OneDrive File Issues

Fix OneNote Creating an English Documents Folder in OneDrive

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience OneNote automatically generating a new 'Documents' folder in English within their OneDrive, even when their system and Office applications are set to a different localized language.

How to Fix OneNote Creating an English Documents Folder in OneDrive

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Syncing or saving OneNote notebooks to a localized OneDrive account.
Observed behavior: OneNote bypasses the existing localized documents folder and creates a new, separate folder named 'Documents' in English to store notebooks.

Before you start

Before moving any notebooks to a new folder, ensure they are fully synced to the cloud and close the OneNote application on all your devices to prevent file corruption.

Solution 1Recommended

Move the Notebook to the Localized Folder and Report the Bug

Manually relocate your OneNote notebooks to your preferred localized folder and notify Microsoft support, as this is a known localization bug in the sync engine.

This behavior typically occurs due to hardcoded folder paths in OneNote's sync system that fail to recognize localized folder names in OneDrive. While manually moving the files resolves the immediate organization issue, the English folder may be recreated during future syncs until Microsoft patches the bug.

Locate the generated English folder

Open OneDrive in your web browser or local File Explorer and find the newly created English 'Documents' folder.

Move your OneNote notebooks

Select the notebook files inside this folder, click on the 'Move to' option in the top toolbar, and select your preferred localized documents folder.

Submit feedback to Microsoft

Visit the OneDrive feedback page at onedrive.live.com/?action=feedback to report this language and folder-location issue to the support team for investigation.

Move the Notebook to the Localized Folder and Report the Bug

Temporary Solution: Keep in mind that OneNote might recreate the English 'Documents' folder the next time you create a new notebook or trigger a major cloud sync.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I permanently stop OneNote from creating the English Documents folder?

Currently, there is no permanent user-side setting to prevent this. The issue stems from how OneNote communicates with localized OneDrive servers. Submitting a bug report to Microsoft is the best way to encourage a permanent patch.

Will deleting the English Documents folder delete my OneNote notebooks?

Yes, if your notebooks are currently stored inside that folder, deleting it will remove the notebooks as well. Always move your notebook files to your preferred localized folder before deleting the automatically generated English folder.

Does this folder issue affect my local computer's hard drive?

This specific behavior primarily affects the OneDrive cloud storage structure. However, if your OneDrive app is set to sync locally to your desktop, the new English 'Documents' folder will also be mirrored and appear in your computer's local OneDrive directory.

Document & File Issues