OneNote display error

Question

OneNote display error

Anonymous

When I open OneNote, the sidebar extends over the entire width of the page (first picture). If I click "Collapse Sidebar" (the 3 horizontal bars), the list of sections disappears and the note text flickers in and out rapidly (second picture).

I can fix this by opening task manager and force-restarting OneNote. However, the error comes back after my computer sleeps or shuts down.

I am running OneNote version 2510 (Build 19328.20178 Click-to-Run)

Processor is a Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 7 165U (1.70 GHz)

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Answer 1

Hi @Daugherty, Devin,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for reaching out to us and for providing the details of your issue.

The behavior you described where the sidebar occupies the full width and the note text flickers after collapsing the sidebar appears to be related to a rendering or cache issue that can occur after the device resumes from sleep or shutdown.

Here are my recommendations that you may find helpful:

1/ Update graphics drivers

Ensure your Intel graphics drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause UI flickering or rendering issues.

Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
Expand Display adapters.
Right-click your Intel graphics device (e.g., Intel(R) Iris Xe Graphics or similar) and select Update driver.
Choose Search automatically for drivers.
Windows will look for the latest driver and install it if available.
Restart your computer after the update completes.

2/ Repair Office installation

Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select Microsoft Office, then click Change and choose Quick Repair. If the issue persists, try Online Repair.
You can refer to Microsoft’s detailed article here: Repair an Office application - Microsoft Support

3/ Clear OneNote cache

Close OneNote.
Navigate to %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneNote and delete the cache folder.
Restart OneNote and sign back in.

4/ Contact Microsoft Support

If the issue persists even after these steps, it may stem from a deeper system-level cause. In this case, I recommend contacting your company's IT administrator, who can submit a support request to Microsoft through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. They’ll be able to access system-level information to investigate the issue thoroughly and provide assistance. At the very least, they can offer the most effective workaround to ensure your experience remains smooth and secure.

We kindly ask for your understanding that, as moderators, we do not have access to the administrative tools or permissions required to investigate or modify these configurations. We also do not have the capability to initiate remote sessions for direct assistance. Our role is to guide users to the appropriate resources and support channels.

I hope the information provided proves useful. Please proceed with the outlined steps and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If not, I’ll be glad to continue working with you to find a solution.

If you find my post helpful, kindly consider marking it as the accepted answer. Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.
Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.

Note: Follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications if you want to receive email notifications related to this topic.

Anonymous

2025-11-13T14:16:44.6066667+00:00

Thanks so much! Clearing my cache did the trick.
Chris Duong 10,705 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-13T15:58:09.88+00:00

Hi @Daugherty, Devin,

Thank you very much for your valuable feedback.

I'm really glad to hear that my answer was helpful to you. If you need further assistance or have any questions in the future, please feel free to contact us. Have a wonderful day.
Anonymous

2025-11-19T13:52:08.14+00:00

Unfortunately, the problem has returned. I am unable to repair office or update my graphics drivers because I am not an administrator. Is there anything else I can try?
Chris Duong 10,705 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-19T21:33:00.9866667+00:00

Hi @Daugherty, Devin,

Thank you for your update, and I’m sorry to hear that the issue has returned.

Based on the behavior you described, this still appears to be related to rendering or cache inconsistencies that can occur after the device resumes from sleep or shutdown. Unfortunately, most of the effective troubleshooting steps such as updating graphics drivers or repairing Office require administrator privileges.

At this point, the most appropriate next step is to reach out to your organization’s IT administrator and request their assistance in applying the necessary adjustments to determine if the issue can be resolved. If the problem persists after these checks, please ask them to open a support ticket with Microsoft Technical Support through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. They have access to system-level diagnostics and can investigate the issue more thoroughly. At the very least, they can offer the most effective workaround to ensure your experience remains smooth and secure.

We kindly ask for your understanding that, as moderators, we do not have access to the administrative tools or permissions required to investigate or modify these configurations. We also do not have the capability to initiate remote sessions for direct assistance. Our role is to guide users to the appropriate resources and support channels.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

I hope your issue will be resolved soon.