Ho to fix Onenote syncing issue?

Mahreen Jalal 0 Reputation points
2026-06-03T23:55:46.03+00:00

I use one note on my ipad. It's almost 5gb. I've been trying to sync the data on it for the last few hours. But it keeps on saying "please wait". I've tried logging onto my computer and solving the issue. But my annotations aren't there. Please fix if there's any bug causing this issue. I can not lose this data😭😭😭

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For education | iOS
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  1. Darren-Ng 12,770 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-06-04T01:29:58.3733333+00:00

    Dear @Mahreen Jalal,

    Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Based on your description, OneNote on your iPad is stuck on “Please wait” while syncing a large (~5 GB) notebook, and your recent annotations do not appear on your computer.

    This issue is likely related to a stalled OneNote sync process caused by a large notebook size, unstable connectivity, low device storage, or a temporary sync/cache problem. Since your recent annotations are not showing on other devices, it is very important to avoid uninstalling the OneNote app or signing out before confirming your notes have synced successfully.

    For better understanding your situation, please help me to narrow down via confirm some information as:

    • Where is the notebook stored in (OneDrive Personal, OneDrive for Business/school, SharePoint)?
    • Do you see any specific sync error code or error message besides “Please wait”?
    • Does the issue happen with one specific notebook only or all notebooks?

    In the meantime, here are some advices you can refer to:

    Connect the iPad to a stable Wi‑Fi network

    Keep the device charging

    Disable Auto-Lock temporarily: Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock > Never

    Leave OneNote open for some time, especially for large notebooks

    Large notebooks can take a long time to sync on mobile devices.

    Low free storage may prevent sync operations: Go to check in Settings > General > iPad Storage

    Ensure that several GB of storage are available if possible.

    For reference: Fix issues when you can't sync OneNote

    I hope information above could help you resolve the issue. If not, please update more information as my previous questions so I can support you more effectively.

    Looking forward to your update.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-03T23:56:06.8733333+00:00

    Follow these steps on the iPad and other devices to resolve the OneNote sync issue and protect existing notes:

    1. Make sure the iPad has a stable internet connection by opening another cloud app or website.
    2. Keep OneNote running in the foreground on the iPad while it syncs. Avoid switching apps so the sync can complete.
    3. Sign out and back in on the iPad to refresh credentials:
      • Open OneNote.
      • Tap the back "<" icon until the list of notebooks appears.
      • Tap the gear icon next to the account name.
      • Under Account, tap the account name, then tap it again and choose Remove Account.
      • Confirm signing out.
      • Close OneNote completely (double-tap Home and swipe up on OneNote, or use App Switcher) so it is not running.
      • Reopen OneNote and sign in again with the same account used on the computer.
    4. Clear corrupted credentials at iOS level if sign-in prompts repeat:
      • Go to iOS Settings > OneNote > Reset OneNote.
      • Turn on Delete Sign-In Credentials.
      • Ensure OneNote is closed, then reopen and sign in again.
    5. Manually trigger sync from the iPad:
      • On any page, tap Show Notebooks.
      • In the notebooks list, press and pull down to start a manual sync.
      • For a single notebook, go to a section in that notebook and pull down the section list; for a single section, pull down the page list.
    6. Because the notebook is very large (~5 GB), reduce sync load on the iPad:
      • Open the notebook.
      • Tap the ... (ellipsis) in the upper-right.
      • Tap Settings > Sync.
      • Turn Auto Sync Attachments to Off.
      • Let the notebook sync again; this can improve performance and stability for large notebooks.
    7. On the computer, confirm whether the latest content is in the cloud:
      • Open the same notebook in OneNote for the web (via OneDrive/SharePoint) and check if recent annotations appear.
      • If the web version shows older content, the iPad has not yet uploaded; keep the iPad online and OneNote in the foreground until syncing finishes.
    8. Ensure OneNote and iOS are fully updated on the iPad, as recent fixes address sync and stability issues.

    If, after these steps, the notebook still never completes sync and the iPad holds the only copy of recent annotations, keep the iPad powered, connected to Wi‑Fi, and OneNote open for an extended period (hours if needed) to allow large-notebook sync to finish before making major changes on other devices.

    References:

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