how to update old onenote files to new onenote

To update your old OneNote files from OneNote for Windows 10 to the new OneNote on Windows (available through Microsoft 365), you can follow these steps:

1. Open OneNote on Windows: Launch the new OneNote application on your computer.
2. Sign in to Your Account: Make sure you are signed in with the same Microsoft account that you used in OneNote for Windows 10.
3. Open Your Notebooks: After signing in, check if your notebooks appear in the application. If they do not show up, you may need to check the backup folder created during the migration process.
4. Access Backups: To review backups, navigate to File -> Open Backups in the OneNote application and look for your notebooks in the backup file path.

If you encounter any issues during this process, ensure that the OneNote for Windows 10 app is uninstalled if it is still present, as it may interfere with the new app's functionality. Additionally, consider using the migration script provided by Microsoft to prevent data loss and ensure a smooth transition.

References:

• OneNote Migration Guide for Microsoft 365 Education Admins
• OneNote for Windows 10 migration guidance

Hi @Maynard Robinson, 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. 

I totally understand the importance of updating the notes from OneNote for Windows 10 into OneNote in Microsoft 365. Please follow the below steps to transfer notes into OneNote in Microsoft 365: 

1. Sign in to all your accounts 

• Open OneNote for Windows 10. 
• Go to Settings (gear icon) > Accounts. 
• Confirm you’re signed into all accounts that contain your notebooks (personal, school, work). 
• Add any missing accounts and wait for notebooks to appear. 

2. Confirm all notes are synced to the cloud 

• For each open notebook: 
• Right click the notebook name in the left navigation pane. 
• Select “Sync”, then select either “Sync This Notebook” or “Sync All Notebooks” 
• Make sure the sync status shows  “Up to date” message. 

3. Open and sync your notebooks in OneNote on Windows 

• Go to File > Open for additional notebooks 
• Select your OneDrive or SharePoint account and open your desired notebooks. 

4. Confirm sync of notebook on OneNote for Windows 

• Go to File > Info > View Sync Status. 
• Confirm all notebooks show “Up to date”. 
• Review all notes, sections, and pages. 
• Check for any missing content or recent updates. If contents are missing, follow this recovery guide. 

Following these steps ensures your content transitions smoothly from OneNote for Windows 10 to the Microsoft 365 version. 

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.    

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you. 

I look forward to continuing the conversation. 

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