Microsoft OneNote is one of the popular note-taking solutions. The software is available on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and the Web. OneNote uses OneDrive to store and sync data across platforms. Millions of users are using the note taking app out there as it’s free, it comes with tons of features and sharing options right out of the box.
With this popularity and usage, OneNote comes with some annoying behavior. For example, you cannot sync data with other cloud storage platforms. And when you start using the service with multiple notebooks and partition across devices, you may encounter OneNote sync error in the app. Slow and unreliable syncing between devices has been OneNote’s most annoying point from the start.
If you are someone who encounters OneNote sync error on your Windows or macOS, this might be an excellent read for you. We will talk about different ways to fix sync problem in OneNote. Let’s start.
1. Check Notebook on the Web
It can be quickly checked whether the problem is with OneNote or the installed application on the PC.
Stage 1: Open the OneNote desktop app and select any notebook.
step 2: Go to File > Info and copy the Notebook path.
Stage 3: Open a web browser and paste the link.
Open Notebook on Mac and go to Notebook on the ribbon and select Copy link to this notebook.
If the notebook opens on the web, the problem is with the app installed on the devices. Let’s fix this.
2. Update OneNote
Microsoft provides frequent OneNote updates across platforms. On Windows, it maintains two versions of OneNote. OneNote’s Universal Windows app and Office 365 desktop app. The company decided to say goodbye to the OneNote desktop application, but backed down from this decision due to popular demand and released OneNote 2016 with dark theme support.
The OneNote sync error could be due to a recent app update that might have corrupted the sync in the app. Download the latest update for OneNote.
For UWP (Universal Windows Platform) OneNote, open Microsoft Store and go to Downloads & Updates > Get Updates and install the latest version of the app. For OneNote Desktop, open the app and select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
As for macOS, open the Mac App Store and go to updates and download the latest version of the app. Open the latest app and watch the latest sync status.
3. Set Notebook to Sync Automatically
By default, OneNote automatically syncs Notebooks every time you turn on the device on PC or Mac. If you disabled it somehow, let’s turn it back on.
Open OneNote for the UWP app and go to Settings > Options and turn on sync notebook automatically from the menu. For desktop OneNote, right-click any Notebook and select Notebook Sync Status. Turn on sync automatically when there is a change option.
4. Manually Sync Notebooks
If you’re still having sync issues in OneNote, you may want to force sync Notebooks and section manually. For UWP, right-click any notebook and select Sync > Sync this notebook.
For the OneNote desktop app, right-click any Notebook and select Sync this notebook now. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Shift + F9 to manually sync the selected notebook. I mostly use OneNote keyboard shortcuts.
The trick is the same for the macOS version. Right click on the notebook and select sync in that notebook or use the keyboard shortcut ‘command + S’.
5. Reopen Notepad
This trick has worked for many. Users can close the notebook and open it again from the same location. For OneNote desktop, right-click any notebook and select ‘Close this notebook’. Now open it by going to File > Open and select Notepad from OneDrive.
Right click on any notebook for the UWP app and select close notebook. Open it again from more notebook options.
6. Move Conflicting Notes to Another Section
You may have encountered conflicting changes highlighted in red in the notes. This behavior occurs when you and your spouse make edits to the same note of the shared notebook.
In such cases, you can move or copy notes or sections to another notebook. Right click on the partition and move or copy them to another notebook.
7. Delete Space on PC and OneDrive
As I mentioned earlier, the software uses Microsoft OneDrive to sync data between devices. By default, it comes with only 5GB of storage, which fills up quickly due to images and videos. You can delete some of the OneDrive storage or opt for a Microsoft 365 subscription that offers 1TB of cloud storage.
You can also optimize inactive files to save some space. Open the OneNote desktop and go to File > Options > Save & Backup and select Optimize all files now.
Fix OneNote Sync Issue
OneNote is an excellent service. But sync error is something to watch out for for a smooth experience across devices. Use the instructions above and resolve the sync error in OneNote.
Next: OneNote software comes with a capable PDF functionality. Read the post below to find the best tips and tricks for it.
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