Unable to copy a picture from OneNote and Paste it into OneNote

Question

I am unable to copy a picture from OneNote and Paste it back into OneNote.
It works online but not in the desktop app. I am using version
Microsoft® OneNote® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2512 Build 16.0.19530.20226) 64-bit

I am on this version of windows

Edition Windows 11 Enterprise

Version 24H2

Installed on ‎8/‎7/‎2025

OS build 26100.7840

Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.291.0

Answer 1

Hi @bxs0918, 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concern. I can truly understand how disruptive it is to experience this error on his work basis. The issue could happen due to cache conflict, or clipboard problem. 

1. Clear Office cached credentials  

• Open Control Panel > Credential Manager.  
• Select Windows Credentials.  
• Remove all credentials listed for Office by selecting the drop-down arrow next to each one, and select Remove.  

2. Clear OneNote cache  

• Back up notes:   
  • Choose File > Options.   
  • In the OneNote Options dialog box, choose Save & Backup.   
  • On the right, under Save, choose Back Up All Notebooks Now.   

• When you see the notice that the backup is successfully completed, select OK.   
• Close OneNote Desktop App.   
• Open the following file location: C:\Users<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0      

• You will see a folder named cache. Right-click and delete it.   
• Re-open OneNote desktop app and try again. 

3. Paste via Word (Intermediate Step) 

• Copy the picture in OneNote. 
• Open Microsoft Word. 
• Paste the image into Word. 
• Copy the image again from Word. 
• Paste it back into OneNote desktop. 

This often works because Word reprocesses the image object and removes any clipboard formatting conflict. 

4. Use OneNote on the Web 

Since the issue does not occur in the browser version, you may continue working in OneNote for the web 

This can serve as a stable alternative while the desktop issue is being resolved. 

5. Contact Microsoft Support 

If the issue persists after trying these steps, the best next step would be to have your IT administrator open a support ticket with Microsoft via the admin center. A technical support engineer can then initiate a remote session, review backend settings, and run diagnostics. If needed, they can escalate the case to specialized engineering teams who are well-equipped to perform advanced troubleshooting and provide targeted solutions.  

   

As moderators, our primary goal is to provide helpful guidance and support through general troubleshooting steps. While we don’t have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend issues, we truly appreciate your understanding of these limitations. We genuinely hope the information we share helps point you in the right direction, and we're always here to assist as much as we can within our scope.  

   

For guidance on how to request support in the admin center, please refer to: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin.      

I hope you found the answer helpful, and I would greatly appreciate it if you could mark it as accepted. This helps highlight the solution for others who may be searching for similar information in the community. Your contribution not only supports fellow users in finding the right guidance more quickly, but also helps build a more resourceful and collaborative space for everyone. 

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.   

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