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How to Remove Ghost Notebooks from OneNote for Android
Question details
The user needs to remove ghost notebooks that continue to display in the OneNote app despite being deleted from OneDrive.
- Product
- Microsoft OneNote
- Device & OS
- Android
- Scenario
- Trying to clean up the notebook list in the OneNote Android app after deleting notebooks elsewhere.
- Observed behavior
- Deleted notebooks still appear under the "More Notebooks" or additional options list in the Android app, even after reinstalling the application and confirming they are not visible in OneDrive.
Ensure you have access to a web browser or a Windows desktop version of OneNote, as ghost notebooks are tied to your Microsoft account's recent file history and must be removed from there.
Remove Notebooks via Microsoft 365 Online
Ghost notebooks often linger in your account's recent activity. Clearing them from the Microsoft 365 web portal synchronizes the changes to your Android device.
The "additional notebook options" or "More Notebooks" list in OneNote for Android pulls data from your cloud account's recent files list. Even if a file is deleted from OneDrive, its shortcut can remain in your recent activity.
Open a web browser and sign in to Microsoft 365 online using the same account linked to your OneNote for Android app.
Navigate to the 'Recently Opened' or 'Recent' section on the Microsoft 365 dashboard.
Find the ghost notebook in the list, click the options menu (usually three dots) next to it, and select 'Remove from list'.
Restart your OneNote for Android app. The 'More Notebooks' list should now be updated without the ghost notebooks.
Clear Recent List in OneNote for Windows
If you also use OneNote on a Windows desktop, removing the ghost notebook from the desktop's recent list will clear it from your cloud profile.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do deleted notebooks still appear in OneNote for Android?
OneNote for Android pulls notebook shortcuts from your Microsoft account's 'Recent' file history. If a notebook was deleted from OneDrive but its shortcut was not removed from the recent list on the web or desktop app, it remains visible as a ghost notebook.
Will reinstalling the OneNote app fix ghost notebooks?
No, reinstalling the app usually does not resolve this issue because the list of notebooks is synced directly from your cloud profile's recent items, not stored locally on the device.
How do I completely delete a notebook from OneDrive?
To completely delete a notebook, go to OneDrive online, locate the notebook file (usually found in the Documents folder), select it, and choose Delete. Ensure you close the notebook in all your OneNote applications before deleting it.
Does clearing the app cache remove ghost notebooks?
Clearing the cache may force the app to resync data from the server, but if the notebook shortcut is still present in your Microsoft 365 recent list, it will reappear. You must remove it from the online recent list first.
