Microsoft 365 Migration

How to Move OneNote Notebooks to a New Microsoft 365 Account

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to transfer existing OneNote notebooks to a new Microsoft 365 personal account.

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Windows and Mac
Scenario: Switching from an expired university Microsoft 365 license to a newly purchased personal subscription.
Observed behavior: OneNote notebooks stopped syncing because the original university license expired, requiring a migration to the new account.

Before you start

Before logging out of your old account or making any structural changes, verify that your notebooks are available offline and back up the local data to prevent accidental loss during migration.

Solution 1Recommended

Export and Import Notebooks on Windows

Use the built-in export feature in the Windows version of OneNote to safely package and transfer notebooks to your new account.

This method is highly recommended for Windows users as it creates a secure backup package of your notebook that can be easily imported into any new Microsoft 365 account.

Export the Notebook

Open OneNote (desktop version) on Windows. Navigate to File > Export. Under 'Export Current', select 'Notebook'. Choose 'OneNote Package (*.onepkg)' as the file format and click Export.

Save Locally

Choose a safe location on your local hard drive to save the exported notebook package.

Switch Accounts

Sign out of your expired university account and log in to your new personal Microsoft 365 account.

Import to New Account

Locate the saved .onepkg file on your computer, double-click to open it, and choose to save or unpack it directly into your new OneDrive folder.

Important: Do not delete the original notebooks from your local drive until you verify the new copies have successfully synced to your new account's OneDrive.

Solution 2

Copy Notebook Folders to the New OneDrive (Windows)

If exporting is unavailable, you can manually copy the notebook folders directly to your new OneDrive directory.

Solution 3

Manually Migrate Sections on Mac

Since OneNote for Mac does not support exporting entire notebooks, you must migrate the data manually section-by-section.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my OneNote notebooks stop syncing?

Your notebooks likely stopped syncing because the Microsoft 365 license associated with your account (such as a university or enterprise license) expired or was revoked.

Can I export my OneNote notebooks on a Mac?

No, the Mac version of OneNote currently does not support exporting entire notebooks. You must manually copy sections to a new notebook hosted on your new account instead.

What happens to my notebooks if my school account is deleted?

If your school account is permanently deleted before you migrate or back up your data, you will lose access to any notebooks stored on that account's OneDrive. Always back up your data before your school license expires.

Can I just share the notebook with my new account instead of moving it?

While you can share a notebook with your new account, the original file still resides on the old account's OneDrive. If the old account is deleted or loses its license, the shared notebook will disappear and become inaccessible.

Migration & Recovery