How to change OneNote from "Read Only" back to ability to edit the notes?

On OneNote for Android, pages typically become read-only for one of these reasons, with corresponding fixes:

1. Notes moved to “Misplaced Sections” after an update
   After a recent OneNote for Android update, unsynced pages are copied into Misplaced Sections as read-only:
   • Use Search in OneNote to find the note. There will usually be:
     • An editable version under the original notebook section, and
     • A read-only copy under Misplaced Sections.
   • Open and continue editing the version under the original notebook section (this one is not read-only).
   • If the read-only copy in Misplaced Sections has extra or newer edits, manually copy that content into the editable page:
     • To copy an entire page: press and hold the page in Misplaced Sections → Copy Page → choose the original notebook and section.
   • After confirming that all important changes are copied back, optionally close Misplaced Sections:
     • Go to the Notebook list → press and hold Misplaced Sections → Close notebook.
       Caution: this removes remaining local unsynced changes in that section, so only do this after verifying everything is recovered.
2. Notebook or page is inherently read-only
   If the page is not in Misplaced Sections, OneNote may still show it as read-only because:
   • The page comes from a notebook sent as an email attachment – such pages cannot be edited in OneNote for Android.
   • The notebook on OneDrive or SharePoint is shared as read-only – contact the notebook owner and request read/write permissions.
   • The page contains content not supported on Android (for example, certain ink drawings, shapes, or unsupported images) – such pages cannot be edited on the phone.
   • The notebook is password-protected – unlock it to edit.
   • The notebook has a corrupted page – that page may not be editable.

If the issue started right after an app update and you see duplicates of your notes, focus on recovering from Misplaced Sections as above; if it is a specific notebook or page only, check for sharing/permissions, attachments, unsupported content, or protection.

References:

• Troubleshoot read-only notes in OneNote for Android
• Trouble editing a notebook or page in OneNote for Android
• Microsoft OneNote for Android