sync issue

Question

I was organizing my files on my computer and moved my one note folder. Now I am getting a sync error. I moved it back to the documents folder as suggested on your trouble shoot page but that did not work. it is saying "We can't access this section file or attached file because the file was moved" Error code 0x2 bdf5f

Answer 1

Hello,

The error you’re seeing in OneNote after moving the folder is expected behavior. OneNote notebooks are not simple file containers; they are bound to a specific path and sync relationship. When you manually move the OneNote folder, the application loses track of the internal notebook IDs and the cached sync metadata. Even if you move the folder back, the metadata mismatch remains, which is why you’re still seeing “We can’t access this section file or attached file because the file was moved” with error code 0x2 bdf5f.

The supported way to relocate OneNote data is through OneNote itself or by using OneDrive/SharePoint sync, not by manually moving the folder in File Explorer. Once the notebook path is broken, OneNote cannot re‑bind it automatically. The fix is to re‑open the notebook from its original source location (OneDrive, SharePoint, or local path) and let OneNote rebuild the sync relationship. If the notebook was originally stored in OneDrive, go to OneNote > File > Open > Open from OneDrive, and select the notebook. If it was local, open the .one or .onetoc2 file from the correct folder path.

If you have unsynced changes in the broken notebook, you can export them manually. In OneNote, go to File > Export, and export the affected sections to .onepkg or .pdf. Then re‑open the notebook from the correct source and import the exported content back in. That way you don’t lose data while restoring sync.

I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

Domic Vo.

Answer 2

The error indicates OneNote can no longer find the original section (.one) files at the path it has stored, even though the folder was moved back. Moving OneNote notebooks in File Explorer breaks the sync relationship; they must be moved from within OneNote or via OneDrive/SharePoint.

Use these steps to re-establish sync and recover content where possible:

1. Check which sections/pages are failing
   1. In the OneNote desktop app, select File > Info > View Sync Status.
   2. In Shared Notebook Synchronization, look for any notebook with a yellow warning triangle and note the section names that are failing.
2. Try the section-copy workaround for problem sections If only some sections or pages are failing to sync:
   1. In the affected notebook, create a new section in the same notebook.
   2. Copy (do not move) all pages from the old problem section into the new section:
      • Right-click each page > Move or Copy > choose the new section > Copy.
   3. Press Shift + F9 to manually sync the notebook and wait for the progress bar to complete.
   4. If the new section syncs correctly and no errors appear, delete the old section and continue working in the new one.
3. Check the Notebook Recycle Bin for corrupted sections If errors persist or you see section errors related to deleted/moved content:
   1. Go to the History tab in OneNote.
   2. Select Notebook Recycle Bin.
   3. If the problematic section or pages appear there, right-click and choose Move or Copy to move content into a healthy section.
   4. After copying what is needed, delete the original corrupted section/page from the Recycle Bin to stop sync errors.
4. Close and reopen the notebook from its online location If the entire notebook is affected:
   1. In File > Info, right-click the notebook URL and select Copy.
   2. Next to the notebook name, select Settings > Close.
   3. Open a web browser, paste the copied URL, and open the notebook in OneNote for the web.
   4. In OneNote for the web, select Open in Desktop App to reopen it in OneNote and re-establish the sync connection.
5. If the notebook is on OneDrive or SharePoint
   • Confirm the notebook still exists and is accessible at its online location (OneDrive or SharePoint). If it was moved or renamed online, open it from there rather than from the old local path.

If, after these steps, specific sections still show “file was moved” errors, those section files may no longer be at the path OneNote expects or may be corrupted. In that case, recover what can be found via Notebook Recycle Bin or from OneDrive/SharePoint version history, then continue in newly created sections.

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References:

• Fix issues when you can't sync OneNote