Where is the OneNote for Windows 10 Cache Located? How to Clear It
Question details
The user wants to locate and clear the cache for OneNote for Windows 10 to resolve performance issues such as lagging, slowing down, or crashing.
- Product
- OneNote for Windows 10
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Experiencing slow app performance, lagging when using a Surface Pen, or frequent unexpected app crashes during note-taking.
- Observed behavior
- The user cannot find a traditional cache folder in their file directory to manually delete temporary files and restore app performance.
Before attempting to reset or repair the application, verify that all your recent notes are fully synchronized to OneDrive to prevent any accidental data loss.
Close and Reopen Notebooks to Clear Local Cache
Closing and reopening a notebook acts as a safe, manual cache clear by removing local temporary data and forcing a fresh sync from the cloud server.
Because OneNote for Windows 10 stores app data in a protected location, manually deleting cache files is not recommended and can corrupt your notebooks. The safest method to clear the cache for a specific notebook is to close it.
In the OneNote for Windows 10 interface, locate the notebook that is lagging or crashing. Right-click on its name in the notebook list.
Select 'Close This Notebook' from the context menu. This removes the local cached copy from your device.
Click on 'More Notebooks' at the bottom of the notebook pane, locate the notebook you just closed, and open it again to rebuild a fresh, clean local cache.
Repair or Reset OneNote via Windows Settings
If closing and reopening notebooks does not fix the performance issues, using the built-in Windows Repair or Reset tool is the most effective way to safely clear corrupted app data.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there no traditional cache folder for OneNote for Windows 10?
OneNote for Windows 10 is built as a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app rather than a traditional desktop application. UWP apps store their cache and configuration data in hidden, protected system folders (like the WindowsApps directory) to enhance security and prevent accidental file deletion.
Will resetting OneNote for Windows 10 delete my un-synced notes?
Yes. When you use the Reset button in Windows Settings, it completely wipes the local app data, including the local cache and any un-synced notes. Always confirm that your notebooks are completely synced to your OneDrive account online before performing a reset.
What is the difference between the Repair and Reset options?
The 'Repair' option attempts to fix broken application files and registry entries without deleting your local app data or un-synced notes. The 'Reset' option completely deletes all local app data, restoring the application to a fresh, newly-installed state.
