How to delete a notebook in OneNote on your computer and remove old or unwanted files

January 2024 · 4 minute read

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Because OneNote allows you to create a different notebook for each major project, you might end up creating a lot of them to keep your information organized. If you complete a project and no longer need the notebook anymore, you can delete it from OneNote. 

If you don't need to see a notebook in OneNote, you can remove it from the app without permanently deleting it. This lets you add it back later if you ever need to see it again. But if you want to delete a notebook permanently, it's important to note that there's no tool in OneNote to do this, so you'll need to do it using Windows. 

If you're unsure where to find the notebook you want to delete, you can locate it by clicking your current notebook to display the drop-down list of all your notebooks. Select "More Notebooks…" before pointing your mouse over the notebook you want to delete, and waiting for the hover text to appear. 

Hovering over the Notebook will help you locate it in your file finder. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

You should be able to determine what folder it's stored in by looking at the URL OneNote is using to describe the location. Once you've located the OneNote notebook you want to delete, here's how to remove it. 

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How to remove a notebook in OneNote without deleting it

1. In OneNote, click the current notebook to display the drop-down list of all your notebooks. 

2. Right-click the notebook you want to remove. 

3. In the menu, choose "Close this Notebook."

You can remove a notebook from OneNote without permanently deleting it. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

4. The notebook isn't deleted, and you can re-open in OneNote later if you want to. 

How to permanently delete a notebook in OneNote

1. Open a File Explorer window and navigate to where your notebooks are located. In most cases, they will be stored in the Documents folder in a subfolder called "OneNote Notebooks." 

You can also find OneNote notebooks on OneDrive in the Apps or OneNote folders. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

2. Select the OneNote folder you want to delete.

3. Press the Delete key on your keyboard. 

4. Confirm that you want to delete it if OneNote prompts you. 

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Dave Johnson Freelance Writer Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider. Read more Read less

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