Can't view or insert PDFs into OneNote MacBook

Question

Can't view or insert PDFs into OneNote MacBook

Gen 0

I've been using OneNote for years to take notes on lectures by inserting the file printout and writing over the top, and doing so without issue. For some reason today I can't insert the pdfs anymore? they don't come up as an option to open. i've attached photos of my downloads folder on my computer as well as my downloads folder when i'm trying to insert a file through onenote. i've also tried with moving pdfs to my desktop or different folders and that doesn't work either. i've even force quit the app and restarted my computer - no fix.

Has anyone encountered this? Have I accidentally changed a setting or something? Would appreciate any help.

Screenshot 2026-10-18 at 1.28.41 pm

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Hin Vo 1,745 Independent Advisor

Hi @Gen

To ensure I fully understand your situation and provide the most effective assistance, I’ll need a few additional details.

Could you please confirm whether you are using Insert > File or Insert > Insert File as PDF Printout? For PDF annotation workflows, as far as I know, OneNote for Mac is designed to use Insert > Insert File as PDF Printout when inserting PDF content into a notebook. You may refer to: Insert PDF printouts into notes in OneNote for Mac

May I know your current OneNote version and macOS version?

If possible, could you try inserting the same PDF file on another device using your OneNote account to see whether the issue is device-specific or occurs across multiple devices as well?

As a temporary workaround, you could try dragging and dropping the PDF directly from Finder onto the OneNote page. Alternatively, you may clear the OneNote cache or reinstall OneNote to check whether the issue still persists.

Any updates would be greatly appreciated.

Gen 0 Reputation points

2026-10-18T06:35:03.64+00:00

i'm having the same issue with both Insert > File and Insert > Insert File as PDF Printout.

My current onenote is 16.112.1 and macOS is 26.4.1

I have no issues with my ipad!

dropping a file straight from finder doesn't produce the same result of putting the pages in the workbook, i did try this.

i'll look into clearing the cache and reinstalling
Hin Vo 1,745 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-10-18T06:52:21.2+00:00

Hi @Gen

I noticed that your current OneNote version is 16.112.1, while a newer version (16.114) is available. Before proceeding further, could you please update OneNote to the latest version and check whether the issue persists?

Reference: Update history for Office for Mac

In the meantime, you could also try clearing the OneNote cache and reinstalling the application. Updating to the latest version can help rule out issues that may have already been addressed in a newer build.

Please let me know the results after trying these steps.
Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 438.5K Reputation points

2026-10-18T16:11:42.5866667+00:00

Further to the recommendation to update the OneNote software version 26.4.1 of Tahoe is out of date as well. Version 26.7.1 is the current release of Tahoe. I suggest updating the OS first, then update Office.
Hin Vo 1,745 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-10-19T08:47:51.0366667+00:00

Hi @Gen

I hope you are doing well.

Have you had a chance to check the replies provided?

Any update would be appreciated.

Answer 2

Use Insert > Insert file as PDF Printout rather than the general Insert > File command—the chooser shown is filtering out PDFs because it appears to be the attachment/file chooser, not the PDF-printout chooser.

Insert the PDF as an annotatable printout

Open the required OneNote page and click where the first PDF page should appear.
From the macOS menu bar, select Insert > Insert file as PDF Printout.
- Depending on the OneNote interface, this may appear on the Insert tab as Printout.
In Choose a file to Insert, open Downloads and select the PDF.
Click Insert.

OneNote should convert each PDF page into a separate image placed sequentially on the note, allowing you to write over it. This is the documented workflow for OneNote for Microsoft 365, 2024, and 2021 for Mac.^1^

The distinction matters:

Insert > File opens the attachment workflow and may apply a different file filter.
Insert > Printout / Insert file as PDF Printout opens the PDF-printout workflow.^2^

If the PDF-specific chooser also hides every PDF

Since force-quitting OneNote, restarting macOS, and changing folders made no difference, do not repeat those steps. Instead:

Confirm that the menu command used is specifically Insert file as PDF Printout, not File.
Try it on a new blank page in a notebook section you can edit. Printout insertion requires edit permission.^3^
Check Microsoft’s OneNote for Mac known-issues page. The published list currently does not document this exact “all PDFs hidden in the chooser” symptom, so it cannot presently be identified as an acknowledged outage or regression.^4^
If PDFs remain absent from the PDF Printout chooser, submit feedback from OneNote and contact Microsoft Support from that known-issues page. Include:
- OneNote version/build from OneNote > About OneNote
- macOS version
- The two screenshots
- Whether the problem occurs in every notebook
- Confirmation that the PDF-specific command also filters out all PDFs

Avoid the Windows/Class Notebook fixes involving Adobe Reader defaults or “Send to OneNote 2016”; those instructions do not apply to OneNote on macOS.

References