How to Fix a OneNote Notebook That Cannot Be Closed After Deletion
Question details
The user is unable to close a OneNote notebook that was already deleted from OneDrive, resulting in continuous sync attempts and an error code.
- Product
- Microsoft OneNote
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to remove or close a notebook in the OneNote desktop app after the source file was unexpectedly deleted from OneDrive.
- Observed behavior
- OneNote continuously attempts to sync the deleted notebook, duplicates it upon restarting Windows, and displays error 0x803D0020 BDFNE.
Before proceeding, ensure that your other active OneNote notebooks are fully synced to OneDrive to prevent accidental data loss when clearing credentials.
Restore the Notebook and Close It Properly
Restoring the deleted notebook temporarily allows OneNote to recognize the file on the server, enabling you to close it normally without sync errors.
OneNote requires a connection to the source file to cleanly terminate the synchronization process. Restoring the file temporarily bridges this gap.
Log in to OneDrive online through your web browser and navigate to the 'Recycle bin' on the left sidebar.
Locate the problematic OneNote notebook in the recycle bin, select it, and click 'Restore'.
Open the OneNote desktop client, right-click the name of the restored notebook in the navigation pane, and select 'Close This Notebook'.
Once the notebook is successfully closed in the app, return to OneDrive online and safely delete the notebook file.
Clear Microsoft Office Credentials in Windows
If the notebook was permanently deleted, clearing your Office credentials forces OneNote to drop the hanging sync session and refresh its status.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does OneNote error 0x803D0020 BDFNE mean?
This error code typically occurs when OneNote attempts to sync a notebook that no longer exists on the OneDrive server. It usually happens if a notebook was deleted online before being properly closed in the desktop application.
Can I force close a OneNote notebook?
Normally, you can close a notebook by right-clicking its name in the side panel and selecting 'Close This Notebook'. If it is stuck in a sync loop, you cannot force close it directly; you must either restore the file online first or clear your Windows Credentials to reset the app.
Will clearing Windows credentials delete my local OneNote data?
No, clearing credentials from the Windows Credential Manager only removes your saved login session. It does not delete your locally cached notebooks or cloud-saved data, but it will require you to sign in to your Microsoft account again.
