The iPhone Notes app has been through a lot. It has held grocery lists, personal struggles, and the modern celebrity “oops, I got canceled” apology. It has turned into more than just a productivity tool; it’s now a place for public remorse.

However, not all apologies made in the Notes app are alike. Some genuinely convey “I messed up, and I’m trying to grow.” Others feel like they were forced by a manager during a lunch break, dripping with annoyance. In the spirit of internet accountability and lighthearted reporting, here’s a biased but necessary ranking of celebrity Notes app apologies, from “okay queen, we see you doing the work” to “just delete the app.”

Image credit: Apple Inc. via Wikimedia Commons

1. Beyoncé – for saying “spaz” in Renaissance

Sincerity rating: 10/10

Beyoncé didn't write a Notes app apology, but it was a response that really hit the mark. The word being called ableist, she didn't defend the usage or proceed to provide a long-winded explanation about her being an artist and a human. Instead, she just removed the word swiftly, quietly, and without drama.

That was one of the most graceful and mature things to happen in a very long time. Imagine being that famous, and being able to take blame without making that moment all about yourself. Queen act, queen solution, queen apology.

No notes.

Image credit: Asterio Tecson, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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2. Demi Lovato – Frozen yogurt war

Sincerity rating: 8.5/10

Demi entered a tiny little frozen yogurt store, saw signs reading sugar-free, and that was when she flew into a rage against diet culture. The Waltz of Intention: Was this small business worth dragging all across the fog of 100 million followers? Probably not.

It backfired quickly, though. To Demi's credit, there was never a "sorry-if-you-were-offended" kind of insincere apology. They stated their side of the story, acknowledged that they had had the privilege, and agreed to embrace some complexity-which complexity is the messiest kind, the very same kind of messiness in watching somebody shift gears mid-rant.

3. Taylor Swift – to Nicki Minaj, sort of

Sincerity rating: 7.5/10

That is how internet looked in 2015 at its height. Nicki tweeted about Black artists and the snub at awards shows. Taylor assumed this was about her and basically said, "maybe it's because I'm a nice person," when nobody was even talking to her.

But this is where Taylor flipped it around and apologized. Not some big, flashy PR stunt, but owning it. She admitted to having misunderstood, apologized to Nicki (and others), and just left it at that. It wasn't some earth-shattering, new thing, but it felt sincere.

4. Justin Timberlake – to Britney and Janet, about 17 years later

Sincerity rating: 3/10

Justin’s Notes app apology came just after the “Framing Britney Spears” documentary aired, revealing how he built his solo career by throwing women under the bus.

He expressed remorse “for the times I contributed to the problem” and “for not speaking up,” but those times covered the entire early 2000s. It felt like his publicist was yelling “just say something!” while he typed with one hand and checked his Spotify streams with the other.

Of course, taking responsibility matters, but why now? Why so vague?

5. James Charles – an apology per scandal

Sincerity rating: 2/10

James Charles has sent out more Notes app apologies than we can count. One day it’s makeup drama, the next day, serious allegations. Each time, it’s the same format, the same font, and the same “I’m taking time to reflect” tone.

They all sound like they were generated by a PR bot with a heart emoji at the end. Then he’s back on YouTube the next day as if nothing happened. It feels like “I’m only sorry because I got caught.” It feels like “please don’t unsubscribe.”

The Notes app is tired. We are tired.

Image credit: Stay Tuned, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

6. Lea Michele – “sorry you perceived me as mean”

Sincerity rating: 1/10

Lea faced accusations from multiple co-stars about her behavior on the Glee set, including racism and bullying. In response, she posted a Notes app apology that included the phrases:

“Whether it was my privileged position or just my perspective that caused me to be perceived as insensitive…”

Not “perceived.” Not passive voice. Just admit you were mean. Just say sorry. This was the human equivalent of “mistakes were made,” hoping we would move on.

We’re not moving on. Try again.

Bonus mentions:

Doja Cat – her Notes app apologies are as chaotic and defensive as her tweets, and then deleted.

Logan Paul – didn't use the Notes app but gave us that awful “I made a mistake” vlog after that video. It's still a model of what not to do.

Final thoughts:

The Notes app wasn’t made for this, and yet it has become our courtroom, our confessional booth and our digital arena of shame. At the end of the day, sincerity isn’t about the platform; it’s about the sentiment.

Stay humble, stay offline, and maybe, just maybe, try saying sorry in person next time.