How to Delete a Notebook in OneNote (Without Sync Errors)

Deleting a OneNote notebook confuses almost everyone, because OneNote doesn't have a Delete notebook button. Pages and sections, yes; whole notebooks, no. That's because a notebook is really a folder stored in OneDrive or on your computer, so you delete it there. The order matters too: close it in OneNote first, or you'll get sync errors. Here's how on each device.

Where your notebook lives decides how you delete it

Notebook saved in	How to delete it
OneDrive (most notebooks)	Close it in OneNote, then delete it at onedrive.com
Your Windows computer	Close it, then delete the folder in Documents, OneNote Notebooks
SharePoint or Teams	Delete it from the SharePoint site or ask the owner

Step 1: close the notebook in OneNote

1. In OneNote on Windows, open the notebook list.
2. Right-click the notebook.
3. Choose Close This Notebook.

Microsoft explains why this matters: if you delete a notebook without closing it, OneNote keeps trying to sync with something that no longer exists and shows a sync error. Close it on every device where it's open, including your phone and any tablet, because each one keeps its own list of open notebooks.

Step 2: delete the notebook from OneDrive

1. Go to onedrive.com and sign in with the same Microsoft account.
2. Open Documents. Notebooks are usually there.
3. Find the notebook, select it with the circle beside its name.
4. Click Delete.

Microsoft says a notebook deleted from OneDrive moves to the Recycle bin, where it stays for 30 days on a personal account. You can restore it from there, or empty the recycle bin to remove it for good.

Delete a notebook saved on your computer

Older OneNote notebooks on Windows may be stored locally. Close the notebook in OneNote, then open File Explorer and go to Documents, then OneNote Notebooks. Delete the notebook's folder. Microsoft points out that it's a normal file deletion, so it goes to the Recycle Bin; empty the Recycle Bin to remove it permanently.

On a Mac, iPhone or iPad

Microsoft confirms there's no command to delete a whole notebook in OneNote for Mac or OneNote for iPhone and iPad either. The steps are the same idea:

• On a Mac, close the notebook from the Notebooks list, then delete it at onedrive.com.
• On an iPhone or iPad, close it in the OneNote app, then delete its folder at onedrive.com in a browser.
• Microsoft warns that deleting removes every section, page and attachment in it.

Before you delete: keep what you need

• Export the notebook or important sections to PDF if you might need them later.
• Move pages you want to keep into another notebook by right-clicking them and choosing Move or Copy.
• Check nobody else is using it if it was shared, because deleting it removes it for them too.

Just want it out of sight?

If you only want a notebook off your list without deleting anything, closing it does the job. The notebook stays safe in OneDrive and you can open it again any time from File, Open. That's often the better choice for old project notebooks you might need one day, such as notes from a past client.

Delete a shared or work notebook

Notebooks created through Microsoft Teams or a SharePoint site belong to that team or site, not to you alone. Deleting them is usually down to the owner, and doing it removes the notebook for every member. If you just want it off your own list, close it. If it should go for everyone, check with the team first, then delete it from the site's Documents library, or ask whoever manages the site to do it.

If the notebook comes back

A notebook that reappears after deletion is almost always still open on another device, such as a phone or a second computer, which syncs it back. Close it everywhere, then check the OneDrive recycle bin and delete it there too. Signing out of OneNote on an old device you no longer use also stops it from syncing anything back.

Delete a page or section instead

To remove part of a notebook, right-click a page or a section tab and choose Delete. Deleted pages and sections go to OneNote's own Deleted Notes, found on the History tab on Windows, where you can restore them for a while.

If you use OneNote with Microsoft's AI assistant, my guide to Copilot in OneNote covers summarising notes before you archive them, and my roundup of note-taking apps is worth a look if you're tidying up because you're switching.

My verdict

Close the notebook in OneNote on every device first, then delete it at onedrive.com, or from Documents, OneNote Notebooks if it's saved on your PC. It sits in the recycle bin for a while, so empty that when you're sure. If you only want it off your list, just close it, and it'll be waiting in OneDrive if you ever need it again.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete a notebook in OneNote?

Close it in OneNote, then delete it from OneDrive at onedrive.com.

Why is there no delete option for notebooks in OneNote?

Notebooks are folders in OneDrive or on your computer, so you delete them there.

Can I restore a deleted OneNote notebook?

Yes, from the OneDrive recycle bin, within 30 days on a personal account.

Why do I get a sync error after deleting a notebook?

It's still open in OneNote. Close the notebook on each device.

How do I delete a OneNote notebook on a Mac?

Close it in OneNote for Mac, then delete it at onedrive.com.

Where are OneNote notebooks saved on Windows?

In OneDrive, or locally in Documents, OneNote Notebooks.