Issue transferring onenote for Windows 10 content to One on Windows

Question

I followed instructions and synced and backed up onenote for Windows 10 content and recorded path where saved. Then went through install of OneNote on Windows and then went to open backups.

But for some reason it hasn't restored the backup copy correctly. It has installed as open sections as per screenshot attached.

I have even tried uninstalling and reinstalling to see if they helps but hasn't.

Really stuck as what to do...Have year of content that is really important to me and must not lose.

The old version of content in onenote for Windows 10 is 'read only'

Would be super grateful for any help on resolving this issue. 🙏

Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question. I understand how concerning it is when years of OneNote content do not restore correctly after moving from OneNote for Windows 10 to OneNote for Windows.

It’s especially stressful when sections appear only as “Open Sections” or in a read‑only state, and it feels like the backup hasn’t really restored your notebook.

This usually happens because OneNote for Windows 10 stores backups as individual .one section files, and when you open them directly, OneNote places them under Open Sections instead of restoring them into your notebook. Microsoft’s migration guidance explains that each .one file must be manually moved into an active notebook after opening, because they do not automatically rebuild the notebook structure.

To restore your notebook properly, open each .one section from your backup folder, then Move or Copy each section into the correct notebook. After moving the sections, they will sync normally in OneNote for Windows. If your original Windows 10 notebook shows as “Read‑Only,” that is expected behavior when opening standalone .one files OneNote requires importing them into a modern notebook to make them editable.

Can you confirm whether the .one files you opened are showing under Open Sections at the bottom of the notebook list, and whether your notebook was previously stored in OneDrive or only locally?

If you share what your folder structure and Open Sections look like, I can guide you step‑by‑step to fully rebuild your notebook and make sure none of your important content is lost.

 

I hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Noel

Answer 2

It sounds like you're experiencing issues with restoring your OneNote for Windows 10 backups after migrating to OneNote on Windows. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

1. Check Backup Location: Ensure that you are navigating to the correct backup file path. You can find backups by going to File -> Open Backups in OneNote on Windows and selecting the appropriate backup file.
2. Review Backup Status: Check the UWPBackupStatus.json file in your backup folder for any errors or details regarding the backup status. This file can provide insights into what went wrong during the backup process.
3. Sync Issues: Since you mentioned that the old version is 'read only', make sure that your OneNote notebooks are fully synced. If you see the error "Content Not Yet Available", it may indicate that the content hasn't synced properly. Ensure you are connected to the internet and signed into your account.
4. Local Backups: If you have enabled local backups in OneNote, check the backup folder specified in File -> Options -> Save & Backup to see if you can recover any unsynced sections.
5. Contact Support: If the above steps do not resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance. They may be able to provide additional troubleshooting steps specific to your situation.

Be cautious with commands and ensure you have backups before making significant changes to avoid data loss.

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References:

• OneNote for Windows 10 migration guidance
• OneNote error: "Content Not Yet Available"