"To sync this notebook, sign in to OneNote."

Anonymous
2020-02-26T18:45:21+00:00

When I open one particular notebook in OneNote 2016, OneNote displays the message:

"To sync this notebook, sign in to OneNote"

and the Shared Notebook Synchronization window shows this error:

"We need the password to sync this notebook. (Error code: 0x803D0005) There was an error communicating with the endpoint at [my OneDrive]; The server returned HTTP status code '401 (0x191)' with text 'Unauthorized'.; The requested resource requires user authentication.; The operation identifier is not valid."

Error code 0x803D0005 means that OneNote is unable to communicate with the OneDrive server where my notebooks are stored, and the reason is HTTP status code 401, which means that OneNote's request to my OneDrive lacks valid authentication credentials - my password. The error message does not reference any Section in particular.

According to File > Account > User Information in OneNote 2016, I am in fact signed in to my Microsoft account. Nevertheless, if I open the affected notebook in OneNote for the web (with the notebook's URL) I can see that recent changes have not synced.

Manually syncing my notebook solves the problem (and I'm not asked to enter my password.) I want to know why this one notebook won't sync automatically - why I must sync it manually?

It's not an issue with OneDrive, since according to Microsoft's Service Status web page OneDrive is up and running.

***************

To anyone who likes to answer by copying URLs for me to read: I have already read and performed the steps in Troubleshoot synchronization errors in OneNote 2016 for Windows and Fix issues when you can't sync OneNote. In addition, please know that my OneNote notebooks are not stored on Sharepoint and no one else collaborates on any of my Notebooks. Also, please know that I have already uninstalled and re-installed OneNote 2016.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-04-02T11:14:54+00:00

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-04-16T03:04:22+00:00

    Following this advice fixed it for me too: I just closed OneNote, then deleted the cache folder at C:\Users<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0.

    Restarted OneNote and presto, fixo, no more sync message! Thank you!

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    20+ people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2020-04-21T06:28:24+00:00

    My PC is not syncing with my I pad

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-04-23T17:25:46+00:00

    I had the same problem described by BullDogXX above and deleting the cache folder seems to have fixed it for me. Thanks.

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    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  5. Anonymous
    2020-05-31T20:36:09+00:00

    Clark Wang MSFT's answer at https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/onenote-always-asks-to-sign-in/ worked for me. I did both steps, so not sure if only one was necessary.

    Deleting all the entries in C:\Users<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0\cache\ worked for me. Wow, i've been trying to resolve this issue for a while. In fact, it's been a recurring problem for me for a few years. This is the only solution that i found that mentions deleting the cache. Thank you very much.

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