If annotations are missing from your script, work through the steps below in order. Most cases are a hidden Layer (Layer visibility toggled off) or a Lost Layer (caused by opening the file in another PDF app) — both are recoverable. The remaining steps cover file-level and cloud-level recovery.

Quick checks first

1. Are your notes on a hidden Layer?

This is the #1 cause of "missing" notes. Annotations live on Layers, and if the Layer containing your notes has its visibility toggled off, the notes disappear from view.

1. Open your script.
2. Open the Layers from the Top Toolbar.
3. Check that every Layer's visibility toggle is on.

If a hidden Layer was the issue, your notes reappear immediately. See How to show or hide Layers if you're not sure where the visibility toggles are.

2. Close and reopen the file, and make sure Scriptation is up to date

Sometimes notes return on a fresh open:

1. Close all open tabs in Scriptation.
2. Check for an update in the App Store and install it if available — running the latest version can resolve rendering issues that hide annotations.
3. Reopen your script.

Layer recovery

3. Do you have Lost Layers? (Most common after opening the file in another PDF app)

If the script was ever opened in another PDF app — Apple Preview, Adobe Acrobat, GoodNotes, Adobe Fill & Sign, etc. — that app may have damaged Scriptation's Layer metadata when it re-saved the file. Your annotations are still in the file, but Scriptation can't read them as active Layers. These are called Lost Layers, and they're recoverable.

See I'm missing all of my Layers. What can I do? for the full Lost Layers recovery flow.

4. Run a Layer Optimization

A Layer Optimization can repair Layer data that's gotten into an inconsistent state. Run it on the file and check whether the missing notes reappear.

File-level recovery

5. Are you sure you opened the right copy of the file?

It sounds obvious, but it's a common cause — especially with long file names or multiple drafts of the same script. Check:

• The file's location (On My iPad, iCloud, Dropbox, etc.) — opening the wrong cloud's copy is a frequent miss;
• The draft / version date in the file name;
• Whether you might be looking at a fresh import of the script (which has no annotations yet).

If you used Note Transfer to move notes onto a new draft and the notes didn't come across as expected, see My note transfer didn't work. Help!

6. Import a clean PDF and transfer your notes onto it

If steps 1–5 haven't recovered the notes, try this:

1. Import a clean PDF of your script (from your screenwriting program, production office, or cloud backup).
2. Use Note Transfer to move your annotations from the file with missing notes onto the clean copy.

Sometimes the transfer process surfaces annotations that weren't displaying on the original file.

Cloud recovery

7. Restore an earlier version from cloud storage

If your file is stored on Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive, every save creates a restorable earlier version. Log in to the provider's web portal, find a version from before the notes went missing, and restore it. See How to restore an earlier version of your file with Dropbox (the same pattern applies to Google Drive and OneDrive).

8. Check the cloud provider's trash or Recently Deleted

If a conflicted copy or duplicate was auto-deleted, the version with your annotations may be in:

• Dropbox's, Google Drive's, or OneDrive's Trash on the web portal (30-day window);
• iCloud Drive's Recently Deleted folder (Files app on iPad/iPhone, Finder on Mac, or iCloud.com) — for iCloud-stored files (30-day window);
• Scriptation's Recently deleted folder — for On My iPad / On My iPhone files (see I accidentally deleted my script. How do I recover it?).

Still not finding them?

If you've worked through all eight steps and your notes are still missing, use the Send us an email button at the bottom of this page. Please include:

• Your device, OS version, and Scriptation version (see Current version and system requirements);
• The file name and where it's stored (On My iPad, iCloud, Dropbox, etc.);
• Roughly when you last saw the notes;
• Whether the file was ever opened in another app.

Knowing your User ID and Device ID also speeds up investigation — see How do I find my IDs for support?.

Best practices going forward

• Sync with Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive instead of iCloud or On My iPad — third-party cloud providers offer version history, the strongest insurance against lost annotations.
• Turn on Automatic App Updates so you're always running the latest version.
• Don't open Scriptation files in other PDF apps — even a quick preview in Apple Preview or Adobe Acrobat can cause Lost Layers.

What's Next

I'm missing all of my Layers. What can I do?
What are Layers and how do I use them?
How to restore an earlier version of your file with Dropbox
I accidentally deleted my script. How do I recover it?

Updated on: 25/06/2026