Why Office Keeps Icon Shown Screenshot and How to Fix It

This guide walks you through others using Microsoft-supported steps first, with WPS only where it genuinely helps.

Problem Description: What Symbol Mean

i dont know what this symbol is. is the notebook synced? can i close the notebook without losing anything inside? i wish to close it. 

Quick Answer for Resolving Others

Dear [@aey](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/users/aey-0754/), Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Likely Causes Behind Others

• The Microsoft account or license context may not match the purchase or device.

• Cached credentials, outdated builds, or damaged local components can trigger others.

• A file-specific corruption or add-in conflict can mimic a broader application failure.

Recommended Solution: Repairing Office Startup Issues

When to use this: Apply these steps when the symptoms match and you can access the relevant Microsoft account or administrator.

1. Based on your description, the icon shown in your screenshot is the OneNote sync status icon.

2. Specifically: - Disk icon with a circular arrow = “Sync pending / syncing in progress / waiting to sync” - It means OneNote is trying to sync this section with the cloud, or it has not finished syncing yet.

3. This icon appears mostly on: - macOS OneNote - Class/Shared Notebooks - Notebooks stored on OneDrive, SharePoint, or OneNote for Education You can close it, but only if OneNote has already saved changes locally.

4. Mac OneNote does save edits locally immediately, however if sync hasn’t completed, the cloud copy will not be up‑to‑date.

5. So, if you close the app before the sync finishes, the local changes will still be there, but they won’t appear on other devices until sync completes next time OneNote opens.

6. It can stay like this temporarily due to: - Slow/unstable internet - OneNote background sync delay - A large embedded file - Notebook stored in a school/organization tenant with latency - Credential issues (sign‑in problem) Therefore, I have several suggestions that you can try to see if they can help: 1.Check internet connection: weak or unstable Wi‑Fi is the most common cause.

7. 2.Force manual sync: In OneNote for Mac: you can right‑click the notebook name or press Control + click the notebook name > choose Sync This Notebook  3.Sign out and sign back in: if the account token expired, OneNote cannot sync.

8. And please kindly check to make sure that you sign in with correct account that you want to sync.

Alternative Solutions for When Office Still Fails

1. Retry the Microsoft-side steps after restarting the app and device.

2. Test the same action in a private browser session or a new blank file to isolate account vs file issues.

3. Capture exact error text and screenshots before contacting Microsoft Support or your administrator.

Working with WPS Office: WPS Office for Local Document Work

WPS Office cannot replace Microsoft account, activation, or cloud fixes for this scenario. It remains one of the best free Microsoft Office-compatible alternatives for opening and editing local files.

1. Download and install WPS Office from the official website.

2. Open local Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF files in the matching WPS app.

3. Save a working copy locally while Microsoft-side issues are resolved.

4. Return to Microsoft Office after the primary fix succeeds.

If you need a practical local workspace in the meantime, try WPS Office.

Prevention Tips for Safer Others Habits

• Keep one primary Microsoft account for subscriptions and Office sign-in.

• Install updates for Office and Windows before retrying failed workflows.

• Back up important files before repair, reset, or reinstall actions.

• Document exact error messages before the next troubleshooting attempt.

FAQs About Common Others Answers

Can WPS Office fix this others issue directly? Only when the WPS steps match the formatting or file task. Account, activation, and cloud issues stay on the Microsoft side.

Should I reinstall Office before trying these steps? Not first. Confirm account, license, and the exact error before reinstalling.

What should I send to Microsoft Support? The affected account email, device type, Office version, exact error text, and screenshots with personal data hidden.