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Can no longer open OneNote files using the app, only in the browser version.

Anonymous
2025-04-13T03:48:27+00:00

I can no longer open any OneNote files in the App, I can only open in the browser version.

When I try opening in the App it says:

"We couldn't open that location. It might not exist or you might not have permission to open it. Please contact the owner of [long file path to sharepoint location] for more information."

OR if I try to open from within the app it says

"OneNote can't open this notebook because it can't connect to the server. Please try again later." Please help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For education | Other

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-04-18T17:57:30+00:00

    Good day!

    We haven't heard from you, so we assume that your issue has already been addressed. We will not be monitoring this thread moving forward so, if you need further assistance, please create a new thread to discuss these concerns by clicking this link: Create a new question (microsoft.com)

    Thank you for understanding.

    Regards,

    Fritz-Bald

    Microsoft Community

    Moderator

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-04-17T14:50:11+00:00

    Good day!

    We have noticed that you have not responded to our last message in your Community post. We would like to know whether the issue you have raised with us is still ongoing. If yes, please reply to our thread and continue our conversation.

    We await your response.

    Regards,

    Fritz-Bald

    Microsoft Community

    Moderator

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-04-14T16:05:47+00:00

    Good day!

    Welcome to Microsoft Community. Thank you for sharing your concern with us today and we hope that all is well.

    It seems like there might be an issue with the connection to the server or permissions for the OneNote files. Here are a few steps you can try to resolve the issue:

    1. Verify Your Network Connection

    • Ensure your device has a stable internet connection, as the app requires access to SharePoint or OneDrive to sync and open notebooks.
    • If you're on a corporate or school network, check if the network has restrictions that may block access.

    2. Confirm Account Login

    • Ensure you’re signed into the correct Microsoft account:
      1. Open OneNote and click File > Account.
      2. Check if the account shown matches the account used to access the SharePoint or OneDrive location.
      3. If it doesn’t match, sign out and sign in with the correct account.

    3. Open OneNote Notebooks via OneDrive

    • Try opening the notebook directly from OneDrive or SharePoint:
      1. Navigate to the notebook in your browser.
      2. Click Open in App from the browser version.
      • This should trigger the desktop app to open the notebook.

    4. Reauthenticate OneNote

    • Sometimes OneNote loses connection to SharePoint/OneDrive due to expired tokens:
      1. In the OneNote app, go to File > Info > Settings > Close for the problematic notebook.
      2. Reopen the notebook by copying the SharePoint/OneDrive URL and pasting it into OneNote’s Open Notebook dialog.

    5. Repair Office Installation

    • If the app is corrupted, repairing it might help:
      1. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
      2. Find Microsoft 365, select Change, and choose Quick Repair. If that doesn’t work, use Online Repair.

    6. Reset OneNote Cache

    • A corrupted cache can cause syncing and access issues:
      1. Close OneNote completely.
      2. Navigate to the cache folder (usually located at `C:\Users

    [YourUserName]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote

    [Version]\Cache`). 3. Delete the contents of the cache folder and restart OneNote. 4. Reopen the notebook.

    7. Test Notebook Permissions

    • If you’re accessing a shared notebook, verify that you have sufficient permissions:
      1. Ask the notebook owner to confirm your access in SharePoint or OneDrive.
      2. Ensure they’ve provided edit or view permissions as needed.

    8. Update OneNote and Office

    • Outdated software may cause compatibility issues:
      1. Open any Office app, go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
      2. Restart OneNote after the update.

    Hope this helps!
    Fritz-Bald

    Microsoft Community

    Moderator

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