OneNote keeps crashing

Question

My OneNote keeps crashing when I trying to switch over to the draw tab and I'm not sure why. The issue suddenly started this morning. I tried reaching out to live chat support but they keep closing out my service request without speaking to me at all. How to fix this issue?

Answer 1

Hi,

Please try these steps:

Completely close OneNote, then reopen it and check for updates (File → Account → Update Options → Update Now).

Repair Office: Settings → Apps → Microsoft 365/Office → Modify → Quick Repair. If it still crashes, try Online Repair.

Try opening OneNote in Safe Mode: press Win + R, enter: onenote /safe If the Draw tab works there, the problem is likely caused by an add-in or cached settings.

Answer 2

Use the following steps to troubleshoot OneNote crashing when switching to the Draw tab on Windows:

1. Repair Office/OneNote installation
   • Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
   • Find Microsoft 365/Office (or OneNote, if installed standalone).
   • Choose Modify and run an Online Repair of the Office apps.
   • Restart Windows and test OneNote again.
2. Remove old/extra Office language components Crashes while typing or using UI elements can be caused by an older MSI-based language pack.
   • Open Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
   • Look for any older Office language installations (for example, entries that are not part of the current Microsoft 365/Office install).
   • Uninstall those older language packs.
   • If needed, reinstall the current language pack using the steps in “Step 2: Configure Microsoft 365 language” in the Language Accessory Pack for Microsoft 365 article.
   • Restart Windows and test OneNote.
3. Check for known crash causes on the device
   • If the problem started after a recent driver or device change (especially audio or graphics), review any recent driver updates.
   • For crashes or visual issues related to graphics hardware (for example, black boxes or rendering defects), disabling hardware graphics rendering can help. Follow the documented steps for disabling hardware rendering in OneNote, then restart OneNote and test again.
4. Update OneNote and Windows
   • Make sure OneNote (via Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Store) and Windows are fully updated.
   • If using the OneNote for Windows 10 app, note that support ends in October 2025; installing the latest OneNote from the Microsoft Store or as part of Microsoft 365 can resolve app-specific issues.
5. If crashes persist
   • If OneNote still crashes after repair and updates, collect details (Windows version, OneNote version, any error messages) and post them in the OneNote forums on Microsoft Answers for targeted assistance.

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References:

• Outlook, Word, or OneNote unexpectedly close when typing
• Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in OneNote for Windows
• Troubleshoot errors in OneNote for Windows 10
• OneNote shows black boxes and other visual defects on certain graphics hardware