The fastest way to delete a OneNote notebook

To delete a notebook in OneNote, right-click the notebook name in the left sidebar and select Delete. OneNote will ask you to confirm, then move the notebook to your Recycle Bin. The notebook stays in the Recycle Bin for 93 days before permanent deletion, so you can recover it during that window if you change your mind.

The exact steps differ slightly depending on whether you use OneNote on Windows, Mac, or the web version. The web version and newer OneNote for Windows both store notebooks in OneDrive or SharePoint, which gives you more recovery options than the older OneNote 2016 desktop app.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click a notebook name in the sidebar and select Delete to send it to your Recycle Bin, where it stays for 93 days.
  • Deleted notebooks in the web version and OneNote for Windows go to your OneDrive or SharePoint Recycle Bin, not just OneNote's trash.
  • OneNote 2016 notebooks stored locally on your computer go to your Windows Recycle Bin, which has its own separate recovery window.
  • If you delete a shared notebook, other people with access will also lose the ability to open it, so tell them first.

Deleting a notebook in OneNote for Windows (newer versions)

In the current OneNote app for Windows, open the app and look at the left sidebar where your notebook names appear. Right-click the notebook you want to delete, then click Delete from the menu that appears. OneNote will show a confirmation message asking if you're sure — click Delete again to confirm.

The notebook moves to your OneDrive Recycle Bin, not just OneNote's internal trash. This matters because OneDrive keeps deleted files for 93 days by default. To recover a deleted notebook, go to OneDrive.com, click the Recycle Bin icon in the left sidebar, find the notebook folder, right-click it, and select Restore.

Deleting a notebook in OneNote on the web

Open OneNote in your web browser and look for the notebook name in the left sidebar. Click the three dots (more options menu) next to the notebook name, then select Delete notebook. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

Web-based notebooks live in OneDrive or SharePoint, so the deletion process is the same as the Windows app — the notebook goes to your OneDrive Recycle Bin for 93 days. If the notebook is stored in a SharePoint site instead of your personal OneDrive, check with your SharePoint administrator about recovery options, as some organizations set different retention policies.

Deleting a notebook in OneNote 2016 (older desktop version)

If you use the older OneNote 2016 app, the deletion process works differently because these notebooks are often stored locally on your computer rather than in the cloud. Right-click the notebook name in the sidebar and select Delete Notebook. OneNote will ask for confirmation.

The notebook goes to your Windows Recycle Bin, not to OneDrive. Open your Windows Recycle Bin (search for "Recycle Bin" in the Start menu), find the notebook folder, right-click it, and select Restore to recover it. Windows typically keeps items in the Recycle Bin until the bin reaches a size limit or you empty it manually, so recovery is usually possible unless you've already emptied the bin.

What happens when you delete a shared notebook

If the notebook is shared with other people, deleting it removes it from everyone's OneNote. The other people with access will no longer see the notebook in their sidebar, and they won't be able to open it. There's no separate "remove myself from this notebook" option — deletion is all-or-nothing.

Before you delete a shared notebook, send a message to the other people who use it. If they need to keep the content, they should download or copy the pages first. If you only want to stop seeing the notebook yourself without deleting it for others, look for an option to Unpin or Hide the notebook instead, which removes it from your view without affecting other users.

Recovering a deleted notebook

If you deleted a notebook in OneNote for Windows or the web version, go to OneDrive.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and click the Recycle Bin icon in the left sidebar. Look for the notebook folder (it will have the same name as the notebook you deleted), right-click it, and select Restore. The notebook returns to your OneDrive and reappears in OneNote within a few minutes.

For OneNote 2016 notebooks stored locally, open your Windows Recycle Bin, find the notebook folder, right-click it, and select Restore. The notebook returns to its original location on your computer. If you can't find the notebook in either Recycle Bin, it may have been permanently deleted or moved to a different location — check with your IT administrator if this is a work notebook.

Permanently deleting a notebook without waiting 93 days

If you want to delete a notebook permanently right away instead of waiting for the 93-day Recycle Bin period, go to OneDrive.com, open the Recycle Bin, find the notebook folder, right-click it, and select Delete permanently. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you don't need the notebook before you do this.

For OneNote 2016 notebooks in your Windows Recycle Bin, right-click the notebook folder and select Delete to permanently remove it. Again, permanent deletion cannot be reversed, so only do this if you're certain you won't need the notebook again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete just one section or page instead of the whole notebook?

Yes. Right-click a section name (the tabs at the top of the notebook) or a page name (listed below the sections) and select Delete. Sections and pages go to the Recycle Bin just like notebooks do, and you can recover them the same way.

What if I delete a notebook by accident?

Go to OneDrive.com or your Windows Recycle Bin (depending on where the notebook was stored), find the notebook folder, and select Restore. You have 93 days to recover it from OneDrive's Recycle Bin, or until you empty your Windows Recycle Bin, whichever comes first.

Does deleting a notebook in OneNote also delete it from OneDrive?

Yes. When you delete a OneNote notebook, the entire folder and all its contents are removed from OneDrive (or SharePoint) and sent to the Recycle Bin. The notebook and OneDrive folder are the same thing in the newer versions of OneNote.

Can I delete a notebook if I'm not the owner?

No. Only the notebook owner can delete it. If you don't own the notebook but want to stop using it, ask the owner to delete it, or look for an option to unpin or hide it from your view instead.

What's the difference between deleting and archiving a notebook?

OneNote doesn't have a built-in archive feature. Deleting sends the notebook to the Recycle Bin. If you want to keep a notebook but stop using it, you can move it to a folder called "Archive" in OneDrive or simply unpin it from your OneNote sidebar so it doesn't appear in your list.