Mac OneNote ver. 16.60 "Backups" does NOT show in Preferences

I used to be very confused about this problem too, but fortunately Microsoft seems to offer a solution that you can try. I switched the update channel to the beta channel in Microsoft AutoUpdate , a new version of OneNote appeared, and after installing it, my Backups section appeared in the preferences. I hope this can help, and I appreciate your efforts to move this issue forward.

Igor,

I do appreciate your efforts—thank you.

The lack of Mac OneNote local backup or the ability to backup/sync with iCloud or other cloud service (thus, forced OneDrive usage) has always been my only complaint.

I consider OneNote "best of breed" in note-taking apps. Yet, for years, I have regularly tried every other note-taking application. I have done this due to my overarching fear that one day, OneDrive would fail, and my data would be lost. Now, with nearly two decades of data tucked away in OneNote, I cannot simply move to another application without an enormous expenditure of time. I've tried. Even still, no other application provides all of what OneNote delivers.

Back to backups. The "backup solution" from Microsoft for Mac users has always been to use the OneNote web app to manually download a zipped notebook. I have dozens of notebooks, many of which I enter new data daily. To take the time from my schedule and daily remember to zip and wait for a download of every notebook is beyond unreasonable. Thus, when the developers announced a local backup solution for OneNote, I was more than glad.

Of course, now for some unknown reason, not all Mac OneNote users have this new backup ability. Unfortunately, what this snafu also tempts me to ponder is the reliability of local backups when and if finally we do all have access. Microsoft does get many things right, yet, I do not think my uncertainty of the reliability of local backups is unwarranted.

I understand new features can result in bugs, however the announcement and release of a new feature before fully testing the feature is irresponsible. That rush-to-market model of software development has been customary of Microsoft for well over a decade—the user base is the ultimate test bed.

In the past, too many times, Microsoft released a new service, product, or feature set only to shutter it within a few years. I am tempted here to list the applications & services, and, of course, Windows Phone, and Microsoft stores that opened and then all closed. All that behavior does is create a culture of doubt.

I am not against trials. I am against presenting new products & services and including heavy promotion to enlist a user base, only to later pull the rug out from under them. The style and manner of letdowns conducted by Microsoft could only continue from a position of arrogance or simple sloppiness. None of the much smaller tech companies I deal with put out services, applications, or products with the "bug" history of Microsoft.

Lest anyone think this is sour grapes of a whiny, ungrateful newb, I have been in the computing world since the first iteration of DOS, a heavy Microsoft customer for more than 30 years, built computers, networks, did tech support, and am still heavily invested in tech.

Yes, that manner of Microsoft unreliability is exactly why I eventually banished all Microsoft services, applications, and products (barring OneNote and forced OneDrive) and moved to Apple. While Apple has issues at times like any company, they have never been anything like what I have experienced with Microsoft. My secret desire for years now has been that Apple would build a OneNote contender.

Well, enough early-morning rant; it is not directed at you, Igor. You have been responsive and helpful. In my opinion, you have far exceeded the type of help I have encountered too many times in the past from Microsoft. Again, thank you.

I will re-visit this forum daily to see if any progress has been made. If the bug is repaired rapidly, and local backups function properly, I will gain a new respect for Microsoft. If it is not, I will maintain my present demeanor of "well...ya' know...it's Microsoft...."

Thank you.

dlant

The newest App Store version of the app was made available today (16.61), I have updated to it, and despite the patch notes still advertising this feature, it does not show up for me still. This is getting kind of ridiculous. Igor, as a Microsoft employee, can you please escalate this issue internally so we can get some form of official response? I have sent feedback using the built-in tool but have not gotten any response to it.

Same here, as well; updated to 16.61 and there is not the new Backup feature in Preferences.

FLASH UPDATE!!! MAY 18, 2022

Well, here's something new. When I sat down this morning at my MacBook, OneNote was still open from the night before, however, there was an open dialog box stating that I could now backup locally and I could see the new Backup option in Preferences. I opened Preferences, and lo and behold...wait for it...um...nope...nothing...NO BACKUPS option.

I restarted OneNote -- no Backups.

I restarted MacBook & opened OneNote -- no Backups.

I logged out of OneNote and logged back in -- no Backups.

I used Microsoft AutoUpdate with each of the three channels available -- no Backups

OneNote is still version 16.61 (22050700).

These types of give-them-hope-and-then-one-way-or-another-remove-hope blunders have been systemic/pandemic with Microsoft since I began my Microsoft journey with DOS. It remains the most potent reason I moved all my business/personal computing to Apple with the exception of OneNote & OneDrive. As I mentioned in a previous post, the only reason I have continued with OneNote is because of its superiority, however my existence on OneDrive (though also an excellent cloud service IMHO) is because I have been forced to do so by Microsoft. It seems the "new Backups" option to hop off OneDrive is, at least for me, still non-existent. I remain shackled to OneDrive :-(

Hi all,

We have been searching for the official article from Microsoft about release of Backups feature for OneNote for Mac. Unfortunately, the only resource that claims this release is Apple App store.

We tested this issue on multiple Macs machines and we confirm that Backups option didn’t appear several machines. Please notice that a new feature may need some days to complete release to all users or it's a potential bug for this new feature.

For now, we kindly suggest you to leave a feedback about this issue. How do I give feedback on Microsoft Office? This will let the developers team to notice the problem and investigate it from inside.

We apologize for the troubles and confusion caused and appreciate your understanding.

Best Regards,

Igor