Office Apps Not Opening

Fix OneNote Stuck on Authentication or Opening in Microsoft Teams

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where OneNote notebooks fail to load within the Microsoft Teams interface or the standalone app, freezing indefinitely on authentication or loading screens.

Product: Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Teams
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to access and open OneNote notebooks directly from within Microsoft Teams or the OneNote desktop client.
Observed behavior: The application hangs on messages stating 'Authentication is in progress' or 'Opening your notebook is taking longer than expected', even though the Files tab works properly.

Before you start

Verify that your internet connection is stable and check if you can successfully navigate to the Microsoft Teams 'Files' tab, which helps confirm basic connectivity to Microsoft servers.

Solution 1Recommended

Isolate Network and Security Software Blocks

Use this solution to rule out restrictive networks, strict firewalls, or aggressive antivirus software that might be blocking the authentication connection.

Authentication loops often occur because a security policy or local network restriction prevents the app from contacting the Microsoft identity servers.

Test on a different network

Connect your computer to a different network, such as a mobile hotspot or a home Wi-Fi network, to see if the corporate network is blocking the traffic.

Use an Incognito or Private browser window

Open your web browser, launch a new Private or Incognito window, sign into the web version of Microsoft Teams, and attempt to open the OneNote notebook there.

Temporarily disable antivirus and firewall

Where permitted by your IT policy, temporarily disable your antivirus software or firewall to test if it resolves the block, then re-enable it immediately after.

Colleague Comparison: Ask a coworker to open the same notebook on their device. If they can access it on a different network but not on the current one, it strongly indicates a network restriction.

Solution 2

Optimize Notebook Size

Extremely large notebooks can cause severe delays or timeouts, triggering the 'taking longer than expected' error.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneNote in Teams say 'Authentication is in progress' forever?

This typically happens when local network restrictions, aggressive firewalls, or browser cache issues block the Microsoft Teams client from authenticating your account with the OneNote servers.

Can a very large OneNote file cause it to freeze in Teams?

Yes. Exceptionally large notebooks containing heavy file attachments or vast amounts of data can time out during the initial synchronization, causing Teams to hang on the 'Opening your notebook' screen.

How do I force OneNote to sync in Microsoft Teams?

To bypass the Teams integration issue, try opening the notebook in the dedicated OneNote desktop app first, force a manual sync by right-clicking the notebook name and selecting 'Sync This Notebook Now', and then reload the tab within Teams.

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