years ago

    Since I needed to be there anyway, I discussed this with someone at the local Apple Genius Bar. His conclusion: seems to be a software problem! Anyway, he did some checking around and said that Apple is aware of and is "investigating" the issue. He also said that Apple's position is that the notes field is for minor comments and is not intended for extensive text. His proposed solution is for me to use Outlook instead.

    Michele S.
    6 years ago

    I am having the same issue. I use notes extensively and this is a big problem. If anyone finds a solution or can alert Apple that would be great.

    Michele S.
    6 years ago

    Mark & James suggestions work for now which was helpful thanks! (Going to the bottom of the note, hitting the space bar, then I arrow down for the rest of the note). I hope I can remember to do that each time. Niel's comment scares me that Apple considers Notes in Contacts for minor comments. I have novels in there!

    Carolyn M.
    6 years ago

    Had the same issue in mid November, 2017. Worked with 4 different Apple Tech Support Senior Advisors. They were unaware of the issue. After extensive troubleshooting, including erasing my brand new MacBook Pro and losing several days of productivity, they finally admitted it was their problem. They ran special diagnostics to send to the "engineers" and opened an issue. The workaround is just that. Pathetic that this even happened! I keep extensive notes about important conversations here.

    TV
    6 years ago

    Check with Apple. This is a designed change. Contacts notes are reduced to 100 some odd characters. I was told this by a senior Apple support tech. So don't expect to ever see more.

    robbosir
    6 years ago

    Just upgraded to 10.13.2. Problem still exists. Rrrrrrrrrrrrr!

    Lenir Drake
    6 years ago

    What is happening to Contacts????? I use it constantly and have tons of information in it, and now the cursor won't respond and I can't scan to the bottom of the notes page. Editing doesn't help all the time and it's an idiotic unnecessary step. Please fix it!!!!

    Jon Postyn
    6 years ago

    I am able to enter a full note for any of my contacts. Once a note is entered the note is cut off. Please fix. I live and die by my contact notes.

    Al
    6 years ago

    I just did the 10.13.2 update (and restarted) and problem is still there. Some of you might remember we had a similar issue with an earlier system... I think it was Lion. As others have reported, the data is there, you just can't scroll all the way to the end to see it. Very disappointed in Apple QC the past year or so.

    tim
    6 years ago

    The way I use notes, I cannot abide Apple's apparent intentional change reducing notes to <100 characters. Hard to believe. Anyone recommend a 3rd party app?

    Robert Marinaro
    6 years ago

    I am having the same problems with the truncated display of text in the notes field in addition to open records closing inadvertently when entering new data. I use the notes field in Contacts quite extensively and hope to see a fix soon. And as stated earlier, the 10.13.2 update did not the bug!

    Jay
    6 years ago

    Yep, same problem here. :(

    Bill McKelvy
    6 years ago

    I just upgraded my iMac 27 from macOS Sierra v10.12.6 to High Sierra v10.13.2 and have encountered the same bug. I will be turning in a report to Apple. Thank you to Gary and others for finding the workaround to tide us over since I use, nay depend on the Notes in Contacts. The workaround works for me.

    Dom
    6 years ago

    Same issue of text of notes in Contacts being visually truncated.
    But they are still visible on my other Mac which has not been upgraded yet to High Sierra.
    Pathetic that Contacts is not only vegetating as an app, but also suffers from OS upgrades due to poor QC by Apple.

    Dom
    6 years ago

    Also my cursor in notes within Contacts does not seem to move properly. Clicking does not land where intended. I need to use the arrows to pick a spot to type unless I click on Edit first. That seems to be a change from Sierra. Not sure if that's a general bug

    Marco
    6 years ago

    Same issue here:
    1. Notes truncated
    2. Cursor won't move within notes.

    Looking for a third party app that still integrates with other send functions within the environment (ie, being able to send files from within finder, sending iNotes etc). Have tried installing outlook but iMail still launches when you try to send from a "right click" option... if that makes sense

    Russ
    6 years ago

    Yep, contacts are truncated. It appears to be a pixel limitation rather than a number of lines as the truncated area changes as I change the size of the display font.

    Rick Sheldon
    6 years ago

    I have the same problem running 10.13.2. I usually keep a good bit of information in each of my contacts and in the process of creating some new ones, it became obvious that Contacts hides information that is there. Effectively, this is what I call data loss. Even if it is there but you can't see it, is it really there? Pretty goofy, Contacts is not a complicated piece of code so I am a bit miffed as to why Apple has this problem?

    Patrick
    6 years ago

    Same problem. Exasperating. If Apple thought we should not use the NOTES FIELD ON A CONTACTS DATABASE for anything other than short notes, they should have clearly and repeatedly stated this a very long time ago. To do this now is a pretty shitty "spitting in the eye" of long-time loyal users. Geez!
    But I too have had luck with the work arounds listed above.

    John Franich
    6 years ago

    Same problem on my iMac and MacBook Pro. I was appalled to read that Apple recommended that a user use a Microsoft product (Outlook). I doubt that there is any efficiency gained by truncating the notes display. The fix ought to be easy.

    Warren Brook
    6 years ago

    Same problem on my MacBook Pro since "upgrading" to High Sierra 10.13.2. Truncated notes in Contacts.

    Mike C
    6 years ago

    Same problem - using High Sierra 10.13.2) - here is the solution - Edit to edit a note - if it is like me you will see only two lines - start the edit (say) near the end of the 2nd line by trying to insert a word - this will cause Notes to display the complete set of note lines (say 4-5 lines) - now go to the end of the text for the note (e.g. line 4 or line 5) and insert 2-3 carnage returns (which inserts blank lines at the bottom of the text - now Done - violà - fixed

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