When you use Annotator, your notes are normally “stuck” to a specific sentence on a page. If a note loses its connection to that spot, it becomes Unanchored.
Don’t worry—your work is never deleted! It just moves to a special list because the tool isn’t sure exactly where it belongs on the page anymore.
Why Do Notes Become Unanchored?
There are two main reasons why a note might lose its “anchor”:
1. The Website Content Changed
If the author of a website or PDF edits the text, deletes a paragraph, or changes the wording you highlighted, Annotator won’t be able to find the original spot.
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What you’ll see: The note will still be in your sidebar, but the text you originally highlighted will have a line through it (like this: ~~example text~~) to show it’s no longer on the live page.
2. The “Parent” Note was Deleted
Notes often happen in threads (like a conversation). If someone deletes the very first note in a thread (the “parent”), all the replies underneath it lose their connection to the page.
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What you’ll see: Because the top note held the “map” for where the highlight belonged, the replies will now show the message “Message not available” as a placeholder.
What About Deleted Notes in the Middle?
If someone deletes a note in the middle of a conversation, the rest of the thread stays exactly where it is. You will see the “Message not available” placeholder where the old note used to be, but the highlights will remain anchored to the page as usual.
Where Can I Find Unanchored Notes?
You can find these notes in two places:
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The Sidebar: Look for a section or tab labeled “Unanchored.” * Your Activity Page: All your notes are saved on your personal profile, even if the website they were written on has changed completely.