How to Delete Notebooks in OneNote (And What to Know Before You Do)

OneNote makes it easy to collect notes, but cleaning up old notebooks is surprisingly less straightforward than creating them. Whether you're decluttering your workspace, removing a shared notebook, or just trying to understand why the delete option seems hidden, here's a clear breakdown of how deletion works across different versions of OneNote.

Why Deleting a OneNote Notebook Isn't One-Click Simple

Unlike deleting a document or file, notebooks in OneNote are containers — they hold sections, pages, and often synced cloud data. Because of this, Microsoft separates the act of closing a notebook from permanently deleting it.

When you "close" a notebook in OneNote, you remove it from your visible list — but the data still lives in the background (typically in OneDrive or on your local drive). Permanently deleting a notebook requires a separate step, and where you take that step depends on which version of OneNote you're using and where the notebook is stored.

The Two Main Versions of OneNote

Understanding which app you're working with matters before you do anything:

The version you're using directly affects where the delete option lives — or whether it exists in-app at all.

How to Delete a OneNote Notebook on Windows (Desktop App)

In the full desktop version of OneNote (part of Microsoft 365 or Office):

1. Close the notebook first — Right-click the notebook name in the left panel and select Close This Notebook. This removes it from the app view.
2. Navigate to OneDrive — If the notebook was stored in OneDrive, go to onedrive.live.com and sign in.
3. Find the notebook folder — OneNote notebooks are stored as folders (with a .one file extension for sections inside). Locate the notebook folder, right-click it, and select Delete.
4. Empty the Recycle Bin — Deleted items in OneDrive go to the OneDrive Recycle Bin. Empty it there to permanently remove the data.

If the notebook was stored locally (not in the cloud), close it in OneNote first, then navigate to the file location on your hard drive and delete the folder directly.

How to Delete a OneNote Notebook on Windows 10/11 (Modern App)

The modern OneNote app (free, built into Windows 10 and 11) doesn't include a direct delete option within the app itself. Here's the flow:

1. Close the notebook — Click the notebook name at the top, then right-click the notebook and select Close Notebook.
2. Delete from OneDrive — Since the modern app is cloud-first, go to OneDrive online, find the notebook folder, and delete it from there.

🗑️ There is no in-app delete button in the modern version — you must go through OneDrive or File Explorer for local notebooks.

How to Delete a OneNote Notebook on Mac

1. Right-click the notebook name in the left sidebar.
2. Select Close This Notebook.
3. Open Finder (if stored locally) or OneDrive online and delete the notebook folder from there.

The Mac version follows the same two-step logic: close first, then delete from storage.

How to Delete a OneNote Notebook on Mobile (iOS/Android)

Mobile apps give you even less direct control. You can close a notebook by long-pressing it in some versions, but you cannot permanently delete a notebook from the mobile app.

To fully delete it, you need to access OneDrive via a browser on your phone or switch to a desktop to complete the deletion.

What Happens to Shared Notebooks?

If the notebook is shared with other people, deleting it removes access for everyone. The notebook owner is the only person who can delete the notebook entirely. If you're a collaborator (not the owner), you can only close it from your view — not delete it.

Before deleting a shared notebook, consider whether others are still actively using it. There's no recovery path once the OneDrive Recycle Bin is emptied.

Key Variables That Affect Your Experience

Several factors change exactly how this process plays out for you:

• Where your notebook is stored — OneDrive, SharePoint, local drive, or a network location each have different deletion paths
• Which OneNote version you're on — desktop, modern app, web, or mobile all handle deletion differently
• Whether you own the notebook or are a collaborator — owners can delete, collaborators can only close
• Whether the notebook is part of a Microsoft 365 work or school account — IT policies may restrict deletion or automatically archive content
• Your OneDrive Recycle Bin settings — items are recoverable for up to 30 days by default, after which permanent deletion happens automatically

🔄 Closing vs. Deleting: A Quick Reference

Understanding this three-stage process is what most users miss — and it's why notebooks seem to reappear or why storage doesn't seem to free up after "deleting" something inside the app.

The right approach for your situation depends on which version of OneNote you're running, where your data lives, and whether you're the notebook owner. Once you know those three things, the correct path becomes clear.