my one note hasn't synced for almost a 2 weeks

Zara Akhtar 0 Reputation points
2026-04-26T21:31:26.07+00:00

my notebook won't sync no matter what I do, even if I select sync this notebook. my internet connection is fine and this isn't the first time its done this. as a uni student I heavily rely on one note for my note taking despite many people telling me the problems they've had with it. no matter where I look on the internet there's no solution or anything that helps. I'm really scared of losing my notes and as I've just noticed it's not synced for the past 2 weeks I'm very worried about my notes.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For education | MacOS
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  1. Ian-Ng 14,150 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-28T21:51:08.08+00:00

    Hi @Zara Akhtar

    Thank you for your reply. 

    Based on the error code E000006E and the notes aren't appearing on the web version, your recent work currently exists only in your local Mac cache. 

    Please follow these steps to secure your data and resolve the sync: 

    1/ Firstly, please back-up your un-synced notes 

    Since the notes are not in the cloud, you need to manually back them up first. Therefore, copy and paste critical text into a Word document or a local text file as a temporary safety measure. 

    Please do not sign out of OneNote or uninstall the app, as this will delete the local cache and the notes you’ve taken over the last two weeks.

    2/ Secondly, try copy to new notebook as a workaround 

    Often, a sync "clog" can be bypassed by moving the content to a fresh notebook: 

    1. Go to https://www.onenote.com/ in your browser and create a new notebook. 
    2. Click Open in Desktop App to sync this empty notebook to your Mac. 
    3. In the OneNote app, go to your stuck notebook, right-click the un-synced sections, and select Move/Copy. 
    4. Choose Copy (do not use Move) and select the new notebook as the destination. 
    5. Check if the new notebook successfully syncs to the cloud. 

    3/ Check for large attachments 

    Error E000006E can sometimes be triggered by a single corrupt or oversized item. If you recently added a large PDF printout or a high-resolution image, try deleting that specific item from the page to see if the sync resumes. 

    If the web version still isn’t displaying your notebook correctly, the next step is to reach out to your university’s IT department. Since your account is managed by your university, they will investigate potential storage issues or service-side errors. When you contact them, feel free to ask them to open a support ticket with Microsoft on your behalf for further technical assistance.

    Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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  2. Zara Akhtar 0 Reputation points
    2026-04-28T14:55:34.63+00:00

    the error code is E000006E on multiple pages of my notebook and the issue is on both of my notebooks, even though the other one I haven't edited since about this time last year. the notes do not appear when I log into the web and even when I force a sync reset it still just has the two arrows then after a while it will go back to the triangle exclamation mark icon and when I hover over it, it says sync error. there haven't been any updated that I am aware of on both my Mac and my university account.

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  3. EmilyS_726 29,000 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-04-27T01:24:30.8466667+00:00

    Hello,

    This appears to be a cache issue.

    Hold down Win + Alt + Del keys and launch task manager, then end the OneNote app.

    Then hold down Win + R keys, enter thye following and press enter.

    %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneNote
    

    This should open the folder 16.0, then delete the cache folder, or rename it to something like cache_old if you want to keep a backup.

    Then restart the computer and see if it helps.

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  4. Ian-Ng 14,150 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-26T22:21:04.3+00:00

    Hi @Zara Akhtar

    Thank you for reaching out regarding the synchronization issues you are experiencing with OneNote on macOS. 

    Based on your description, your OneNote notebook has failed to synchronize for approximately two weeks. Despite having a stable internet connection and attempting to manually trigger the sync, the notes remain local to your device.

    To resolve this effectively, I would like to narrow down whether the root cause lies within the OneNote application, the specific notebook file, or the authentication status of your university account. 

    Please provide additional details to help us identify the specific fault: 

    • Are you seeing a specific error code (such as 0xE0000024) or a status message when you click the "Sync Error" icon? 
    • Is this issue affecting all notebooks or one specific notebook? 
    • Have there been any recent updates to your macOS or changes to your university account password? 
    • Does the sync status remain on "Incomplete," or does the application prompt you for credentials repeatedly? 

      While we investigate this further, please perform the following steps to secure your data and test the connection: 

    1/ Verify OneNote for the Web:  

    • Log in to OneNote.com using your university credentials. Check if the notes from the last two weeks appear there. 
    • Note: If the notes are not on the web, do not sign out of the Mac app or uninstall it, as this could delete the local cache of your unsynced work. 

    2/ Manual backup:

    For any page that is not visible on the web version, manually copy the content into a separate Word document or TextEdit file to ensure you have a backup. 

    3/ Force a sync reset:

    Right-click the name of the affected notebook and select Sync This Notebook. Note if the progress bar moves or stays stagnant. 

    Please understand that my initial answer may not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution. 

    I look forward to your response with the requested details so I can assist you further in restoring your notebook's synchronization.


    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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