OneNote "Sync Stopped: This notebook is in read-only mode because it is broken. A backup has been created. To continue editing, please copy the content into a new notebook and close this one" - Error code 0xE0000644 9zu13

cangyu qu 0 Reputation points
2026-07-10T15:12:13.09+00:00

Hi,

I've been using OneNote both on my Windows PC and my Android cell phone. It's been working great until recently when I kept having this same problem repeatedly on my Windows PC:

"Sync Stopped: This notebook is in read-only mode because it is broken. A backup has been created. To continue editing, please copy the content into a new notebook and close this one"

If I go to the sync page. I found another warning saying "OneNote can't sync your notes right now. We'll keep trying. (Error code: 0xE0000644 9zu13)"

Interestingly, if I go to the OneNote website on the cloud, I can correctly access and edit my notebook. And the changes will be reflected on my windows app. Also, I can still edit my notebook normally from my Android phone as well. So it seems to be a PC app problem.

It's very annoying since this problem pops up every few days. Any solutions?

Thanks!

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | Other | Windows
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  1. Kai-H 26,385 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-14T06:36:37.78+00:00

    Hi, cangyu qu

    Since the notebook works in OneNote for the web and on Android, the cloud copy is probably healthy. Error 0xE0000644 9zu13 usually points to a damaged section or a broken local sync connection in the Windows app, rather than the whole notebook.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    First, open the notebook in OneNote for the web and confirm that all important pages are present. Copy any Windows-only or unsynced notes somewhere safe before continuing.

    Update OneNote from File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.

    In the Windows app, right-click the affected notebook and choose Close This Notebook. Then open the notebook in your browser and select Open in Desktop App. This creates a fresh connection to the cloud copy.

    Check whether a recently created section or section group is missing online. It is recommended that you copy its pages into a new section, sync with File > Info > View Sync Status > Sync Now, and remove the faulty section only after confirming everything is online. This resolved the same error in a recent case.

    If the entire notebook keeps becoming read-only, create a new notebook and copy the sections across gradually. Do not delete the old notebook until the new one syncs correctly on all devices.

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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