SharePoint Document Issues

How to Move a OneNote Notebook from a Network Drive to SharePoint

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to move an existing OneNote notebook from a local network drive into a SharePoint online document library so that team members can access it from the new location.

How to Move a OneNote Notebook from a Network Drive to SharePoint

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating collaborative notes from a local network environment to a centralized SharePoint online document library.
Observed behavior: The notebook needs to be properly relocated without breaking sync, and users must be able to reopen it successfully from the new SharePoint path.

Before you start

Ensure you are signed in to your Microsoft account within OneNote and have edit permissions for the destination SharePoint document library.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Built-in Share or Move Feature

Using OneNote's native migration tool ensures the notebook syncs correctly with SharePoint without breaking its internal file structure.

Avoid copying and pasting notebook files directly via Windows File Explorer, as this can corrupt the notebook's synchronization mechanisms. Always use the internal OneNote settings to handle the transfer.

Access Notebook Settings

Open the local network notebook in OneNote. Navigate to the 'File' tab on the top ribbon, click 'Info', and locate the notebook you want to move.

Initiate the Move

Click the 'Settings' button next to the selected notebook and choose 'Share or Move' from the dropdown menu.

Select the SharePoint Destination

Select your connected SharePoint service and click 'Browse' to choose the target document library. If your specific site is not displayed in the list, manually type the path into the address bar using the format sites/<site-name>.

Reopen the Notebook

Once the move is complete, notify all users. They will need to go to 'File' > 'Open' in their OneNote application and select the notebook from its new SharePoint location to resume syncing.

Path Formatting: If you are manually entering the SharePoint site path, ensure it is spelled correctly and formatted properly (e.g., sites/<site-name>) to prevent connection and migration failures.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't my SharePoint site showing up when I click Browse?

If you haven't accessed the SharePoint site recently, it might not appear in your frequent locations list. You can bypass this by manually typing the site path (such as sites/<site-name>) directly into the address bar of the Browse window.

Do my team members need to do anything after I move the notebook?

Yes. Anyone who previously accessed the notebook from the network drive will get a sync error. They need to close the old notebook in their OneNote application, then go to File > Open and navigate to the new SharePoint location to open the updated notebook.

Can I move a OneNote notebook to SharePoint using Windows File Explorer?

No, it is highly discouraged. Moving OneNote files (.one and .onetoc2) manually through File Explorer breaks the notebook's sync structure and can cause corruption. Always use the 'Share or Move' feature inside the OneNote application.

Document & File Issues