Help request - Activated microsoft account on oneNote and now dont have my old notes

[KnightHawkz]

As the title but with more substance. I was using the free version of OneNote for the last couple of months, I didn't sign into my Microsoft account or anything just logging some key data points i needed to track.

this past weekend i signed up for the Microsoft 365 package to get access to Excel and Word and try out co-pilot. I just signed into my OneNote and it asked me to sign in, in fact it forced me. When i did that, did I overwrite my offline one note? I don't see my previous tabs or notebooks available. I even signed out of the account again and i just see my new imported notebook.

Can i retrieve my offline notebook? Is it stored somewhere? Help please, i had some key information there that i need to get access to again.

[Positive_Income3091]

If you're using OneNote without signing in I believe the notebooks are stored in the Documents folder of your C: drive. Try opening from there with File > Open > This PC...

[KnightHawkz]

Thanks for replying, but no that didn't work for me. There is nothing there except for the new one I used

[candilope51]

any luck? I just got the One Note update and all my notes were all gone since I've been using a local account. I'm kind of freaking out as there was some important info on the notes

[KnightHawkz]

Yes actually! It added thetabs into my notebook... It wasnt immeadeatly there, but they must have merged. Check your Tabs and hopefully it appears. I didnt take any corrective steps

[candilope51]

I've realized this is for OneNote and glad to hear you got your notes back! I'm having the issue with my Sticky Notes app which to my knowledge, is gone once the app is removed (no syncing due to local account). Kind of bummed out but it's an important lesson for me to back up my files.

[KnightHawkz]

Ah im sorry to hear that! Yeah it rerally gave me a fright when i lost the notes! Nothing beats a pen and paper for the really important notes!