I can see my OneNote Notebook in OneDrive, but I am not able to open it

Question

I can see my OneNote Notebook in OneDrive, but I am not able to open it

Blair 0

I am on a Mac and recently completed a MacOS update. When attempting to access my OneNote notebook after the update was completed, I am getting 404/file not found error messages, and after hours of attempted troubleshooting, I am still not able to access the notebook. The notebook is visible in "my files" but I cannot open it. Please help.

0 comments

3 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Since the notebook is visible in OneDrive but returns 404/file not found after the macOS update, the fastest supported way to isolate the issue is to test whether the notebook opens in OneNote for the web.

In OneNote for Mac, select Notebooks > Notebooks > Copy Link to Notebook.
Paste that link into a browser and press Enter to open it in OneNote for the web.

What the result means:

If the notebook opens in OneNote for the web, the notebook exists and the issue is likely with OneNote for Mac. In that case:
1. In OneNote for Mac, select Notebooks > Notebooks > Close This Notebook.
2. In the browser, with the notebook open in OneNote for the web, select Open in OneNote.
3. Allow time for the notebook to resync back to OneNote for Mac.
If the notebook does not open in OneNote for the web, the problem is likely with the notebook location or server access rather than the Mac app.
- If the notebook is stored on OneDrive, check the Microsoft 365 Service Status page for outages.
- If it is stored on SharePoint, contact the administrator to troubleshoot access.
- If the notebook was shared by someone else, confirm that permission to open and edit it has not been removed.

Additional Mac-specific steps if the notebook opens on the web but still fails in the app:

Sign out of all accounts associated with OneNote and then sign in again.
Check the article for recent Mac/iPhone/iPad OneNote issues and workarounds.

Important: avoid unnecessary sign-out/reinstall steps before confirming the notebook opens on the web, because troubleshooting sync issues this way can risk data loss.

If the notebook still cannot be opened, also check directly in OneDrive by browsing the Documents or Notebooks folders and opening the notebook from there.

References:

Answer 2

Blair 0

Getting 404/File not found when attempting to open

\

0 comments

Answer 3

John Jefferson Doyon 89,715 Independent Advisor

Hi, @Blair

I also tested your link in Edge InPrivate and Chrome Incognito and received the same 404 error. Since I’m testing from outside your account, this does not confirm that your notebook is missing.

Please sign in to OneNote for the web with the same Microsoft account you use for OneDrive, then open the notebook from the notebook list.

Does the same error appear there?

Click "Add comment" to let me know.

Thanks!

Blair 0 Reputation points

2026-09-29T20:11:57.4966667+00:00
Thank you for your help, John. So, oddly, no Notebooks appear in the Notebook list for me. The Notebook I'm attempting to access shows up in "my files" though, and I am unable to open it there, I get

404 FILE NOT FOUND
Blair 0 Reputation points

2026-09-29T20:13:32.9233333+00:00

Thank you for your help, John. So, oddly, no Notebooks appear in the Notebook list for me. The Notebook I'm attempting to access shows up in "my files" though, and I am unable to open it there, I get the 404/File not found error message
John Jefferson Doyon 89,715 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-29T20:22:39.6666667+00:00
Thank you for checking.

Did you create this notebook yourself, or was it shared with you by someone else?

Please select the notebook in OneDrive’s "My files" without opening it, then click the information icon (i) to open "Details". Please share a screenshot showing the notebook entry and its details, with personal information hidden. This will help check whether the item is a notebook or a shortcut.

Please also check OneDrive’s "Recycle bin" for the notebook or its containing folder. If you find it there, select it and choose "Restore".

To help narrow down the issue:

Did you create this notebook, or was it shared with you?

Can you still view any of its notes in the OneNote app on your Mac or another device?

Thanks!
Blair 0 Reputation points

2026-09-29T20:31:44.6366667+00:00

I created the notebook myself.
Unfortunately, I'm not seeing the Information Icon visible anywhere. It is interesting that other folders I have visibility to are showing as "my files" whereas the Notebook I'm trying to access does not. Screenshot 2026-09-29 at 3.30.02 PM.png
The recycle bin is empty.
John Jefferson Doyon 89,715 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-29T21:14:31.9233333+00:00
Thank you for the screenshot. "My Notebook" has no location displayed beneath its name. That alone does not confirm that it has been deleted.

Please open OneDrive and select "My files" from the left-hand menu. Check inside "Documents" and any "Notebooks" folder for "My Notebook". This checks its stored location directly.

If you used the OneNote app on your Mac before the update, please also select "File" > "Open Backups" and check whether a backup of the notebook is available.

To help narrow down the issue:

Does "Blair OneNote", shown in your screenshot, open successfully?

Can you still view any of the missing notes in the OneNote app on your Mac or another device?

Thanks!
Blair 0 Reputation points

2026-09-29T21:20:32.71+00:00
Yes, it does open successfully

No, I am not able to view any of the missing notes. None of the backups pertain to the missing Notebook unfortunately
John Jefferson Doyon 89,715 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-30T00:16:35.3266667+00:00

Thank you for checking. Since "Blair OneNote" opens successfully, this appears to affect "My Notebook" or its original storage location.

Have you ever used another personal, work, or school account with OneNote? If so, please check that account’s OneDrive in a private browser window for the missing notebook. Creating the notebook yourself does not necessarily mean it was saved under your current account.

If you have only used this account, or cannot find it in another account, please contact Microsoft Support for further investigation. Sign in, describe the OneNote 404 error, and select "Get Help" to see the available support options.

Provide the original notebook link, screenshot, and when it last opened successfully. Mention that another notebook opens normally, the recycle bin is empty, and no matching backup was found.

Thanks!