how to abort oneNote clean run

willie mangum 0 Reputation points
2026-09-01T21:12:04.4233333+00:00

micro soft OneNote will not allow me to print, it continues to read OneNote is cleaning files ,how do i stop it its been running for three days

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-01T21:12:19.5266667+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Close OneNote completely.
    2. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
    3. Find any OneNote.exe or Microsoft OneNote processes and select End Task for each.
    4. Clear the OneNote cache:
      • Press Windows + R
      • Enter %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneNote
      • Open the folder that matches the installed version, such as 16.0
      • Delete the cache folder, or rename it first as a backup

    This removes temporary files and can stop the stuck “cleaning up” state.

    If OneNote still will not print after that, try these printing checks:

    1. In the app being printed from, go to File > Print and make sure the correct printer is selected, not OneNote (Desktop) or Microsoft Print to PDF.
    2. Restart the Print Spooler service:
      • Press Windows key + R
      • Type services.msc and press Enter
      • Find Print Spooler
      • Right-click it and select Restart
    3. If printing still fails, repair Microsoft 365:
      • Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps
      • Select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office
      • Select Modify or Advanced options
      • Run Quick Repair first
      • If needed, run Online Repair

    If the OneNote printer itself is missing or damaged, uninstalling and reinstalling the OneNote app can restore it. Before uninstalling, make sure notes are synced to avoid losing unsynced changes.

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

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  2. John Jefferson Doyon 86,980 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-01T21:53:13.4133333+00:00

    Hi, @willie mangum

    If OneNote has been stuck on “cleaning files” for three days, it should not normally take that long.

    First, save any work you can, then completely close OneNote. If it will not close, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Task Manager, select OneNote, and choose “End task.” Restart the computer, then open OneNote again and test printing.

    If it still shows the same message, to help narrow this down:

    1. Are you using the OneNote desktop app included with Microsoft 365, or OneNote for Windows?
    2. Does this happen with every notebook, or only one specific notebook?
    3. Can you open and print the same notebook from OneNote on the web at https://www.onenote.com?

    Also, did anything happen before this started, such as a Windows/Office update, OneNote crash, or moving/syncing the notebook?

    Click "Add comment" to let me know.

    Thanks!

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