I am getting an error when syncing to the Windows 11 OneNote but the troubleshooting guide does not say how to fix it.

Traci Butz 0 Reputation points
2025-08-19T22:05:20.8733333+00:00

I am encountering an error when syncing to the Windows 11 OneNote, but the troubleshooting guide does not provide instructions on how to resolve it. It says "Unable to create backup" I checked the Troubleshoot guide, but it didn't tell me what to do.

Can anyone help me?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For business | Windows
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  1. Alexis-NG 2,425 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-08-19T22:45:10.1+00:00

    Hi @Traci Butz,

    Regarding your question about the “Unable to create backup” error in Win 11 OneNote, I'd love to ask for some additional information to narrow down the issue:

    1. Are you using a personal Microsoft account (@gmail, @hotmail, @outlook.com) or a work/school account provided by your school/organization?
    2. Where are your notebooks stored? Are they saved on OneDrive, SharePoint, a local drive, or a network location?
    3. Have you checked the backup folder location in OneNote settings? Is it pointing to a valid, accessible folder on your local drive?

    In order to do so, open OneNote for Windows 10.

    • Go to File > Options > Save & Backup.
    • Make sure the folder listed under “Backup Folder”:
      • Exists.
      • Is on your local drive (preferably C:\).
      • You have written permissions to it.
      • Is not on a network or external drive
    1. Do you have sufficient storage space on your device and in OneDrive (if applicable)?
    2. Are you seeing any other sync errors or just the backup-related one?
    3. Have you tried signing out and back into your Microsoft account in OneNote?
    4. Have you recently changed any folder permissions or moved your Documents folder?

    Once I have more details from you, I’ll be able to assist you more accurately. Feel free to include any additional information you think might be relevant beyond the questions I’ve provided. If possible, screenshots showing the issue would be greatly appreciated, they can help clarify the behavior and speed up troubleshooting.


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