HELP PLEASE.....One Note - Password glitch?

Owen Tingle 0 Reputation points
2026-07-27T19:13:05.14+00:00

Recently changed my password on a one note journal using my android phone. Now I can't open that one note journal on either laptop or phone using either old or new password. They show as synced, but it just keeps saying password is wrong (even though its quite a simple password that I typed twice, and doubt encountered typos). I also have a mysterious journal.one file in my onedrive recycle bin that appeared at the same time I changed the password. Should I restore this?

I have incredibly important legal evidence in this journal so can't afford to lose it.

Help Appreciated

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | Other | Windows
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  1. Norah-L 10,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-28T03:52:02.75+00:00

    Hello Owen Tingle,

    I understand that you recently changed the password for a protected OneNote journal on your Android phone. Although the notebook appears to be synced, the journal will no longer open on either your phone or laptop because OneNote rejects both the old and new passwords, and you have also noticed a related .one file in the OneDrive Recycle Bin.

    Please try the options below first:

    1. Do not uninstall OneNote, clear its data, or delete anything yet, as the phone may still hold unsynced information.
    2. In a browser, sign in to https://www.onenote.com with the same account and try opening the protected section there. Enter the password carefully, passwords are case-sensitive, so check capitalization, spaces, keyboard language, and any symbols.
    3. In OneDrive’s Recycle Bin, first download or preserve a copy of journal.one if possible, then restore it. A .one file is a OneNote section, and restoring it returns it to its original location.
    4. On the laptop, check OneNote > File > Info > Open Backups for a copy created before the password change.

    Since this contains legal evidence, keep copies of the .one file and avoid repeatedly editing or moving the notebook.

    Please let me know how it goes after trying these steps, and I'll be glad to continue looking into it with you.

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