How to Delete a OneNote Notebook (And What Actually Happens When You Do)

Deleting a OneNote notebook sounds straightforward — but depending on which version of OneNote you're using, where the notebook is stored, and what device you're on, the steps and consequences vary significantly. Understanding the full picture helps you avoid accidentally losing notes or leaving orphaned files behind in the cloud.

What "Deleting" a OneNote Notebook Actually Means

OneNote doesn't delete notebooks the same way you delete a Word document. When you close a notebook in OneNote, you're removing it from your app's sidebar — but the underlying data still exists wherever it was saved.

True deletion means removing that underlying data, whether that's:

• A folder on your local drive or network location
• A notebook stored in OneDrive (personal or business)
• A notebook hosted in SharePoint (common in Microsoft 365 work environments)

This distinction matters because many users close a notebook thinking it's gone, then wonder why it still appears when they sign into OneDrive.

The Two Versions of OneNote You Might Be Using

Microsoft currently maintains two versions of OneNote, and they handle notebook management differently:

In both versions, you close notebooks from within the app — but the actual deletion happens outside the app, in File Explorer or OneDrive.

How to Delete a OneNote Notebook Stored in OneDrive 🗂️

This is the most common scenario for personal notebooks.

Step 1: Close the notebook in OneNote first

• In OneNote, right-click the notebook name in the left panel
• Select Close This Notebook

This disconnects the app from the notebook but doesn't delete it.

Step 2: Go to OneDrive and delete the notebook folder

• Open onedrive.com in a browser and sign in
• Navigate to the Documents folder (or wherever your notebooks are stored)
• Each notebook appears as a folder — right-click the folder and select Delete

Step 3: Empty the OneDrive Recycle Bin (optional)

• Deleted items stay in OneDrive's Recycle Bin for up to 30 days
• If you want it gone permanently and immediately, go to the Recycle Bin in OneDrive and delete it from there

🔑 Key point: If you skip Step 2 and only close the notebook, the data remains in OneDrive. It will reappear if you reconnect or sign in on another device.

How to Delete a OneNote Notebook Stored Locally

Some users — particularly those using the classic OneNote desktop app — keep notebooks saved locally rather than in the cloud.

Step 1: Close the notebook in OneNote

• Right-click the notebook name → Close This Notebook

Step 2: Locate the notebook folder on your drive

• Local OneNote notebooks are stored as folders containing .one section files and a .onetoc2 table of contents file
• Common default path: C:Users[YourName]DocumentsOneNote Notebooks

Step 3: Delete the folder in File Explorer

• Select the notebook folder and delete it
• Empty your Recycle Bin if you want to fully remove it

Local notebooks have no cloud sync safety net — once the folder is deleted and the Recycle Bin is cleared, recovery requires a backup or a third-party recovery tool.

Deleting a Shared or Work Notebook (SharePoint / Microsoft 365)

Work notebooks connected through SharePoint or Microsoft Teams require a different approach — and more caution.

• You typically cannot delete a SharePoint notebook as a regular user; that requires site owner or admin permissions
• Closing the notebook in OneNote only removes your local connection
• Deleting it from SharePoint removes it for everyone who shares that notebook
• In Microsoft Teams, notebooks are tied to a team's SharePoint site — deleting the Teams channel or team may also affect the notebook

If you're in a work environment and unsure about permissions, check with your IT administrator before proceeding.

What Happens to Synced Content on Other Devices

If a notebook was synced across multiple devices (phone, tablet, second laptop), closing or deleting it on one device doesn't automatically remove it from others. Each device will need to close its local connection to the notebook.

On iOS or Android, you can remove a notebook from the OneNote mobile app by:

• Tapping and holding the notebook name
• Selecting Close Notebook (the underlying OneDrive data still needs to be deleted separately)

Variables That Change the Process

The right deletion method depends on several factors that vary by user:

• Where the notebook is stored — OneDrive, SharePoint, local drive, or a network share
• Which OneNote version you're running — the Store app vs. the classic desktop app behave differently
• Whether the notebook is shared — shared notebooks affect other people when deleted
• Your sync settings — heavily synced notebooks may leave residual data on multiple devices
• Your Microsoft 365 subscription — business accounts have different OneDrive and SharePoint permissions than personal accounts

A user with a single personal OneDrive notebook follows a simple two-step process. A user managing notebooks across a business Microsoft 365 tenant, Teams channels, and multiple endpoints is dealing with a meaningfully more complex situation. 🧩

The right approach depends entirely on where your notebook actually lives — and whether anyone else is relying on it.