How to fix 'Content Not Yet Available' OneNote sync issues?

HL-9934 0 Reputation points
2026-08-22T14:21:30.95+00:00

I previously used OneNote application on my Windows 11 Laptop (app, not browser) and on my iPad using my university email account and faced no issues with syncing across devices. Since I am soon graduating I needed to copy over my university notebook to my personal Microsoft account which I have done via the OneNote app on Windows 11. However, I am facing issues syncing these notebooks. On the OneNote app (now logged in via my personal Microsoft account) I can see all the copied sections fine, however when I use the sync menu I varyingly get 'Up to date (but with an old, i.e. not the current, date)', 'Not syncing' or an endless syncing progress bar. In the case of the endless bar or 'not syncing' I often get the error code 0x803D0014 bdfno. However, my university notebook is still able to sync without issues.

When I try to check the copied over notebook on other devices (iPad, Chrome browser on Windows 11 laptop), I can see the copied notebook and all its sections and pages, however multiple pages have a 'Content Not Yet Available' message. If I create a new page in the copied notebook, this does manage to sync and I can see it on other devices.

Please advise on how I should proceed to fix this issue.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows
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  1. Kai-H 26,385 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-25T08:49:42.95+00:00

    Hi, HL-9934

    The copied notebook appears to contain locally cached page data that never completed its first upload. Since new pages sync normally, the account and personal OneDrive connection are likely working.

    Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

    Make a local backup before changing anything. In OneNote, select File > Options > Save & Backup > Back Up All Notebooks Now. You can find the backups under %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0\Backup.

    Update OneNote. Select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now, then restart Windows. An outdated OneNote build can cause server compatibility and synchronization problems.

    Temporarily disconnect any VPN or proxy and test from another network, such as a phone hotspot. OneNote synchronization can fail when its connection to the service is blocked by network or firewall settings.

    Right-click an affected page and check Page Versions. If an earlier version contains the missing content, restore or copy that content into a fresh page.

    Because the university account may soon be disabled, also export important sections or pages as PDF immediately and contact the university IT administrator before graduation. They may be able to keep the account available temporarily while the transfer is completed.

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

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-22T14:21:52.28+00:00

    The symptoms point to a notebook-specific sync problem in the copied notebook: some pages exist, but their content was never fully uploaded to the cloud copy. A practical recovery path is:

    1. Verify what is actually in the cloud.
      • In OneNote on Windows, go to File > Info.
      • Right-click the notebook URL under the affected notebook and select Copy.
      • Paste it into a browser and open the notebook in OneNote for the web.
      • If those pages also show Content Not Yet Available in the browser, the copied content did not fully sync from the Windows app.
    2. Check the notebook sync status and force a manual sync.
      • In OneNote desktop, go to File > Info > View Sync Status.
      • Select Sync Now for the affected notebook, or Sync All.
      • If a specific section shows a warning icon, that section is likely the source of the problem.
    3. Rebuild any section that will not sync.
      • In the same notebook, create a new section.
      • Copy, but do not move, all pages from the affected section into the new section.
      • Then manually sync the notebook:
        • either press Shift + F9, or
        • use File > Sync All Notebooks.
      • If the new section syncs correctly across devices, delete the old section and rename the new one.
    4. Check the notebook recycle bin / deleted notes for corrupted content.
      • In OneNote, open History > Notebook Recycle Bin.
      • If the problematic section or pages appear there, copy or restore needed content elsewhere, then delete the corrupted original from the recycle bin.
      • Corrupted deleted content can keep sync errors active.
    5. Close and reopen the affected notebook connection.
      • In OneNote desktop, go to File > Info.
      • Copy the notebook URL.
      • Next to the notebook name, select Settings > Close.
      • Open the copied URL in the browser, then select Open in Desktop App.
      • This can reset the sync connection between the app and the service.
    6. Avoid signing out or reinstalling as a first step.
      • Microsoft warns that signing in or out of OneNote, or removing and reinstalling the app, is not recommended during sync troubleshooting because it can cause data loss.
    7. If the issue is only on Windows 11 with repeated sign-in prompts or authentication problems, clear stored Office credentials.
      • Close OneNote and browser windows.
      • Open Settings and search for Credential Manager.
      • Open Credential Manager > Windows Credentials.
      • Remove entries beginning with MicrosoftAccount and MicrosoftOffice.
      • Restart the device, open OneNote, and sign in again.

    Given this scenario, the most likely fix is to identify the affected sections, copy their pages into newly created sections, sync again, and then reopen the notebook from OneNote for the web. That matches the pattern where newly created pages sync, but older copied pages show Content Not Yet Available.

    References:

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