One Note sync

Question

Error Code 0x80072EFDbdf5j how to fix - one section only

Answer 1

I backup on PC (but may change that to OneDrive). I did similar: found notebook in backup and opened in desktop app as you suggest. It worked. But a day later the folder (with group sections and sections) is blocked again from syncing.

Still working on it (when time) and thanks for help: I sort of know how.

BUT: when I try to "add comment" back to you: I twice get a message 'unexpected error' and it says go to https://sitehelp.microsoft.com. When I go there it does not log me in: something about wrong tenant.

Answer 2

Hi, Simon A Willis

Error 0x80072EFD usually means OneNote cannot reach the place where that notebook section is stored, often OneDrive or SharePoint. Since it affects only one section, the notebook itself may still be okay, but that section’s connection, permissions, path, or local cache may be stuck.

Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try: 

First, make a quick backup of the affected section before doing anything risky. Open the section if possible, copy the important pages into a Word document or another safe location, or export the section if your OneNote version allows it. Avoid resetting, uninstalling, or signing out of OneNote until the unsynced content is safely backed up, because local unsynced notes can be lost.

Next, check whether the notebook was moved, renamed, or opened from an old shortcut. Go to OneDrive in a browser, find the notebook from its actual folder, then open it from there and choose Open in desktop app. This refreshes the notebook path instead of using a stale local link.

If that still fails, try a different network, such as a mobile hotspot, and temporarily turn off VPN/proxy filtering if you use one. It is suggested that antivirus or firewall web protection can sometimes block OneNote from reaching Microsoft’s sync servers, so add OneNote/Office as trusted apps rather than leaving protection disabled.

Also check that OneDrive storage is not full and that you are signed in with the same Microsoft account that owns the notebook. If the notebook is shared, ask the owner to remove and re-add your edit permission.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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Answer 3

For a sync error that affects only one OneNote section, use the section-specific repair steps:

1. Identify the problem section:
   1. In the OneNote desktop app, select File > Info > View Sync Status.
   2. In Shared Notebook Synchronization, select the notebook with the warning icon to see which section is failing.
   3. Select Sync Now next to that notebook to confirm the error persists.
2. Recreate the section to clear corruption:
   1. In the same notebook, create a new section.
   2. In the old (problem) section, right-click each page and choose Move or Copy.
   3. Copy (do not move) all pages into the new section.
   4. Press Shift + F9 to manually sync the notebook and wait for the progress bar to complete.
   5. If the new section syncs correctly and no error appears, delete the old section and continue working in the new one. You can then rename the new section to match the old name.
3. Clear errors caused by recycle bin content (if the error persists):
   1. Go to the History tab and select Notebook Recycle Bin.
   2. Right-click any suspect section or page and choose Move or copy (or copy/paste content to another section if needed).
   3. After preserving anything important, delete the original corrupted section or page from the Recycle Bin.
4. If the error is tied to a misplaced section:
   1. Control-click the misplaced section name and select Move Section To, then move it into another notebook; or
   2. If it is no longer needed, Control-click and choose Delete Section (note this permanently deletes all pages in that section).

If the notebook is on SharePoint/OneDrive and only this section fails, also verify the notebook opens and syncs in OneNote for the web; if other sections sync there, the above steps usually resolve the single-section issue.

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References:

• Fix issues when you can't sync OneNote