[One note]Can't connect to the server

kathy 0 Reputation points
2026-09-14T02:27:49.64+00:00

[One note]All notebooks were unable to open since 5 days ago.
I log-in and out multiple times, changing internet connection, but nothing happened

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows
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  1. Norah-L 10,660 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-14T07:39:40.37+00:00

    Hello kathy,

    I understand that none of your OneNote notebooks have opened for the past five days, and signing in again or changing the network connection has not helped.

    First, please review and try the steps in the AI-generated answer above. If the issue persists, you can try the following:

    If you are using OneNote on Windows, please try these steps:

    1. Install any available Office updates from File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
    2. Press Windows + R, enter onenote /safe and press Enter. If the notebooks open in Safe Mode, an add-in or local setting may be interfering.
    3. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Microsoft 365, select Modify, and run Quick Repair. This should not remove your notebooks.
    4. If you see a permission or sign-in error, clear old Microsoft Office credentials from Windows Credential Manager, restart the computer, and sign in with the account that owns the notebooks.

    Please avoid resetting the app or deleting its cache until any unsynced notes are safely backed up.

    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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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-14T02:28:04.82+00:00

    Try this in order:

    1. Check whether the notebook opens in OneNote for the web.
      • In the OneNote desktop app, select File.
      • On the Info tab, right-click the URL shown below the affected notebook and select Copy.
      • Paste that URL into a browser and open it.
    2. If the notebook opens in the browser and the latest notes appear:
      • The issue is likely with the desktop app connection.
      • Close and reopen the notebook:
        • In OneNote desktop, go to File > Info.
        • Next to the notebook, select Settings > Close.
        • In the browser, with the notebook open in OneNote for the web, select Open in Desktop App.
    3. If the notebook does not open in the browser:
      • If it is stored on OneDrive, check the Microsoft 365 service status page for an outage.
      • If it is stored on SharePoint, contact the SharePoint or IT administrator.
    4. Check the sync status for the exact error:
      • In OneNote desktop, select File > Info > View Sync Status.
      • If available, note the error code shown for the notebook.
    5. If the error is 0xE4010641:
      • Wait a few minutes and try syncing manually with SHIFT+F9 or Sync Now in the Notebook Sync Status dialog.
      • If the notebook is on SharePoint or a local network location, verify the server is reachable or contact the administrator.
      • If the notebook is on OneDrive, sign in to OneDrive and confirm the notebook still exists.
    6. If the error is 0xE000078B:
      • This means a server timeout.
      • If the notebook is on OneDrive, try again after a few minutes and check service status.
      • If it is on SharePoint, try again later or contact the server administrator.

    Important: before closing and reopening a notebook that may not be fully synced, copy any recent unsynced notes to a safe place first. Also, signing out of OneNote or reinstalling it is not recommended during sync troubleshooting because it can cause data loss.

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

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