How to Create an Independent Copy of a OneNote Notebook
Question details
The user needs to create a completely separate, independent clone of an existing OneNote notebook without affecting the original file.
- Product
- Microsoft OneNote
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Sharing or cloning a notebook structure for a new Microsoft Teams channel or SharePoint site without linking back to the original source.
- Observed behavior
- Adding a notebook via a Microsoft Teams tab only creates a linked shortcut to the original file in SharePoint or OneDrive, rather than generating a standalone copy.
Ensure you have the OneNote desktop application (such as OneNote 2016) installed on your computer, as copying entire sections across different notebooks is not supported in the web version.
Use the OneNote Desktop App to Copy Sections
Create a new notebook and manually copy the sections from the original notebook using the OneNote desktop application.
Because Microsoft Teams simply links to existing files, the most reliable way to duplicate a notebook is by utilizing the cross-notebook copying functionality built directly into the OneNote desktop client.
Navigate to the new SharePoint or OneDrive location where you want the copied notebook to reside, and create a new, empty notebook.
Launch the OneNote desktop application (e.g., OneNote 2016) and open both the original notebook and the newly created destination notebook.
In the original notebook, right-click on the section tab that you wish to duplicate.
From the context menu, choose the 'Move or Copy' option.
Select your newly created notebook from the list of available destinations and click the 'Copy' button. Repeat this process for all sections you wish to clone.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy an entire OneNote notebook with one click?
No, OneNote does not provide a single-click duplicate feature for cloud-stored notebooks. You must create a new notebook and manually copy the sections over using the desktop app.
Why didn't my Teams OneNote tab create a copy?
Adding a OneNote tab in Microsoft Teams is designed for collaboration, so it simply creates a shortcut linking back to the original file stored in SharePoint or OneDrive to ensure everyone works on the same version.
Can I use OneNote for the Web to duplicate my notebook?
OneNote for the Web only supports copying individual pages within the same notebook. To copy entire sections to a completely different notebook, you must use the desktop version of OneNote.
