How to recover accidentally deleted onenote​？

Microsoft OneNote is a widely used note-taking application that allows users to create digital notebooks for organizing text, images, web clippings, and more. It’s particularly favored by students, professionals, and anyone who needs to keep track of important information in an organized way. However, like any application, there is always the risk of accidental deletions, whether it’s a page, section, or even an entire notebook.

Accidentally deleting notes in OneNote is a common issue that many users face. Fortunately, there are several ways to recover deleted notes, provided you act quickly. The sooner you realize the deletion, the more likely you are to recover your notes without much trouble.

Before diving into the recovery methods, it’s essential to understand how OneNote handles deleted data. When you delete a page or a section in OneNote, it doesn’t immediately erase the content permanently. Instead, the deleted items are moved to a “Deleted Notes” or “Recycle Bin” area.

1. OneNote’s Deletion Process

Here’s a quick overview:

Page Deletion: When you delete a page, it is moved to the “Deleted Notes” section within the notebook, where it can be restored within a limited time.

Section Deletion: Similarly, if you delete an entire section, it also ends up in the deleted items area.

Notebook Deletion: If you delete a whole notebook, it might be removed from your OneNote account or the cloud storage service you’re using (e.g., OneDrive).

Once items are in the “Deleted Notes” area, they remain there for a certain period (usually 60 days) before they are permanently deleted. This gives you a window of opportunity to restore your lost data.

2. Recover Deleted OneNote Files on Windows

A. Using the OneNote App for Windows 10

If you’re using the OneNote app on Windows 10. here’s how you can recover accidentally deleted notes:

Open OneNote and go to the notebook where you deleted the page or section.

In the left panel, scroll down and look for the “Deleted Notes” section. This is typically located under your notebook’s list.

Click on “Deleted Notes”. It will show any pages or sections that have been deleted.

Right-click on the deleted page or section you want to recover.

Select “Restore” to move the item back to its original location.

B. Using OneNote Online

OneNote’s web version also allows for recovery of deleted content. Follow these steps:

Open your browser and visit OneNote Online.

Log into your Microsoft account, which is associated with your OneNote files.

Navigate to the notebook where the deleted page or section was stored.

On the left-hand side, click on “Notebooks” and select the relevant notebook.

In the dropdown menu, select “View Deleted Notes”.

You will see a list of deleted pages and sections. Select the ones you want to recover.

Click “Restore”, and your deleted content will be restored to its original location.

C. Using OneNote for Microsoft 365

If you are using OneNote as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription, your deleted items are stored in the Recycle Bin in your OneDrive account. Here’s how you can recover deleted OneNote files:

Open OneDrive and log into your Microsoft 365 account.

On the left, click “Recycle Bin”.

Locate the deleted OneNote notebook, section, or page.

Select the item and click “Restore”.

The item will be returned to its original location within OneNote.

D. Using File History (If Available)

If you have configured File History on your Windows PC, you may be able to restore older versions of OneNote files, including deleted or altered content. Here’s how to use it:

Right-click the folder where your OneNote files are stored (typically under the Documents folder).

Select “Restore previous versions”.

You’ll see a list of available backup versions. Select the version that includes the content you want to recover.

Click “Restore” to restore that version.

3. Recovering Deleted OneNote Files on Mac

A. Using OneNote for Mac

For Mac users, OneNote provides a similar approach for recovering deleted pages or sections.

Open OneNote for Mac and navigate to the notebook you were working on.

Click on the “View” tab at the top of the window.

Select “Deleted Notes” from the ribbon.

A list of deleted notes will appear. Choose the page or section you want to recover.

Right-click and select “Restore” to return it to its original location.

B. Using OneDrive on Mac

If you’re using OneDrive to store your OneNote files, follow these steps to recover deleted notebooks, sections, or pages:

Visit OneDrive and sign into your Microsoft account.

On the left, select “Recycle Bin”.

Locate the deleted OneNote files or folders.

Click the files and choose “Restore”.

4. Recovering Deleted OneNote Files on Mobile Devices (iOS/Android)

On mobile devices, recovering deleted OneNote pages or sections is similar to the process on the desktop.

A. For iOS (iPhone/iPad)

Open the OneNote app on your iOS device.

Go to the notebook where you deleted the notes.

Tap the three dots (More options) in the upper right corner.

Tap “Deleted Notes”.

You’ll see all your deleted notes. Select the notes you want to restore.

Tap “Restore” to bring them back.

B. For Android

Open the OneNote app on your Android phone or tablet.

Go to the relevant notebook.

Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) at the top left.

Select “Deleted Notes”.

Choose the page or section you wish to restore.

Tap “Restore” to recover it.

5. Recovering Permanently Deleted OneNote Files

If you’ve emptied the Recycle Bin or deleted your notes beyond the standard recovery period, there may still be ways to recover your data:

A. Check OneDrive’s Version History

If your OneNote files are synced with OneDrive, you may be able to access previous versions of your notes.

Go to OneDrive and locate the OneNote file.

Right-click on the file and select “Version History”.

Browse through the previous versions to see if you can find the one containing the deleted content.

Restore that version by clicking “Restore”.

B. Use Data Recovery Software

Panda Assistant is a powerful and intuitive data recovery software designed to help users retrieve lost or deleted files from a variety of storage devices. Whether you’ve accidentally deleted important documents, photos, or videos, or experienced a system crash, Panda Assistant offers an easy-to-use solution for recovering your valuable data. It supports recovery from hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, and other digital storage devices.

Beyond just recovery, Panda Assistant also includes tools for partition management, file backup, and secure file deletion. These features not only help recover lost data but also provide solutions for managing and protecting your files going forward. Its simple and user-friendly interface makes it accessible for both novice and advanced users.

Compatible with both Windows and macOS, Panda Assistant provides a comprehensive solution for individuals and businesses looking to recover and safeguard their important files. Whether you are dealing with accidental deletions or more severe data loss, Panda Assistant ensures that your lost data is recoverable quickly and securely.

C. Contact Microsoft Support

If you’ve exhausted all options and still can’t recover your OneNote content, it may be worth reaching out to Microsoft Support. They may have additional tools or insights for recovering lost or deleted notebooks.

6. Preventive Measures to Avoid Future Data Loss

To avoid the headache of accidental deletion in the future, here are a few preventive measures:

Enable Auto-Save: Ensure OneNote’s AutoSave feature is turned on, especially if you’re using OneNote with OneDrive or SharePoint.

Create Backups: Regularly back up your OneNote notebooks by exporting them to PDF or other file formats. You can do this through the “File” > “Export” option in the desktop app.

Use Version History: Take advantage of OneDrive’s version history to restore previous versions of your notebooks if something goes wrong.

Be Cautious with Deletion: Double-check before deleting any content. Use the “Recycle Bin” feature to recover any deleted pages quickly.

Accidentally deleting notes in OneNote can be distressing, but with the right tools and strategies, recovery is often possible. Whether you’re using the desktop app, OneNote Online, or the mobile version, there are several ways to retrieve lost data from OneNote’s Recycle Bin or via cloud storage services like OneDrive.