OneNote Noteboob Sync

Swartz, Jennifer 0 Reputation points
2026-08-12T15:36:03.2+00:00

I am receiving the followign error when trying to sync a notebook:

We can't access this section file or the attached file because the file was moved, the file name is invalid, or the file permissions have been changed. (Error code: 0x2 bdf5f)

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | Other | Windows

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  1. Xavier-D 12,600 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-13T07:22:46.93+00:00

    Hello Swartz, Jennifer

    Since the AI-assisted answer has already provided troubleshooting steps for the sync error, I would like to add how you can protect your recent notes before closing or reopening the notebook base on your newest question.

    First, do not sign out, uninstall OneNote, clear its cache, or close the affected notebook until your unsynced notes are safely copied. To protect them:

    1. Open each page containing recent changes that may not have synced.
    2. Copy the content into a new page in another notebook that is syncing correctly. As an additional precaution, you can paste important content into a Word document and save it locally.
    3. In the OneNote desktop app, select File > Options > Save & Backup > Back Up All Notebooks Now.
    4. Open the notebook in OneNote for the web and check whether your latest changes appear there. If they do, those notes have reached OneDrive or SharePoint.
    5. Only after confirming that the notes are available online or safely copied elsewhere should you close and reopen the affected notebook.

    Once the recent content is safely copied or backed up, you can proceed with closing and reopening the affected notebook. Until then, avoid signing out, reinstalling OneNote, or clearing its cache, as unsynced changes could be lost.

    Feel free reply back to this post if you need further assistance, I'll be happy to help.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-12T15:36:19.1466667+00:00

    For error 0x2 bdf5f, the supported recovery is to re-open the notebook from its original source location so OneNote can rebuild the sync relationship.

    Use this path:

    1. Protect recent unsynced content first. If the notebook contains notes that have not synced anywhere else, back them up before closing or reopening the notebook.
    2. In OneNote desktop, go to File > Info.
    3. Copy the notebook URL shown under the affected notebook name.
    4. Next to the notebook name, select Settings > Close.
    5. Paste the copied URL into a web browser.
    6. When the notebook opens in OneNote for the web, select Open in Desktop App to re-open it in OneNote.

    If the problem is limited to one section or page:

    1. In OneNote desktop, create a new section in the same notebook.
    2. Copy all pages from the affected section into the new section.
    3. Press Shift + F9 to manually sync.
    4. If the new section syncs correctly, delete the old section and continue with the new one.

    If OneNote reports that a section cannot sync:

    1. Select File > Info > View Sync Status.
    2. Select Sync Now for the affected notebook.
    3. If needed, identify the section with the warning icon and use the new-section copy method above.

    If the notebook was manually moved in File Explorer, that can break OneNote’s path and sync metadata. Re-opening the notebook from its original OneDrive, SharePoint, or local source is the supported fix.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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