Unable to open web OneNote notebooks from OneDrive on the Onenote desktop app

Question

Hello all,

Good to know:

I am currently on the latest version of Windows 11 and running version 2508 of OneNote on Microsoft Business 2024.

Summary of issue:

1. I am able to edit individual notebooks using the web version, but can not edit or access the same notebooks from my desktop application.
   1. I can not find them when browsing to open them directly from my OneDrive folder located on my desktop
   2. I can not open "work around" this by first opening the notebooks from the web version and opting to edit in Desktop
2. I am unable to create notebooks using the desktop version of onenote that shows up as available to edit in the web version of onenote
   1. but I am able to create the notebooks to a local drive - I can't move them to any onedrive folder OR sync these notebooks

Steps taken to resolve that have not yet worked:

1. Exported all of my notebooks from onedrive
2. Deleted notebooks from Onedrive and cleared cache
3. using the import tool, imported notebooks back into onedrive
4. Uninstalled Onenote
5. Reinstalled and updated onenote
6. Opened webversion of notebook then select edit and select Open in Desktop
7. Opened backup versions of the notebook sections and trying to addend them to the "old" notebook

Screenshots to further illustrate issues:

Desktop notebooks aren't able to be moved manually to onedrive supported folder

desktop created notebooks aren't available to sync

When error stating that I do not have permission to open my own onenote when accessing via the desktop app from the web.

Answer 1

I have the same problem. All hints mention here did not help.

Does anyone have an idea?

Answer 2

I see in one of your screenshots that OneNote is reporting Connected Services is Unavailable. This is blocking the connection to OneDrive. Can you go to File --> Options --> Trust Center --> Trust Center Settings --> Privacy Options --> Privacy Settings, and turn on All Connected Experiences? This will re-enable sync to OneDrive. You can then uncheck Experiences that analyze content, and Experiences that download online content (this disables supplemental online features such as online video insertion, but not core OneDrive sync).

Answer 3

Dear @Jasmine Bailey,
Thank you for the screenshot, which helps clarify the situation. Since the standard repair and reset options didn't work, a clean reinstallation is the most effective solution. This process ensures all corrupted program files and settings are completely removed, giving you a fresh start.

1. Close all Office apps and OneNote.
2. Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
3. Find OneNote in the list, click the three dots, and select Uninstall.
4. Delete Residual Files. After uninstalling, you need to manually delete any leftover files. Open File Explorer and navigate to the following two locations. If a folder exists, delete it.
   • C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote
   • C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\OneNote
   1. Restart your PC.
   2. Reinstall OneNote from the Microsoft Store or your Microsoft 365 account portal.

If the problem still isn't resolved after these steps, it may indicate a deeper corruption in your Windows user profile. In that case, creating a new local user account would be the final, necessary step to resolve the issue.

For reference: How to create a Local account in Windows 11 - ARTICLE - Microsoft Q&A

I hope these steps help you resolve the issue. Please let me know how it goes.

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Answer 4

Dear @Jasmine Bailey,

Thank you for your update. Since you don't have a separate admin, the most effective method is to completely reset your account's connection to Office.

1. Disconnect Your Microsoft Account from Windows

This is a critical first step. It forces a complete reset of all your Office credentials on your computer.

• Go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts.
• Under "Accounts used by other apps," find your Microsoft account and click Remove.
• Sign out of your user account on your PC and then sign back in.

2. Reconnect Your Account and Clear Credentials

After you've signed back in, your computer will have a fresh connection to your Microsoft account. Now you can re-add your credentials and clear any remaining conflicts.

• Open any Office app (like Word or Excel) and sign in with your Microsoft account.
• Once signed in, go back to the Windows Credential Manager as instructed previously.
• Look for and remove any credentials related to MicrosoftOffice, Office, or OneDrive.

3. Reset OneNote App

If the issue persists, you can try a full reset of the OneNote app itself.

• Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
• Find OneNote in the list, click the three dots, and select Advanced options.
• Click the Repair button. If that doesn't work, click Reset.

If the problem still isn't resolved after these steps, it may indicate a deeper corruption in your Windows user profile that requires a more advanced solution, such as creating a new local user account.

For reference: How to create a Local account in Windows 11 - ARTICLE - Microsoft Q&A

I hope these updated steps help you regain access to your notebooks. Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

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Answer 5

Dear @Jasmine Bailey,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A Community. 

Based on your detailed description and the screenshots provided, it's clear you're facing a synchronization and authentication issue with your OneNote desktop app. The symptoms you describe including difficulties opening web notebooks on the desktop, failure to sync local notebooks, and permission errors all point to the same root cause: the OneNote desktop app cannot establish a proper, authenticated connection to your OneDrive account.

The error message "CONNECTED EXPERIENCES UNAVAILABLE" indicates that the app's link to the Microsoft cloud services, including OneDrive, is broken or restricted, which is why it can't access your notebooks or sync new ones. This also explains the "permission" error you received.

The most common cause for this type of issue is a corrupted or outdated set of cached credentials. Reinstalling the app doesn't always fix this because the credentials are saved elsewhere. You need to manually clear them.

1. Close all Microsoft Office apps, including OneNote.
2. Open the Windows Credential Manager. You can do this by typing "Credential Manager" into the Windows search bar.
3. Click on Windows Credentials.
4. Under the section labeled "Generic Credentials," look for any entries that mention "OneDrive Cached Credentials" or "MicrosoftOfficeXX_Data."

Expand each of these entries and click Remove.

Restart your computer, then open OneNote. It should prompt you to sign in again.

If clearing your credentials does not resolve the issue, it suggests the problem is not a simple cache error. It is highly likely that your organization's IT administrator has set a policy that is preventing the OneNote desktop app from accessing connected experiences. This is common in a business environment for security or compliance reasons.

Contact your IT admin; they have the access and tools to:

• Check your Microsoft 365 license and ensure it's configured correctly.
• Review any group policies or tenant settings that might be restricting your access.
• Investigate the issue further by opening a support ticket with Microsoft, if necessary.

I hope this information helps clarify the situation and provides you with workable solutions. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always here to help. Have a wonderful day!

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