Android OneNote will work for about a day, then require reinstall

Question

Android OneNote will work for about a day, then require reinstall

Dominic Di Cocco 10

OneNote on Android (which appears to be mostly unsupported) will work for about a day, get stuck on the screen where it appears it's trying to sync notes (shows the recent pages button, but pages are empty, my notebooks aren't listed, and the actual page window shows a nonstop loading animation), and won't work again until uninstalling, restarting my device, and reinstalling. Clearing cache, app data, signing out and back in all do not work. OneNote has worked mostly without issues for months before this. It always starts with inking something, then when I try to pan around or zoom, the ink stays fixed to the screen and doesn't move with the page. Then trying to do anything further breaks the whole app. Uninstalling and reinstalling has been the only solution that allows me open up notebooks and use OneNote as normal.

This is a larger issue affecting all MS Office 365 apps on the latest version on Android:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5861805/outlook-app-conflict-on-android-15
https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft365/comments/1sjp9pg/is_anyone_else_having_problems_with_microsoft/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Outlook/comments/1sk5y4p/cant_log_in_into_microsoft_365_account_from/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Office365/comments/1slmdxf/android_word_powerpoint_stuck_on_configuring/

maría ♡ 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T01:04:33.0366667+00:00

Hi! i've been experiencing the same issue since the last month.

I have been using OneNote as my note taking app since 2023, and this is the first time i have experienced something like this. I thought it was only my device, but i've seen other people having the same problem. It's such a boomer that they wont even give us a proper functioning app. I can get past them not giving basic functions that Android users have been asking for years, but its really becoming an unusable app.

Please let me know if u discover how to solve this!
maría ♡ 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T01:31:08.6366667+00:00

If it helps, a lot of users have been using the APK version from before the update, and it solved the issue for them! both the slow sync page after opening the app, and the lagging strokes moving w the page and the selection/erase feature slowing down the app.

Version APK 16.0.19127, 31 oct 2025, Apkmirror -[Moderator note: personal info removed]

Im trying it out now since i can barely use the app as it is now. You gotta unable automatic updates on GooglePlay tho!!
Ruby-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-20T22:10:22.37+00:00

Dear @maría,

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience.

I recently found an official Microsoft Support article that addresses a related issue on Android devices. You can review it at the following link: Android WebView Crash - Microsoft Support

I truly appreciate you sharing what has worked for you and other users. Feedback like this is valuable and helps bring attention to issues that affect daily usability.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding.
CD-Seattle 0 Reputation points

2026-04-23T04:50:57.9933333+00:00

Similar to many others, something changed around March 2026 that has made OneNote for Android essentially unusable. Sections won't load, pages show the last page you were on, typing is very laggy.

I've used OneNote for many years and rely on having it on my Android device to capture and review information throughout the day, and then know that the notes will be sync'd to my other instances of OneNote.

Microsoft: please fix this or revert to a functioning earlier version!!
Ruby-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-23T22:44:15.9133333+00:00
Dear @CD-Seattle,

I understand the difficulties you’re currently experiencing.

Since you didn’t mention trying the options I previously shared or the steps outlined in the following article: Android WebView Crash - Microsoft Support. I recommend reviewing and applying them if you haven’t already. These workarounds have helped some users resolve similar issues.

At this time, I don’t see any related advisories or incidents listed in the Microsoft 365 admin center. However, this does not necessarily mean the issue does not exist, as it may not yet have been widely reported directly to Microsoft.

Please note that this is a user‑to‑user support forum. I don’t have the ability to escalate the issue directly to Microsoft or access backend systems.

If contacting your IT admin is difficult, you may also share your feedback and upvote the related post here: Microsoft apps not working properly on Android · Community

Feedback submitted through this hub is reviewed directly by the Microsoft development team and additional votes and comments can help bring more visibility to the issue.

Thank you for your engagement and for helping raise awareness of this issue.
CD-Seattle 0 Reputation points

2026-04-24T01:28:31.77+00:00

Thanks for the follow-up. I have checked my Android web view and Chrome and they are both updated. The issue remains with OneNote essentially unusable.
Dominic Di Cocco 10 Reputation points

2026-04-24T01:38:45.4533333+00:00
@CD-Seattle I followed steps that involved removing updates/uninstalling(?) Android Webview, restarting the device, then updating Android Webview again, and this seemed to stabilize Microsoft O365 apps for now. In my case, I had to google the webview play-store link and reinstall from there because it wasn't in the app list. Here's the steps from another thread:

Settings -> Search for "Android System Webview" -> App Details In Store -> Remove Updates

Reboot

Settings -> Search for "Android System Webview" -> App Details In Store -> Update

Note: If "Android System Webview" doesn't appear in the app list, go to: Settings -> Google -> All services -> System Services -> Select "Android System Webview"

Reboot.

Launch Authenticator & log in.

I am NOT accepting any as a solution yet, because this is a temporary workaround until a real solution is pushed.
Ruby-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-24T19:05:17.5+00:00

Dear @Dominic Di Cocco,

Thank you for sharing your update and the steps you tested. When WebView becomes unstable, apps like OneNote or Authenticator may repeatedly ask for sign in or stop working as expected.

I truly appreciate your patience and confirm that this is a temporary fix.

4 answers

Your answer

maría ♡ 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T01:04:33.0366667+00:00

Hi! i've been experiencing the same issue since the last month.

I have been using OneNote as my note taking app since 2023, and this is the first time i have experienced something like this. I thought it was only my device, but i've seen other people having the same problem. It's such a boomer that they wont even give us a proper functioning app. I can get past them not giving basic functions that Android users have been asking for years, but its really becoming an unusable app.

Please let me know if u discover how to solve this!
maría ♡ 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T01:31:08.6366667+00:00

If it helps, a lot of users have been using the APK version from before the update, and it solved the issue for them! both the slow sync page after opening the app, and the lagging strokes moving w the page and the selection/erase feature slowing down the app.

Version APK 16.0.19127, 31 oct 2025, Apkmirror -[Moderator note: personal info removed]

Im trying it out now since i can barely use the app as it is now. You gotta unable automatic updates on GooglePlay tho!!
Ruby-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-20T22:10:22.37+00:00

Dear @maría,

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience.

I recently found an official Microsoft Support article that addresses a related issue on Android devices. You can review it at the following link: Android WebView Crash - Microsoft Support

I truly appreciate you sharing what has worked for you and other users. Feedback like this is valuable and helps bring attention to issues that affect daily usability.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding.
CD-Seattle 0 Reputation points

2026-04-23T04:50:57.9933333+00:00

Similar to many others, something changed around March 2026 that has made OneNote for Android essentially unusable. Sections won't load, pages show the last page you were on, typing is very laggy.

I've used OneNote for many years and rely on having it on my Android device to capture and review information throughout the day, and then know that the notes will be sync'd to my other instances of OneNote.

Microsoft: please fix this or revert to a functioning earlier version!!
Ruby-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-23T22:44:15.9133333+00:00

Dear @CD-Seattle,

I understand the difficulties you’re currently experiencing.

Since you didn’t mention trying the options I previously shared or the steps outlined in the following article: Android WebView Crash - Microsoft Support. I recommend reviewing and applying them if you haven’t already. These workarounds have helped some users resolve similar issues.

At this time, I don’t see any related advisories or incidents listed in the Microsoft 365 admin center. However, this does not necessarily mean the issue does not exist, as it may not yet have been widely reported directly to Microsoft.

Please note that this is a user‑to‑user support forum. I don’t have the ability to escalate the issue directly to Microsoft or access backend systems.

If contacting your IT admin is difficult, you may also share your feedback and upvote the related post here: Microsoft apps not working properly on Android · Community

Feedback submitted through this hub is reviewed directly by the Microsoft development team and additional votes and comments can help bring more visibility to the issue.

Thank you for your engagement and for helping raise awareness of this issue.
CD-Seattle 0 Reputation points

2026-04-24T01:28:31.77+00:00

Thanks for the follow-up. I have checked my Android web view and Chrome and they are both updated. The issue remains with OneNote essentially unusable.
Dominic Di Cocco 10 Reputation points

2026-04-24T01:38:45.4533333+00:00

@CD-Seattle I followed steps that involved removing updates/uninstalling(?) Android Webview, restarting the device, then updating Android Webview again, and this seemed to stabilize Microsoft O365 apps for now. In my case, I had to google the webview play-store link and reinstall from there because it wasn't in the app list. Here's the steps from another thread:

Settings -> Search for "Android System Webview" -> App Details In Store -> Remove Updates

Reboot

Settings -> Search for "Android System Webview" -> App Details In Store -> Update

Note: If "Android System Webview" doesn't appear in the app list, go to: Settings -> Google -> All services -> System Services -> Select "Android System Webview"

Reboot.

Launch Authenticator & log in.

I am NOT accepting any as a solution yet, because this is a temporary workaround until a real solution is pushed.
Ruby-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-24T19:05:17.5+00:00

Dear @Dominic Di Cocco,

Thank you for sharing your update and the steps you tested. When WebView becomes unstable, apps like OneNote or Authenticator may repeatedly ask for sign in or stop working as expected.

I truly appreciate your patience and confirm that this is a temporary fix.

Answer 1

Dear @Dominic Di Cocco,

Thank you for sharing the additional information and related links.

Recently, I have seen similar issue threads from other users in the community, and I have identified a few workarounds that may help in the meantime. You are welcome to try the options below and see if they improve the behavior on your device:

Option 1: Reset Android System WebView

Go to Settings and search for Android System WebView.
Open App details in store and select Remove updates.
Restart your device.
Return to Settings and search for Android System WebView again.
Open App details in store and select Update.
Restart your device once more.

Note: If Android System WebView doesn't appear in your app list, navigate to: Settings > Google > All services > System services > Android System WebView.

After completing these steps, launch Teams and sign in again.

Option 2: Enable Secure Folder

This is an alternative workaround.

Open Settings on your device.
Search for Secure Folder and complete the default setup.
No apps need to be added to the folder.
Once Secure Folder is enabled, try launching OneNote again.

However, many users have encountered similar issues with the latest Android update, which has affected multiple applications. At this time, I don’t see any related advisories or incidents listed in the Microsoft 365 admin center. This does not necessarily mean the issue does not exist, as it may currently affect only a small number of users and hasn‘t yet been widely reported.

Because of this, the best next step is to contact Microsoft Support directly so logs can be collected and the issue can be analyzed in more detail.

I understand that in some situations, reaching your IT administrator can be difficult. In that case, you may also share your experience through Microsoft Feedback: Microsoft apps not working properly on Android · Community. Submitting feedback through the Microsoft Feedback portal is very helpful, as it increases visibility and priority for investigation when multiple users report the same behavior.

I also encourage highlighting or sharing this response within the community, as it may help other users who are experiencing the same symptoms but aren‘t yet aware of possible workarounds.

I hope this clarifies the current situation and the available next steps. Please feel free to reply if you have questions or if there is anything else I can help with.

Answer 2

Dear @Dominic Di Cocco,

Thank you for sharing your experience so openly. I am truly sorry for how disruptive this has been, especially since OneNote on Android with a stylus is central to how you work. I fully understand your inconvenience, and I appreciate the time and effort you have already spent trying to resolve this.

In this Microsoft Q&A forum, I can help by explaining expected behavior and providing end user troubleshooting guidance. However, I don’t have access to tenant level diagnostics such as Azure AD sign-in logs, authentication token lifecycle data, Conditional Access evaluation, or OneNote service side sync traces for a specific Microsoft 365 account. Because of this limitation, deeper investigation isn‘t possible from a public forum thread.

From what you described, OneNote works briefly after reinstall, then notebooks stop loading and the app stays stuck in a loading state. This usually points to an underlying sign in or sync issue that returns over time, where reinstalling or clearing cache only helps temporarily.

Since this keeps recurring despite those steps, the next practical step is to have your organization’s IT administrator raise a support case through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center so it can be checked at the tenant level.

This allows Microsoft Support to access tenant side diagnostics using time bound, least privileged access and investigate authentication token refresh failures, Conditional Access policies, or service restrictions that may be impacting OneNote on Android.

I didn‘t intend to redirect you unnecessarily, and I am sorry if it felt that way. This recommendation is based solely on platform limitations and the type of investigation required for this issue. I want to be transparent rather than suggest workarounds that would not address the root cause.

Thank you again for your patience and for explaining your workflow and concerns so clearly. I hope your IT administrator can escalate this with Microsoft Support and get a definitive resolution for you.

Answer 3

Dear @Dominic Di Cocco,

Good day, and I appreciate the clear explanation of your concern.

Based on what you described, OneNote for Android is unable to fully connect to the cloud, so notebooks do not load and the app stays stuck on a loading screen. Since reinstalling the app temporarily fixes the issue, this suggests the app’s local sync or sign‑in state becomes corrupted over time, and standard steps like clearing cache or signing out are usually not enough to reset it.

Here are some workarounds you can consider:

Option 1: Use OneNote online on a PC

Go to https://onenote.cloud.microsoft/ and sign in with the same Microsoft account.

Access and edit notebooks through OneNote on the web, or use the OneNote desktop app if available.

This option allows you to continue working with your notebooks without running into the Android app sync issue.

Option 2: Contact Microsoft Support

Since you have already completed all standard end-user troubleshooting steps, the best next step is to contact your organization’s IT administrator and request that they create a support ticket through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Support > Help & Support for further investigation.

A technical support engineer can perform a remote session to investigate the situation, verify the backend configurations, and run any necessary synchronization tools to resolve the problem. If the issue requires further attention, they can escalate it to a specialized team for deeper analysis.

As a moderator, I don't have the tools to investigate your specific account directly because this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas. However, I will try my best to guide you as clearly as possible.

If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have any extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Dominic Di Cocco 10 Reputation points

2026-04-16T06:33:07.87+00:00

Using OneNote on PC defeats the point for me. I use it on Android with stylus to do handwritten work and take notes. Contacting Microsoft support is extremely difficult and when I finally got through, funny enough, they told me to come here to this forum, yet you suggest going back to Microsoft. Since Microsoft support for the individual is useless, the next best option is to get in contact with my organization admin responsible for hundreds of thousands of accounts and systems?
Dominic Di Cocco 10 Reputation points

2026-04-17T22:11:19.27+00:00

The issue is not an isolated situation but appears to be how microsoft apps run with a recent android update

Answer 4

Follow these steps to troubleshoot recurring OneNote for Android hangs and forced reinstalls:

Verify and reset account credentials
Corrupted or stale credentials can cause sync to hang and block notebook loading.
1. Open OneNote on Android and tap Notebooks (bottom left).
2. Tap the three-dots menu (upper right) > Settings.
3. Tap Account.
4. Tap Sign Out, then OK.
5. Use the recent apps button, find OneNote, and swipe it away to fully close it.
6. Start OneNote again and sign in with the correct Microsoft 365/education account.
Force a full notebook sync instead of reinstalling
Once signed back in, force sync to clear partial or stuck sync states that can cause the endless loading animation:
1. In OneNote, locate a notebook that is not loading correctly.
2. Tap the three-dots menu (upper right).
3. Choose Sync (account name) notebook.
4. To sync everything, go to the Notebooks list, tap the three-dots menu, and choose Sync all.
5. Leave the device powered on and OneNote in the foreground until sync completes; large or first-time syncs may take a long time.
Update OneNote for Android to the latest version
A recurring daily failure can be caused by a bug fixed in a newer build.
1. Open the Play Store app.
2. Tap the menu icon > My apps & games.
3. If OneNote shows an Update button, tap Update (or Update All).
4. Relaunch OneNote and confirm notebooks load and sync.
Check for known account issues on Android
If the account was originally set up with a phone number on the device, OneNote can stop syncing and show persistent sign-in or account errors. In that case:
1. Ensure OneNote is updated from the Play Store.
2. If an Account Error – Action Required message appears, tap Add Email and attach a valid email address to the account so notes can sync normally.
Confirm notebooks open in OneNote for the web
To rule out notebook corruption or server-side issues, open the same notebooks in a browser via OneNote for the web. If they open and show recent changes there, focus troubleshooting on the Android app (credentials, sync, and updates as above). If they do not, there may be a broader service or notebook issue.

If the app continues to hang daily after these steps, keep OneNote updated and use OneNote for the web or desktop as a stable fallback while monitoring for app updates that address the behavior.

References: