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How to Fix OneNote Not Responding / Crashing [9 Ways]

7 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

OneNoteis a very useful part of the Microsoft Office package, especially for students. But, some people have reported that they’re having some issues with this tool.

So, we’ve created this article in order to help you solve theOneNoteproblem inWindows 10.

OneNote is a useful note-takingapplicationthat many Windows 10 users use.

Even thoughOneNoteis incredibly useful, sometimes certain issues can appear while using this app. Speaking of issues, many users reported the following problems:

How do I fix OneNote not working on Windows 10?

1. Use PowerShell

After you perform the above steps, try to open yourOneNoteagain. Now, everything should work fine again. If these steps did not helped with your issue, go to the next solutions.

2. Re-install Microsoft Office

If the PowerShell solution didn’t solve the problem, you can try reinstalling the complete Microsoft Office package.

If you used Office before you upgraded your system to Windows 10, there’s a chance that something went wrong while the system was upgrading.

So, reach for the Programs and Features, uninstall the complete Office, and then download it or install it from the installation disc again.

If you have downloaded Microsoft Office from a not-so-secure website you might have a problem. Get them from official sources:

3. Delete the settings.dat file

If you’re havingOneNoteproblems, the issue might be related to the settings.dat file. This is a settings file forOneNote, and if this file gets corrupted, you won’t be able to startOneNoteproperly.

To fix the problem, it’s advised to delete the settings.dat file and restartOneNote. After doing that, try to startOneNoteagain and check if the problem still persists.

4. Switch to a different page

Several users reported syncing problems withOneNote. According to them, document changes aren’t being synced across devices.

This can be a big problem since you won’t be able to access your documents from a different device. However, users have found a useful workaround that might help you with this problem.

According to users, after you’re done editing your document, switch to a different page inOneNote. By doing so you’ll forceOneNoteto sync your changes.

By default,OneNoteshould sync any changes as soon as you make them, but if that doesn’t happen, be sure to try this workaround.

This isn’t a permanent solution, however, you should at least be able to sync your documents by using this workaround.

5. Click the + button

Several users reported thatOneNoteis unable to sync. According to users, they are stuck waiting for their notebooks to load. This can be a big problem since you won’t be able to access your notes at all.

However, users found a way to fix this problem. To fix the issue, simply click the + tab while your notebooks load.This will allow you to sign in to your account.

After doing that, the loading should finish and you’ll be able to access your notes again. This seems like a strange bug, but you should be able to fix it by using this solution.

6. Delete OneNote cache

If you’re havingOneNoteproblems, you might be able to fix them by removingOneNotecache. Once you delete cache and settings, you should be able to startOneNotewithout any problems.

7. Create a new user account

If you’re havingOneNoteproblems, you might be able to fix the issue simply by creating a new user account.

OneNoteis a built-in application in Windows 10, closely related to your user account, and if your user account gets corrupted, you won’t be able to accessOneNoteanymore.

However, you can easily check if your user account is the problem by creating a new user account. After creating a new user account, switch to it and check if the problem is still present.

If not, it means that your old user account is corrupted. You can’t repair a corrupted account, but you can move all your personal files from the corrupted account to your new one.

8. Reset OneNote app

If you’re havingOneNoteproblems on your PC, you might be able to solve this issue simply by resetting your app to default.

9. Install the missing updates

OneNote issuesmight be due to missing updates. Windows 10 is a solid operating system, but sometimes certain bugs can appear, and sinceOneNoteis a built-in application, these issues can affect it.

It’s advised to keep your Windows up to date. By default, Windows 10 installs the missing updates automatically, but sometimes you might miss an important update due to certain bugs or errors.

If any updates are available, Windows will download them in the background and install them once you restart your PC. If your PC is already up to date, you might want to try some other solution.

By following these steps you should be able to solve all of the most common OneNote issues that can happen in Windows 10.

If you have any comments, reach for the comment section below, and we’ll try to clear up all uncertainties.

How to Fix OneNote Not Responding / Crashing [9 Ways]#

How do I fix OneNote not working on Windows 10?#

1. Use PowerShell#

2. Re-install Microsoft Office#

3. Delete the settings.dat file#

4. Switch to a different page#

5. Click the + button#

6. Delete OneNote cache#

7. Create a new user account#

8. Reset OneNote app#

9. Install the missing updates#