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OneNote app does not sync on Windows 10
8 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Microsoft OneNoteis a great app for taking notes, compiling data, andorganizing information. The best part is, it syncs with the cloud, meaning you can access your notes everywhere.
It ismulti-platform, meaning it is available on Android, iOS, macOS, and the Web, besides being available on Windows 10 devices. But thiscross-platformdesign comes with a problem.
Desktop users may frequently face problems when trying to sync data to and from the cloud. This is quite a common problem with the desktop version of OneNote on Windows 10.
In this guide, we look into some of the most common sync errors (notebook/particular section won’t sync, sync conflicts arise, storage issues show up, etc.) and how they can be resolved.
How do I fix OneNote that won’t sync
1. Install the latest updates
Firstly, it is worth noting that whatever problem you may be facing could be a result of an issue with theOneNote applicationitself. This is why you need to make sure that you have the latest updates installed. Updates will often contain fixes for bugs that may be causing your problems. To check for updates go toFile >Account.Click onOffice Optionsthen click onUpdate Now.
2. Check your Internet connection
Also, a no-brainer, make sure you are actuallyconnected to the Internetbefore you attempt to troubleshootOneNote. More often than not, sync issues are a result of bad Internet connections.
You can check your internet connection by looking on the right-down corner, where you should see a Wi-Fi icon or the Ethernet icon. You can also just open an internet page and see if it loads.
If there are any issues, troubleshoot the problem with the help of yourInternet Provider.
3. Manually sync the particular section
Note: This is a OneNote built-in solution to the problem of a particular section not syncing.
4. Copy the pages to a new section
Note:Once you’ve followed through these steps, you can now use the manual sync method described above to sync the new section. Once you’ve synced the section, right-click on the old section and selectDelete.
5. Empty the OneNote Recycle Bin
Note: The section you’re about the delete may contain important pages. Make sure you copy them before you permanently remove the section from the recycle bin.
Sometimes, when you remove a particular section that isn’t working or that you don’t need anymore, it may end up causing sync problems. For this reason, you need to remove them from theOneNoteRecycle Bin.
6. Fix misplaced sections on OneNote
A section of your notebook could get misplaced when you’re trying to share it with other users. This happens whenOneNotetries to sync the changes made to the section but cannot find the section file.
When this happens the notebook gets marked with an icon in the Notebooks list. There are two solutions to this problem, move the misplaced section to another notebook, or delete that section.
OneNotelets you manually resolve the problem of a misplaced section by letting you move the particular section.
If you’re sure that you do not need the section that has been misplaced, you could simply delete it to resolve the issue. Follow these steps:
7. Check if the notebook is accessible on the web
Note: If your notebook is accessible via the web browser then this confirms that there is a problem with the desktop app. If not, it could be a service error.
If the problem is with your desktop app, one of the simplest solutions to get your notebook to start syncing again is to close and reopen it. This should reset the connection, and get your notebook to start syncing again.
8. Check the sync status
If you were able to access the notebook online, but the changes you recently made weren’t added to it, you should check the sync status of the notebook to confirm whether or not it was synced.
To check the status, go toFilethenInfo, and from the right side selectView Sync Status.In the new windows, you will see an error message below the notebook with the issue.
If possible, click on theGet Helpbutton in order to access more troubleshooting steps. If that’s not available, note the error message and do a quick online research.
10. Check the service status
If you were not able to access the notebook online via a web browser, there could be a problem with the OneDrive service itself. To confirm this, open a web browser of your choice and proceed to theOffice portal.
If the services are up and running, you should see a green screen with a tick mark, and the messageIn case there is nothing wrong with the services, you shouldcontact Microsoftfor further assistance on your issue.
Make sure that you keep OneNote open and signed in during the troubleshooting process. You could potentially lose your data otherwise.
11. Fix content sync conflict on OneNote
When two or more people try and edit the same piece of text simultaneously, this will result in synchronization conflicts. These conflicts are automatically detected by OneNote which then proceeds to create multiple copies of the same page. This will be indicated via a yellow message that appears on the top of the page.
To prevent this issue from showing up in the future, make sure only one user is editing a page at a time. Or you could coordinate who edits which section.
To resolve this issue, you will need to copy the edited content to the main page and then proceed to delete the other page. To do this, click on theyellow message,copy the content from the temporary page, and paste it onto the primary page.
12. Fix storage sync conflicts on OneNote
You may occasionally run across error code0xE00015E0. What this means is, either your file is too big to sync, or that yourlocal device is low on space. Usually, it’s because OneNote has a lot of backups stored.
Here’s how you can resolve these issues.
All of the above steps should help you out when OneNote is giving you trouble with synchronization.
If you are looking for a great alternative solution to OneNote, we recommend youEvernote. It will help you to store everything from personal moments to business projects, safe, always secure, and ready whenever you need them.
You can use it on multiple devices so your important notes are with you wherever you go. Read more about this excellent software in ourEvernote guide.
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.
She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies – AI and DNA computing in particular.
Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
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Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina is a Windows fan since forever, especially interested in AI, emerging technologies, privacy, and security.
