How to recover OneNote files that we're not synced

Question

How to recover OneNote files that we're not synced

Whitney Kagabo 0

My OneNote on my desktop closed and when I tried to re-open it, I keep getting message. I tried signing out and logging in and it didn't work. I tried to oprn it on the web version and it says the file might be corrupted. Please help!

2 answers

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Answer 1

Ian-T 7,545 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Whitney Kagabo,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum and thank you for your question.

First, please kindly try Q&A Assist answer first to see if anything changes and feel free to let me know.

You mentioned that you kept getting a message pop up, may I please know what message did you receive?

Looking forward to your response.

Thank you so much

Whitney Kagabo 0 Reputation points

2026-02-18T22:15:16.3933333+00:00

The message states "This section isn't available yet. It was added from another device. You'll be able to use it when that device syncs". Unfortunately I did not add these folder from a different device.
Ian-T 7,545 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-20T07:18:39.6033333+00:00
Hi, Whitney Kagabo

Thank you for your quick response.

The message “This section isn’t available yet. It was added from another device” that you received does not always mean a different physical device was used.

OneNote can show this message when a section is created or modified during an incomplete or interrupted sync (for example, network issues, OneNote not fully synced, app update in progress, or a temporary sync error). In these cases, OneNote treats the section as if it originated elsewhere until syncing finishes successfully.

This can happen even when working on the same device and same account. Once the sync completes (or the section is rebuilt), the section becomes available again.

Please feel free to follow these steps:

Open OneNote on the device that created the section, keep it online, and let it fully sync.

Check sync status for errors and resolve any warnings.

If it stays stuck, create a new section, copy the pages over, delete the old section, then sync again.

Make sure OneNote is updated.

I hope my answer helps, please feel free to let me know if you need any further assistance
Ian-T 7,545 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-23T06:05:25.4966667+00:00

Hi,

I'm just checking in to see how everything is going. If you need any further help, feel free to let me know

Answer 2

To recover OneNote files that are not synced, you can try the following methods:

Check OneNote Online: Open your notebook in OneNote for the web (via OneDrive or SharePoint). Sometimes, the web version may show unsynced or older content that is not visible in the desktop version.
Restore from OneDrive/SharePoint: If your notebook is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, you can go to OneDrive, navigate to Documents > OneNote Notebooks > [Your Notebook], and check the Version History to restore an earlier version of the section or page.
Local Backup: If you have local backups enabled, you can check for backup files in OneNote desktop. Go to File > Options > Save & Backup > Backup Folder to find and restore the section from backup files.
Search the Notebook: Use Ctrl + E to search across all notebooks for any unique keywords from the missing content. This can help locate the content if it was accidentally moved to another page.

Please note that if the page synced after the deletion and no backup/version exists, recovery options may be limited, as OneNote does not have a trash feature for individual containers.

References:

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How to recover OneNote files that we're not synced

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