Delete a notebook in OneNote by right-clicking it and selecting delete, or through your computer's file system depending on where it's stored

The steps to remove a notebook from OneNote depend on whether it lives in your Microsoft account (OneDrive or SharePoint) or on your computer only. Notebooks stored online can be deleted from within OneNote itself. Notebooks stored locally on your device require you to delete the file through your computer's file system. Either way, the process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.

The key difference is that cloud notebooks sync across all your devices, so deleting one removes it everywhere. Local notebooks exist only on one computer and must be removed manually through your file manager.

Key Takeaways

  • Cloud notebooks (stored on OneDrive or SharePoint) can be deleted directly from OneNote by right-clicking the notebook name and choosing delete.
  • Local notebooks stored only on your computer must be deleted through File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac, not through OneNote itself.
  • Deleting a cloud notebook removes it from all devices where you have OneNote installed and synced to that account.
  • OneNote does not have a trash or recovery folder, so deleted notebooks cannot be restored unless you have a backup or access OneDrive's recycle bin within 93 days.

Delete a cloud notebook from within OneNote

If your notebook is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, you can delete it directly from OneNote. Open OneNote and look at the left sidebar where your notebooks are listed. Right-click the notebook name you want to remove. A menu will appear with several options, including Delete Notebook. Click that option.

OneNote will ask you to confirm the deletion. Select Delete again when prompted. The notebook will disappear from OneNote on all your devices that are signed into that Microsoft account. The files are also removed from your OneDrive or SharePoint storage.

Delete a local notebook from your computer

Local notebooks exist only on your device and are not synced to the cloud. OneNote does not provide a delete button for these notebooks in the app itself. Instead, you must delete the notebook file using your computer's file manager.

On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where your OneNote notebooks are stored. By default, this is usually C:\Users\[Your Username]\Documents\OneNote Notebooks. Find the notebook folder you want to delete, right-click it, and select Delete. On Mac, open Finder, navigate to Documents > OneNote Notebooks, right-click the notebook folder, and select Move to Trash.

After you delete the folder, close and reopen OneNote. The notebook will no longer appear in your notebook list. If you are unsure which folder belongs to which notebook, open OneNote and check the notebook name before deleting anything.

Understand the difference between removing and deleting

OneNote offers two different actions for notebooks: remove and delete. Removing a notebook from OneNote means it stays in your storage (OneDrive or your computer) but no longer shows up in the OneNote app. Deleting a notebook means the files are permanently erased from storage.

If you only want to hide a notebook temporarily, you can right-click it and select Close Notebook instead of delete. The notebook remains in your storage and can be reopened later by going to File > Open > Browse and selecting it again. This is useful if you want to declutter your notebook list without losing the content.

What happens after you delete a notebook

Once deleted, a notebook cannot be recovered from OneNote itself. The app does not have a trash folder or undo feature for deleted notebooks. If the notebook was stored on OneDrive, you may be able to recover it from OneDrive's recycle bin within 93 days, but this requires going to OneDrive.com directly, not through OneNote.

To recover a deleted OneDrive notebook, sign into OneDrive.com, click the recycle bin icon on the left sidebar, find the notebook folder, right-click it, and select Restore. Local notebooks deleted from your computer go to your computer's recycle bin (Windows) or trash (Mac) and can be restored from there if you act quickly. Once your computer's recycle bin is emptied, the notebook is gone for good.

Avoid deleting the wrong notebook

Before deleting, make sure you have the right notebook selected. Check the notebook name carefully, especially if you have multiple notebooks with similar names. If the notebook contains notes you might need later, consider exporting it first as a backup.

To export a notebook before deletion, right-click it in OneNote and select Export. Choose a location on your computer to save the file. OneNote will create a copy in a format you can open later, even if the original notebook is deleted. This takes only a few seconds and gives you a safety net.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a notebook that's shared with other people?

Yes, but only if you are the owner. If you delete a shared cloud notebook, it is removed for everyone who has access to it. If you are not the owner, you can only remove it from your own view by closing the notebook, but you cannot delete it entirely.

What if I delete a notebook by mistake?

If it was a cloud notebook, check your OneDrive recycle bin at OneDrive.com within 93 days and restore it from there. If it was a local notebook, check your computer's recycle bin or trash folder. Once the recycle bin is emptied, recovery is not possible through OneNote.

Does deleting a notebook delete the notes inside it?

Yes. When you delete a notebook, all sections and pages within it are deleted as well. There is no way to delete just the notebook container while keeping the notes inside.

Why doesn't the delete option appear for my notebook?

If you cannot delete a notebook from within OneNote, it is likely a local notebook stored on your computer. Local notebooks must be deleted through File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), not through the OneNote app.