If OneNote sections or pages have disappeared or you can’t find the same data on the web or desktop version, here’s how to fix the problem. This problem is mainly caused by OneNote sync issue. This article explains all the possible reasons and solutions to fix it.

Fix missing OneNote sections or pages

If OneNote sections or pages have disappeared, follow these solutions to fix the problem:

1. Check Internet Connection
2. Check OneDrive service status
3. Synchronize manually
4. Sign out and sign back into OneNote
5. Create a new section and copy the data
6. Clear OneNote cache
7. Use the OneNote diagnostic tool

To learn more about these solutions, keep reading.

1) Check the Internet connection

This is the first thing you need to check since synchronization requires a valid Internet connection. To check your Internet connection, follow these steps:

• Press Win+R to open the Run prompt.
• Type ping ping 8.8.8.8 -t and click on the ALL RIGHT button.

Your Internet connection is working properly if you see continuous results with ping time. However, you need to change the Internet connection if you see another message.

Bonus Tips: If you have enabled VPN or proxy, you can temporarily disable them. Sometimes VPN or proxy servers can cause internet connection issues.

2) Check OneDrive service status

OneNote uses OneDrive to sync data. If OneDrive is down, your laptops can’t sync. This is why you can go to portal.office.com and check if there is any problem with OneDrive or not. If so, it’s better to wait a bit.

3) Synchronize manually

Sometimes OneNote may not automatically sync your notebooks for various reasons. It may be caused by poor internet connection, corrupted system file, etc. In such situations, you have to sync them manually. To do this, proceed as follows:

• Open the OneNote app on your computer.
• Click on File > Information.
• Click on the Show sync status button.
• Select the notebook you want to sync or are having issues with.
• Click on the correspondent Sync now button.

It is very important to choose Automatically sync whenever there are changes before closing the window so you don’t need to follow all these steps every time you make a change.

4) Log out and back in to OneNote

If your OneNote or Microsoft account has internal issues, you might encounter the same problem. This is why it is suggested to log out of your account and log back in. To do this, proceed as follows:

• First open the OneNote app.
• Click on File > Account.
• Click on the disconnect button.
• Click on the Yes button to confirm.
• Click the Sign in button and enter your login credentials.

Once finished, open the same notebook and edit a few words or so.

5) Create a new section and copy the data

Sometimes the current section or pages may not be synced due to some add-ins. In this case, you can create a new section and copy the data. To do this, follow the following steps:

• Open the OneNote app.
• First select Notepad.
• Click the plus icon to create a new section.
• Enter a name with copy suffix to quickly recognize it.
• Open the original section and right-click on the desired page.
• Select the Copy option.
• Open the new section.
• Right-click on the pages section and select the Stick option.

After that, check whether the issue is resolved or not.

6) Clear OneNote cache

HAS delete OneNote cachefollow these steps:

• Open File Explorer on your computer.
• Navigate to this path: C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0
• Right-click on the Hidden folder and select the Delete option.
• Confirm the deletion.

7) Use the OneNote diagnostic tool

The OneNote diagnostic tool is a one-stop solution for all common sync issues. It works well on Windows 11 and Windows 10. It allows users to collect and send diagnostic logs from OneNote to help the support team when working with customers on issues they are experiencing. So you can head towards Microsoft.com and download the diagnostic tool first. Then run the MSI package to install it. Then open the app and follow the on-screen instructions.

I hope these solutions will solve your problem.

Read: Guide to Fix OneNote Sync Issues and Problems

How to recover a missing section in OneNote?

There are two methods to recover a missing section in OneNote. First, you can open OneNote and navigate to the History tongue. Select Recent changes and select a day that suits your needs. Browse the changes. Secondly, open the History tab and go to Laptop bin. Find deleted items and restore them accordingly.

Where did my OneNote page go?

OneNote pages may disappear if they are not synced correctly. You can view recent changes in the History tab to find all recently changed data. On the other hand, you can open OneNote Trash to find all deleted items.

Read: Fix OneNote not working, not opening, errors, issues.