Office for Mac Issues

How to Open a Windows OneNote .onepkg Backup on Mac

Ayan Masood Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to open and edit a OneNote backup package (.onepkg) created on a Windows PC using Microsoft OneNote for Mac.

How to Open a Windows OneNote .onepkg Backup on Mac

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Restoring or migrating a OneNote notebook backup from a Windows computer to a macOS device.
Observed behavior: OneNote for Mac cannot open .onepkg files natively by default, requiring manual extraction. Once extracted, the notebook often opens in a restricted read-only mode.

Before you start

Ensure you have the latest version of Microsoft OneNote installed on your Mac, and make sure you know how to access the hidden Library folder in Finder to move the extracted backup files.

Solution 1Recommended

Extract the .onepkg Backup and Fix Read-Only Permissions

Rename the package file to a ZIP format, extract the notebook contents into the Mac OneNote backup directory, and copy pages to a new notebook to enable editing.

Because OneNote for Mac does not natively support the Windows .onepkg format, you must manually bypass this limitation by treating the package as a compressed ZIP archive.

Rename the Backup File

Make a copy of your original .onepkg file on your Mac to avoid data loss. Right-click the copy, select Rename, and change the .onepkg extension to .zip.

Extract the Notebook Contents

Double-click the .zip file to extract its contents. Open Finder, press Command + Shift + G, and navigate to ~/Library/Containers/Microsoft OneNote/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft User Data/OneNote/<version>/Backup. Move the extracted folder here.

Open the Backup in OneNote

Launch OneNote for Mac. Go to the top menu bar, select Add Notebook > Open > Backups, and choose your extracted notebook.

Resolve Read-Only Mode

If the notebook opens as read-only, create a brand-new notebook. Right-click the sections or pages in the read-only backup and select 'Copy to' or 'Restore' to move them into the new, editable notebook.

Extract the .onepkg Backup and Fix Read-Only Permissions

Finding the Right Version Folder: In the backup path step, replace '<version>' with the actual folder version number present on your Mac system, such as '15.0' or '16.0'.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a .onepkg file natively on a Mac?

No, Microsoft OneNote for Mac does not natively support opening .onepkg files. You must rename the file extension to .zip and extract it manually to access the notebook contents.

Why does my restored OneNote backup say it is read-only?

When manually extracting a Windows backup on macOS, file permissions are often restricted. To make edits, you must create a new notebook and copy or move the pages from the backup into the newly created notebook.

Where are local OneNote backups saved on a Mac?

Local OneNote backups on macOS are hidden within the system library. You can find them by navigating to ~/Library/Containers/Microsoft OneNote/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft User Data/OneNote/<version>/Backup.

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