OCR Text Recognition tool not working. Error message: Internal Error Status code Internal Server Code error. The quota limitof operations has beenreached for today.Please come back later.

Liz VanPatten 0 Reputation points
2026-10-27T03:22:48.8833333+00:00

The message appears every time I try to use the app, It worked well for the past year but now has stopped working.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | Other | MacOS
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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-27T03:23:41.9266667+00:00

    Stop submitting OCR requests until the next day, then test one clear image; OneNote for Mac performs OCR through Microsoft online services, and processing can take 24–48 hours before Copy Text from Picture becomes available.^1^

    The wording “quota limit of operations has been reached for today” indicates a daily service limit, but Microsoft does not publish the specific OneNote OCR allowance or an option to reset it manually.

    1. Wait until the following day without repeatedly retrying.
      • Repeated submissions will not bypass a daily service-side limit.
      • After the waiting period, insert one new, sharp PNG or JPG containing clearly printed text.
      • Control-click it and select Copy Text from Picture.
      • If the command is initially absent, allow up to 24–48 hours for processing. Image sharpness and text legibility affect recognition.^1^
    2. Install the latest OneNote update before retesting.
      • If OneNote came from Microsoft Office: open OneNote → Help → Check for Updates, then install available Office updates.
      • If it came from the Mac App Store: open App Store → Updates and update OneNote.
      OneNote for Mac is updated regularly, and Microsoft documents these update paths for the Mac client.^2^
    3. Check whether this is limited to OCR or accompanied by a sync problem.
      • Open the affected notebook in OneNote for the web and verify that the latest page and image appear there.
      • If recent content is missing, allow the Mac application to finish syncing and resolve the sync issue before testing OCR again.
      • Do not sign out or reinstall OneNote while notes remain unsynced, because Microsoft warns that this can cause data loss.^3^

    Opening the notebook in a browser tests synchronization only. OneNote for the web cannot copy text from pictures and does not provide image OCR, so it is not an OCR workaround.^4^

    If the error continues for more than 48 hours

    This is no longer consistent with an ordinary processing delay. Capture:

    • The complete error message and a screenshot
    • OneNote version from OneNote → About OneNote
    • macOS version
    • Whether the same error occurs with one newly inserted, clear image
    • Whether the notebook is fully visible and current in OneNote for the web
    • The approximate date and time of the latest failed attempt

    Then report it through OneNote’s feedback option and contact Microsoft Support. Microsoft’s Mac issue page directs Microsoft 365 home subscribers and eligible perpetual-Office customers to Contact Us, and also lists the Office for Mac community as an escalation route.^5^

    A OneDrive storage quota is a separate condition. Investigate storage only if OneNote also displays a synchronization or storage error; the documented 0xE0000796 quota error concerns notebook/OneDrive capacity, not a daily number of OCR operations.^6^

    References

    1. Copy text from inserted pictures in OneNote for Mac | Microsoft Support
    2. Frequently Asked Questions about OneNote for Mac | Microsoft Support
    3. Fix issues when you can't sync OneNote | Microsoft Support
    4. Copy text from inserted pictures in OneNote for the web | Microsoft Support
    5. Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in OneNote for Mac, iPhone, and iPad | Microsoft Support
    6. Resolve the 0xE0000796 (Quota Exceeded) error in OneNote
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Thomas4-N 23,505 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-01T09:05:12.27+00:00

    Hello Liz VanPatten,

    I understand how frustrating it must be when a tool you've relied on for a year suddenly stops working.

    Before suggesting anything else, could you clarify which OCR tool or application displays this error? Is it OneNote for Mac's Copy Text from Picture feature, or a separate OCR application?

    I'm asking because the message specifically mentions a daily operation quota, but Microsoft's OneNote OCR documentation does not establish such a limit.

    Knowing the exact application will help us avoid troubleshooting the wrong service.

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    1 person found this answer helpful.

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