Office Apps Crashing

How to Fix OneNote Keeps Crashing on iPad During Use

WPS Editor Sep 27, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user experiences frequent crashes while using OneNote on an iPad and wants to resolve the instability. Additionally, they need to know if deleted notebooks continue to consume device storage.

How to Fix OneNote Keeps Crashing on iPad During Use

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: iPadOS
Scenario: Using OneNote for taking notes or presenting during active tutoring sessions.
Observed behavior: The application repeatedly crashes despite running the latest update, and there is uncertainty regarding storage consumption by deleted notebooks.

Before you start

Before proceeding with any reinstalls, ensure your iPad is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network and verify that your recent notes have successfully synced to OneDrive to prevent data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Update iPadOS and Reinstall OneNote

Updating the system software and performing a clean installation of the app often resolves underlying software glitches and corrupted cache files causing the crashes.

Sometimes app updates alone cannot resolve deep-seated caching issues. Completely removing the application and reinstalling it ensures you are running a clean instance of the software.

Update iPadOS

Go to the Settings app on your iPad, tap 'General', and select 'Software Update'. If an update is available, download and install it to ensure maximum compatibility.

Uninstall OneNote

Locate the OneNote icon on your iPad home screen. Press and hold the icon, select 'Remove App', and then tap 'Delete App' to completely remove it and its cached data from your device.

Reinstall from the App Store

Open the App Store, search for 'Microsoft OneNote', and tap the download icon to reinstall the application. Open it and sign back in with your Microsoft account.

Submit Diagnostic Data

If the app crashes again after reinstalling, open OneNote, tap the gear icon for Settings, select 'Help and Feedback', and choose the option to send diagnostic data to Microsoft.

Solution 2

Manage and Delete Unwanted Notebooks in OneDrive

Since OneNote syncs everything to OneDrive, deleting a notebook within the app does not necessarily free up storage unless you remove it from your cloud storage.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Stable Document Editing on iPad

If Microsoft OneNote continues to crash and disrupt your tutoring sessions, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly stable environment for creating, editing, and managing your documents without taking up excessive storage on your iPad.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the Apple App Store on your iPad, search for 'WPS Office', and install the free application.
2. Create Notes and Documents: Open WPS Office and tap the '+' icon to create a new document or presentation for your tutoring sessions.
3. Save to WPS Cloud: Sign in to a free account to automatically save and sync your files to WPS Cloud, keeping your device storage free.

Highly stable and optimized for iPadOS to prevent unexpected crashes during important tasks.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint file formats.Lightweight application size saves valuable local storage space on your device.Built-in cloud syncing ensures your files are safely backed up and easily accessible.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneNote keep crashing on my iPad even after updating?

App crashes after an update are typically caused by corrupted cache data, pending background synchronizations of large notebooks, or conflicts with an outdated iPadOS version. Completely reinstalling the app usually clears these corruptions.

Do deleted OneNote notebooks still take up storage on my iPad?

Yes, if they are only 'closed' in the app or sitting in your OneDrive Recycle Bin, they may still consume cloud storage or cached local data. You must delete the notebook files directly from your OneDrive account and empty the recycle bin to free up space completely.

How can I back up my un-synced notes before reinstalling the app?

If the app crashes too quickly to sync, try copying your newly written text into another app like Apple Notes or sending it to yourself via email. Unfortunately, uninstalling OneNote will delete any local notes that have not yet successfully synced to OneDrive.

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