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How to Create More Than Three Hierarchy Levels in OneNote

Natalie Taylor Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to create additional hierarchy levels and deeper page indentation in OneNote, as well as view detailed file information like paths, sizes, and dates.

How to Create More Than Three Hierarchy Levels in OneNote

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing complex notes and managing detailed file properties within a notebook.
Observed behavior: OneNote provides limited default hierarchy levels (Notebook, Section, Page) and lacks a standard file-management view to display complete file details natively.

Before you start

Ensure you have your Microsoft OneNote desktop or web application open and navigate to the notebook where you want to restructure your sections.

Solution 1Recommended

Create Section Groups for Deeper Hierarchy

Use section groups to add an extra organizational layer between your notebooks and sections.

By default, OneNote offers Notebooks, Sections, and Pages. To create a deeper organizational hierarchy, you can bundle multiple related sections into a Section Group.

Right-click the section area

Right-click on an empty space in the section tabs area at the top or side of your notebook.

Select New Section Group

Select 'New Section Group' from the context menu that appears.

Name the section group

Type a recognizable name for your new section group and press Enter to save it.

Organize your sections

Drag and drop existing sections into this new section group, or click into the group to create brand new sections inside it.

Create Section Groups for Deeper Hierarchy

Subpages Feature: You can also right-click a page tab and select 'Make Subpage' to add up to two levels of page indentation for deeper organization within a specific section.

Solution 2

View Complete File Details Using File Explorer

Since OneNote does not have a native file-management view for properties like size and modified dates, use Windows File Explorer for local notebooks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create more than two levels of subpages in OneNote?

No, OneNote natively supports only two levels of subpages (Subpage and Sub-subpage) below a main page. You cannot indent pages further than this level.

Are section groups available in OneNote for Web?

Yes, you can view and create section groups in OneNote for Web by right-clicking the section pane on the left side of the screen and choosing 'New Section Group'.

How do I remove a section group without deleting my notes?

To safely remove a section group, first drag and drop all the sections contained inside it back to the main notebook level. Once the section group is completely empty, right-click it and select 'Delete'.

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