How to Recover Missing OneNote Files in Windows 10?

Why Did My OneNote Notebooks Disappeared or Missing?

If your OneNote notebooks have suddenly gone missing, don’t panic. It’s a common issue that can often be resolved. Whether you're using OneNote for Windows 10, OneNote 2016, or the web version, notebooks may seem to disappear due to a variety of reasons. Understanding the root cause is the first step toward recovering your valuable notes:

1. Accidental Deletion

You might have deleted a page, section, or even an entire notebook without realizing it.

2. Sync Issues

If you're using OneNote with a Microsoft account or OneDrive, sync errors can cause notebooks to temporarily disappear or appear outdated. A slow or unstable internet connection may interrupt synchronization.

3. Signed in with a Different Account

Sometimes, users sign in with a different Microsoft account and can't see their notebooks because they’re stored under another account.

4. Notebook Stored Locally

If you're using the OneNote 2016 desktop app, some notebooks may be stored locally on your PC. If you've changed devices, formatted your drive, or uninstalled the app, those files might appear missing unless you have a backup.

5. Notebook Was Closed

OneNote allows you to close notebooks without deleting them. If a notebook has been closed, it won’t appear in your recent list but can be reopened from its original location.

6. File Corruption or App Errors

Occasionally, OneNote data can become corrupted due to app crashes, system errors, or hardware issues, causing notebooks to disappear or fail to load properly.

How to Recover Missing OneNote Files?

Losing access to your OneNote notes can be frustrating, but recovery is often possible. Below are the most effective methods to recover missing or deleted OneNote files:

Before proceeding:✎...

Ensure you are logging in with the correct Microsoft account where the OneNote notebooks stay. Click your profile icon in OneNote and make a double-check.

Method 1. Restore Missing OneNote Files fromthe OneNote Recycle Bin

If you're using a shared notebook (e.g., via OneDrive or Class Notebook), deleted pages or sections may still be in the Notebook Recycle Bin:

Step 1. Open the notebook.Go to the "History" tab.

Step 2. Click "Notebook Recycle Bin".

Step 3. Right-click any deleted page or section and select "Move or Copy" to restore it to a safe location.

Method 2. Recover OneNote Notebook from Cache

If your OneNote notebook is missing but wasn’t permanently deleted, you may still be able to recover it from the application’s cache files. OneNote stores temporary versions of your notebooks locally, which can sometimes be retrieved if the notebook is no longer accessible through the app or cloud.

Step 1. Locate OneNote’s cache folder. The location varies slightly depending on your version of OneNote. For OneNote 2016, try: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0\Backup

Or for Windows 10 version: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Office.OneNote...\LocalCache

Step 2. Look for ".one" files, which represent individual pages or sections. These files may have generic or system-generated names but can still contain your lost content.

Step 3. Before doing anything, copy the cache files to another folder to prevent them from being overwritten or cleared.

Step 4. Open OneNote and go to "File > Open > Browse", then manually select the ".one"files you recovered to try opening them.

If the files open successfully, move the content to an active notebook or export the notes as needed.

Method 3. Recover OneNote Notebook from OneDrive Sync

If your OneNote notebook was stored in the cloud, OneDrive's sync feature may help you recover it even if it's not currently visible in the app. In many cases, the notebook is still safely stored in your OneDrive account but may have been closed, unsynced, or even deleted accidentally.

Step 1. Go to the OneDrive website and sign in with the same Microsoft account you use for OneNote.

Step 2. Check the "Documents" or "OneNote Notebooks" folder. Look for ".one" files or folders named after your notebooks.

Step 3. If you find the missing notebook, right-click it and choose to open it in Browser or OneNote.

If the notebook was accidentally deleted, go to the "OneDrive Recycle Bin" on the left panel.Select the deleted notebook or folder. Click "Restore" to move it back to its original location.

Open the OneNote app and go to "File > Open > Open from OneDrive", or check your list of recent notebooks. If the notebook doesn’t appear, manually browse to its OneDrive path.

If the notebook appears outdated or blank, click "File > Info > View Sync Status", then select the notebook and click "Sync Now" to manually trigger a refresh.

Method 4. Recover OneNote Files By Re-Opening Closed Notebooks

If a notebook was manually closed in OneNote, either by accident or for organization, it won’t appear in your recent notebooks list. However, closing a notebook doesn’t delete it. The data is still intact and can be re-opened easily from its original storage location, whether it's saved locally or in the cloud.

Step 1. Go to "File > Open > Open from other locations" in the OneNote app.

Step 2. Browse for cloud notebooks via your Microsoft account, or Open from This PC for local notebooks.

Step 3. On OneNote for the web, click "More Notebooks" from the left sidebarand re-open the target OneNote file.

Method 5. Recover Deleted or Missing OneNote Files using Windows Data Recovery Software

If your OneNote notebook was stored locally and has been permanently deleted,especially if it wasn’t synced to OneDrive, Windows data recovery software may be your best option.We recommend using MyRecover, a user-friendly and powerful data recovery tool that specializes in retrieving deleted files from formatted, corrupted, or emptied storage devices.

MyRecover

FREE, Easy, Powerful Data Recovery Software

• 500+ Devices Support: HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, memory cards, cameras, PS series, and more.
• 500+ Data Loss Scenarios: PNG, MP4, ZIPS, Word, PPT, Emails, Archives, etc.
• 1000+ File Formats: Deletion, format, transfer failure, power failure, virus attacks.
• Filter and Search: Easily find specific files by name, type, or size.

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Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

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Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your Windows PC.

Step 2. Launch the program and select the drive where the notebook was stored.

Step 3. Click "Scan", and MyRecover will automatically search for all lost files on the target drive.

Step 4. Once the scan is complete, use the "search bar" or filter to locate OneNote files.

Step 5. Select the files you want to recover and click "Recover".

Step 6. Save the recovered files to a different location (not the original path).

After seconds, all deleted OneNote notebooks will be successfully recovered. You can click the path link to directly check the file integrality in the destination folder.

Summary

Missing OneNote notebooks can be alarming, but in most cases, they are not gone forever. Whether they were accidentally deleted, closed, unsynced, or stored locally, you can try the abovemethods to restore missing OneNote files quickly and effectively. With the right steps, your valuable notes can be brought back in just a few clicks.

The MyRecover is especially effective when there’s no cloud backup and the local file has been recently deleted.In addition, it is also able to recover zip files, emails, photos, musics, videos and other types of file.