OneNote on windows not responding

Dear @Harald B, 

I hope you're having a nice day. Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

I understand how disruptive it can be when an essential app like OneNote becomes unresponsive, especially during your studies. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and the negative experience this may have caused. This issue has several factors may contribute to the lag you're experiencing: 

• Outdated Application Version: Older builds may contain unresolved bugs or performance issues that affect responsiveness. 
• Large or Complex Notebooks: Notebooks with embedded files, images, or extensive sections can slow down performance, especially during syncing. 
• Insufficient System Resources: Limited RAM or CPU availability, especially on devices running multiple apps can lead to lag. 
• Corrupted Cache or App Data: Damaged local files or cache may interfere with normal app behavior and cause crashes. 
• Background Processes or Antivirus Interference: Third-party software or security tools may conflict with OneNote’s operations. 
• Graphics Driver or Display Issues: Outdated or incompatible drivers can affect rendering and responsiveness in note-taking apps. 

To help me better understand the situation and assist you effectively, could you please share a few details such as:   

1/ Which version of OneNote are you currently using? 

You can find this information by opening the OneNote app and navigating to File > Account > About OneNote.  

2/ Have you updated your Windows system recently?  

To check for updates, go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.  

3/ Could you please let us know which troubleshooting steps you’ve already tried? 

This will help us better understand the context and provide more targeted support. Any additional information will help us better understand and support you.    

In the meantime, you may refer some workarounds to verify the issue: 

Option 1: Ensure OneNote and Windows are up to date. 

Keeping both the OneNote app and your Windows system updated can help resolve compatibility and performance issues. 

Option 2: Close unnecessary applications, especially those that consume GPU resources (e.g., design or video editing software). 

This can help free up system resources, allowing OneNote to run more smoothly. 

Option 3: Minimize the use of large embedded files in notebooks. 

Large files can impact performance. Consider organizing your content by: 

• Selecting a large notebook and categorizing its sections. 
• Creating multiple smaller notebooks under that category. 
• Right-clicking a section name, selecting "Move or Copy", choosing the target notebook and selecting "Copy" (avoid using "Move" initially to prevent data loss). 

Once copied, you can temporarily close the original large notebook and monitor performance in the new ones. 

Option 4: Reduce heavy content such as images, PDFs, and file printouts. 

Large notebooks with many inserted files can slow down processing due to the load on your device and cloud storage. 

• Consider splitting large notes into smaller ones. 
• Replace embedded PDFs or printouts with hyperlinks or file attachments. 

Additionally, go to File > Options > Sync and uncheck "Download all files and images" to reduce sync load. 

Option 5: Move notebooks to OneDrive for improved syncing and stability. 

Storing notebooks in OneDrive can enhance performance and ensure better synchronization across devices. 

Option 6: Consider using OneNote on the web. 

Accessing OneNote via OneNote Online can help determine whether the issue is specific to the desktop app or related to your account or notebook. The web version often provides a more lightweight experience and may perform better in certain scenarios. 

Note: As community moderators, we kindly ask for your understanding that our access to internal development details is limited. Our primary role is to guide users toward the appropriate resources and support channels. While we may not have visibility into perform deeper backend analysis, we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.  

I hope the information provided proves useful. Please proceed with the outlined steps and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If not, I’ll be glad to continue working with you to find a solution. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out at any time. 

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