OneNote Performance Issues

Question

Hi. What can I do to improve OneNote performance?

Here's the situation: I am using OneNote to teach online. I am drawing on and pasting images into OneNote document. One document for each class. As the document gets longer, OneNote's performance considerably lags. I mean simple activities like switching a pen, or pressing Ctrl-Z (undo) takes several seconds -- sometimes longer -- to perform. The fan system's often spurts at the same time OneNote lags, then quiets down.

I'm running OneNote on my local Win 10 system which has 8 dual-core processors (plenty of speed). I have an SSD and HDD, but since OneNote hides where it's saving stuff, I have no idea which drive is being used. I reduce the other applications open, though I do have a lot of browser tabs open and sometimes need other applications, like PowerPoint. As a test I tried running video at the same time, and the video was unaffected at the same moments when OneNote was. Others I know using OneNote don't seem to have this issue, but I don't know if they're pasting images into theirs.

Answer 1

Hi.

I haven't responded because I've been busy and I've been trying to get my tech support team to restore the files at the operating system level and from the first suggestion in your post, I already know your reply won't be any help.

I have started to read your reply. I have looked on all the places I can figure out to look. Granted that's probably not enough since I still have no idea where anything is anymore. I''ve also been slowed down because MS community makes me create a new password every time I want to sign in, but also refuses to let me use any old passwords, even though I'm sure they haven't been compromised. So it's impossible to remember any password. And I might have an account that I don't even know about. And one that I think I cannot access, which is where some of the info might have been stored.

I can tell your reply doesn't apply because I DO NOT HAVE THE NOTEBOOKS OPEN IN ANY OTHER DEVICE. My home system is the only one I've been using it on. Occasionaliy, I used a browser, but even that was from my same Win 10 system.

Here's what I think happened. OneNote replicates in the background, very slowly, even while the app is closed. I uninstalled the app before it finished replicating. In response, OneNote corrupted the file. But that is incomplete, because I do not have an explanation for the lost file.

Regarding finding the notebooks in OneDrive: It's difficult since they are just strewn.... somewhere. I had no control over that. I'm also still trying to get access to one of my account.

When I sign on to OneNote using my university ID, I can find one of the Notebooks I'm interested in. But I found that Notebook using the desktop version, too. I open in on the web and it says the same thing as it says in the destop application: "Corrupt Section" and "Content Not Available", etc.

Another, missing Notebook, cannot be found in any login. But I am also having difficulty finding my login for that account (although OneNote seems to have the accounts password saved, but I can't recall it to get in using the web).

The fact is, files are corrupt and missing. I'm convinced that only an OS restore could save them.

Answer 2

Hi justSomeUser9,

Thank you for your patience and update. Sorry for the late reply.

Given that you have mentioned OneNote for Windows 10, this application is pre installed in the device and update, repair or uninstall and reinstall might be necessary for this. On the brighter side, you may use the Office license from your University which we highly recommend for you so you can use updated features that comes with OneNote 2016/365. Here are the following suggestions for you to try.

Method 1:

We have check your concern and this could be fixed by one of the suggestion provided by this support article - Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in OneNote for Windows. (Please see attached image for reference.)

Method 2:

If the above suggestions did not work, you may try to use OneNote 2016/365. You can use it download and use it for free just make sure you are signed into your School's email address.  Kindly use this link, Download OneNote.

Please let us know any update. Should you wish to continue using OneNote for Windows 10, we will provide you with troubleshooting that you can perform in our next reply.

Kind regards,

Kathy A.

Answer 3

Any further info on this? I notice that it slows down most when I'm screensharing using Zoom and with 20 or more students.

Answer 4

Hi.

I think I'm using OneNote for Windows 10. I cannot find either of the windows you describe, and do not have a File menu. My license should be through my university.

Answer 5

Hi justSomeUser9,

Welcome to Microsoft Office Community Forum. Thank you for sharing your concern with us today and we hope that all is well.

We understand that you are trying to improve the OneNote application's performance in your device. We appreciate you have contacted us for that. Let’s us check on this together and sort this out in timely manner.

To properly isolate your concern, we will be asking some questions. Please provide details/information for us to give more accurate resolution for you.

• Are you using OneNote for Windows 10 or OneNote 2016/365? If you are using OneNote 2016/365, what is your Office license? Please provide complete name of the license just like shown below.

If you are using OneNote 2016/365, we would like to know if you tried to check the Disable hardware graphics acceleration on the OneNote? If not yet, please launch OneNote and select File tab > go to Options > Advanced > scroll down and look for Display and Disable hardware graphics acceleration.

Kindly let us know, if there is any misunderstanding of our description by sending us a reply.

We look forward to your response. If you have other clarifications about this matter, you can get back to us by replying to this post.

Sincerely,

Kathy A.

Consumer M365 Forum Moderator

Microsoft Community