How to Recover Unsaved or Deleted OneNote Files (6 Ways)

This article describes how to recover unsaved or deleted OneNote files in several methods, including using a powerful data recovery software - MyRecover. Scroll down to learn more.

Ivy

By Ivy / Updated on January 22, 2025

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Can You Recover Unsaved OneNote Files? 

"Hi, I was working on an important project in OneNote and made some changes but my laptop shut down unexpectedly. So I didn't have time to save recent changes at all. Is there a way to recover unsaved OneNote files?"

Yes, you can recover unsaved OneNote files as it has a Sync feature that syncs automatically whenever there are changes. So it’s worth trying if you are in a similar situation. In addition, there are tons of users complaining about the OneNote notebooks disappeared or getting deleted. Don't worry, we'll cover several useful methods in this article as well.

Common Reasons behind OneNote Loss

Here is a collection of reasons for OneNote file loss, either unsaved or disappeared.

  • Accidentally deleted OneNote files
  • Errors like 0xE0000641 in OneNote
  • OneNote sync issues
  • Virus or Malware attack
  • System crashes
  • The hard drive has failed

How to Recover Unsaved OneNote Files

Microsoft OneNote also has a Sync feature that saves all changes to your notes. Thus, even if you forget to save OneNote files manually, you still can recover OneNote files in the OneNote app.

Step 1. Open OneNote on your computer and look for the Notebooks pane on the left side.

Step 2. Click More Notebooks at the bottom.

Step 3. In the popup window, click Closed Notebooks or a similar option. You will see a list of recently closed notebooks. Find the OneNote notebook you want to recover and open it.

How to Recover Deleted or Lost OneNote Files

Also, there are several methods to recover deleted or lost OneNote files. Try it if you find the OneNote notebook disappeared.

Way 1. Recover Deleted OneNote Files with Software

MyRecover, categorized into different zones based on different scenarios and equipped with corresponding scanning methods - Quick Scan for simple tasks and Deep Scan for other more challenging tasks, thus effectively reducing scanning time and speeding up recovery, will be a good choice to recover deleted OneNote files without backups. In addition, it features a user-friendly interface, more flexible recovery options, and more.

❤❤❤ Why Choose MyRecover?

✔ It has a free version that can recover files up to 500MB.

The Deep Scan feature is always available if you can’t find data (with Quick Scan).

✔ Recover deleted or lost documents (i.e. OneNote files), images, videos, audios, etc., in more than 1000+ data formats.

✔ Search or filter data quickly through file name, extension, data type, etc.

✔ Preview and recover files while scanning.

✔ Selectively restore files, not all of them.

✔ Recover data from specific locations (e.g. Recycle Bin), deleted or lost, formatted, RAW partition, or entire disk.

Work perfectly with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, ReFS file systems.

Download Software Windows 11/10/8/7/Server

Now, click the download button to get started.

 Be sure to install this software in a new location instead of the original location. Otherwise, your OneNote files may be overwritten, making data recovery more difficult.

Step 1. Scan Your Drive

Launch this Windows data recovery software - MyRecoverafter installing. Then, navigate to Deleted File Recovery, hover the mouse over the drive containing deleted OneNote files, and click Scan.

Select C Drive to Scan

Step 2. Search for Deleted or Lost OneNote

By default, this software will run a Quick Scan automatically to scan the selected drive and find deleted or lost OneNote files in a short time.

Quick Scan

It offers you a chance to perform a more thorough scan after scanning by clicking Deep Scan at the lower left corner. Try it if you can't find the desired OneNote files. You may also be asked if you want to perform a Deep Scan when you interrupt the scanning process.

Deep Scan

You can then search or filter files quickly without waiting for the final result.

  • click the funnel-shaped button to specify the "Documents" data type to target the filter range.
  • If necessary, set the size, from less than 512KB to 1GB above.
  • Or type the file name or extension in the search box to quickly target it.

Search for OneNote Files

Step 3. Recover Disappeared OneNote Files

Once found, double-click them to preview and select disappeared OneNote files by ticking the checkboxes or leaving the unwanted files blank. Then, click the Recover button and select a new location to save the recovered files as restoring to the original location may cause data overwriting.

Recover OneNote Files

⚠️To recover unlimited OneNote files, please upgrade to MyRecover Pro or Technician as the free edition can only recover deleted or lost OneNote files over 500MB.

Way 2. Recover Deleted OneNote from Recycle Bin

If the OneNote notebook has disappeared, the first thing to do is check the Recycle Bin. It will temporarily save the deleted Notebook for 60 days. Note each Notebook’s Recycle Bin is independent.

Step 1. Open the Notebook containing deleted OneNote files. Click History >Notebook Recycle Bin.

NoteBook Recycle Bin

Step 2. All deleted pages or files are displayed. Right-click on which you want to recover and select Move or Copy.

Move

Step 3. Select a new notebook to save the recovered pages or files. Then, click Move or Copy.

Move

Way 3. Recover OneNote Files from Deleted Notes

If you are using OneNote for Windows 10 or the web version, try to restore from a Deleted OneNote notebook, similar to the OneNote Recycle Bin. It also applies to recovering OneNote files on Mac.

Step 1. Open the OneNote for Windows 10 or its web version. Then, click View >Deleted Notes.

Deleted Notes

Step 2. Right-click the notes or pages you want to restore and select Restore to.

Restore To

Step 3. Select a new notebook to save deleted notes or pages and click Restore.

Way 4. Recover OneNote Files from Local Backups

By default, OneNote automatically creates backups of your notes, which allows you to recover deleted OneNote files effortlessly (if available).

Step 1. Open the OneNote app. Then, click File >Info > Open Backups.

Open Backups

Step 2. Find the backup note, select it, and click Open. You can then move or copy notes you want to restore.

Open the Backup File

Way 5. Recover Lost Notes in OneNote from OneDrive

If you activate OneDrive as a cloud backup to backup your OneNote files, you can try to check it for lost notes or pages.

Step 1. Go to the login page of OneDrive and log in with the same account as Microsoft OneNote.

Step 2. Type the file name in the search box to find lost notes or pages. Once found, you can then move or copy them to a new location.

Search for OneDrive

Conclusion

That’s all you can know about how to recover unsaved or deleted OneNote files. The simplest method is to re-open closed notebook to find unsaved OneNote files. For disappeared OneNote notebook, there are more methods.

Using powerful data recovery software will be the most effective method. MyRecover, with strong scanning technologies, ultra-fast scanning time and recovery speed, more flexible recovery options, etc., will be a good choice.

Download Software Windows 11/10/8/7/Server
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FAQs

1. Does OneNote save backups?

Yes, OneNote has a backup feature. You can set an automatic backup by clicking File > Options > Save & Backup and setting a backup interval from the drop-down menu, or click Back Up Changed Files Now or Back Up All Notebooks Now and click OK to backup notes manually.

2. Does OneNote save history?

Yes, OneNote has a Recent Edits feature that can track changes in the shared notebook and save them for a period of time. To access them, open the OneNote app and click History > Recent Edits.

3. How to view OneNote history?

  • Open the notebook in OneNote.
  • Click History. You will see a list of options, such as Recent Edits and Page Versions, that allows you to view OneNote history.
  • Click Recent Edits. From the drop-down menu, you can select from Today to Last 6 Months or All Pages Sorted by Date.

4. Where does OneNote automatically save?

The default save location of OneNote files is the C: drive. You can also go to File > Options > Save & Backups and Backup Folder to check the file location.

Ivy
Ivy · Editor
Ivy is an editor of AOMEI Technology, she covers backup & restores hard disk & partition management and cloud file transfer, and so on for AOMEI. She is an outgoing girl and enjoys helping people find solutions to their problems. She loves traveling, eating, reading, and so on. She usually hangs out with friends at her leisure time.