OneNote orphaned metadata issue escalated to developers, no response after 7–9 days

NPLGlitcherPatcher 350 Reputation points
2026-07-02T10:32:34.0766667+00:00

Hello!

I previously had a conversation with a OneNote technical support representative that lasted over an hour.

The situation is as follows:

There are multiple OneNote items that cannot be deleted, accessed, or shared. These items were originally created by me, but they cannot be removed from my account in any way (no delete option, no access, no sharing).

The support representative was unable to resolve this issue and asked me to prepare a report for the developers. I sent the HAR log and the required screenshots, and the representative confirmed that the screenshots were reviewed.

The representative then forwarded this corrupted metadata issue to the development team and told me:

"It has been reported to the developers, and the development team will contact you via email within 7 to 9 days."

However, approximately 7–9 days have passed and I have not received any email or update from the development team.

At this point, I would like to ask:

  • What is the correct procedure in such a case?

These items appear to be orphaned metadata entries (orphaned notebook references) that cannot be removed from the client side.

Any guidance or clarification from someone familiar with OneNote/OneDrive backend behavior would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

NPL Glitcher Patcher

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Kai-H 25,535 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-07-02T14:58:09.1066667+00:00

Hi, NPLGlitcherPatcher

If the items do not exist in OneDrive anymore, cannot be opened, and do not give you any delete/share options, then this is probably not something you can fully fix from the OneNote app. A notebook normally has to be deleted from OneDrive first, then closed from the OneNote desktop app, otherwise OneNote may keep trying to sync a notebook that no longer exists.

In your case, since support already collected HAR logs/screenshots and escalated it as corrupted or orphaned metadata, the next step should be to reply to the same support case, not open a brand-new one if possible. Include the case number, the date it was escalated, and say clearly that the promised developer follow-up has not arrived. Ask them to check the escalation status and re-queue it if needed.

It is recommended that you also check the same Microsoft account on OneDrive web, OneNote web, and the desktop app, and remove/close the notebook from all places where that option still appears. It is also suggested that you check whether the ghost items belong to another signed-in personal/work account, because OneNote can show notebooks from multiple accounts.

If there is truly no file behind the entries, then only Microsoft backend support can remove or repair the orphaned references. In that situation, I would keep the existing ticket active and ask for an update from the escalation team.

Please be advised that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, are not allowed to directly interfere with Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited solely to providing technical guidance on reported incidents, requests, or ideas.   

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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