Guide: Fix ‘OneNote Sync Error’ Issue on Windows 10 and Mac
Microsoft OneNote is one of the popular note taking solutions. The software is available on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and the Internet. OneNote uses OneDrive to store and sync the data across platforms. Millions of users use the notes app there because it is free and comes with tons features and options for parts out of the box. With such popularity and usage, OneNote comes with nasty behaviors. For example, you cannot sync data with other cloud storage platforms. And if you are going to use the service with multiple notebooks and sections on the devices, you may encounter a OneNote sync error in the app. That was the sore point of OneNote from the start, slow and unreliable sync between the devices. If you are someone stuck with a OneNote sync error on your Windows or macOS, then that might be the perfect reading for you. We will talk about the different ways to fix the sync problem on the OneNote. Let’s start.
1. Check Notebook on the Internet
One can quickly check if the problem is from the OneNote or the app installed on the PC. Step 1: Open the OneNote desktop app and select a notebook. Step 2: Move to File> Info and copy the Notebook path.
Step 3: Open a web browser and paste the link. On a Mac, open Notebook and go to the Notebook section on the ribbon and select the link copy to this notebook.
If the notebook is opened on the Internet, the problem is with the app installed on the devices. Let’s fix that.
2. Update OneNote
Microsoft regularly provides OneNote updates on all platforms. On Windows, it maintains two versions of OneNote. Universal Windows app from OneNote and the Office 365 desktop app. The company decided to part with the OneNote desktop app, but due to popular demand, it reversed the decision and released OneNote with support for the dark theme.
The OneNote sync error could be due to the last app update that may have made a mistake up the synchronization in the app. Download the latest update for OneNote. For UWP (Universal Windows Platform) OneNote, open Microsoft Store and go to Downloads and updates> Get updates and install the latest version of the app. For OneNote Desktop, open the app and select File> Account> Update options> Update now.
As for macOS, open the Mac App Store and go to updates and download the latest build of the app. Open the latest app and check the latest sync status.
3. Set the notebook to sync automatically
By default, OneNote automatically syncs the notebooks when you open the device on the PC or Mac. If you somehow turned it off, let’s turn it back on.
Open OneNote for the UWP app and go to Settings> Options and enable the Automatically sync notebook option in the menu. Right-click any OneNote notebook on the desktop and select Notebook sync status. Turn on sync automatically when there is a change option.
4. Sync notebooks manually
If you are still having trouble syncing on OneNote, you may want to force the notebooks and section to sync manually. For UWP, right click on a notebook and select Sync> Sync this notebook option. For the OneNote desktop app, right-click on a notebook and select the Sync this notebook now option. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Shift + F9 to manually sync the selected notebook. I usually use the OneNote keyboard shortcuts.
The trick is the same for the macOS version. Right click on the notebook and select sync in this notebook or use the keyboard shortcut ‘command + S’.
5. Reopen the notebook
This trick has worked for many. Users can close and reopen the notebook from the same location. For the OneNote desktop, right-click on a notebook and select the ‘Close this notebook’ option. Now open it by going to File> Open and selecting the notebook in OneDrive.
For the UWP app, right-click on any notebook and select the close notebook option. Open it again from the more notebook option.
6. Move conflicting comments to another section
You may have encountered the conflicting changes highlighted in red in the notes. The behavior occurs when you and your partner are both editing the same note of the shared notebook.
In such cases, you can move or copy the notes or sections in another notebook. Right-click on a section and move or copy it to another notebook.
7. Delete space on PC and OneDrive
As I said before, the software uses Microsoft OneDrive to sync the data between the devices. By default, it comes with only 5 GB of storage, which fills up quickly up because of images and videos. You can remove some of the OneDrive storage or opt for the Microsoft 365 plan, which offers 1 TB of cloud storage.
One can also optimize the inactive files to save some space. Open the OneNote desktop and go to File> Options> Save and Backupup and select the option Optimize all files now.
Fix the OneNote sync problem
OneNote is an excellent service. But the sync error is something to be aware of for a smooth experience on all devices. Use the guidelines above and fix the OneNote sync error. The next up: OneNote software comes with suitable PDF functions. Read the post below to find the best one tips and tricks before.
Fix ‘OneNote Sync Error’ Issue on Windows 10 and Mac: benefits
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