If you need to move OneNote notebooks from a school or work account to a personal Microsoft account, you can do so directly on macOS or Windows using built-in OneNote tools.

On Windows

Use “Save a Copy” Feature (OneNote for Windows App)

  1. Open the OneNote for Windows app and sign in with your school or work account.

  2. In the left pane, select the notebook to move.

  3. Click File > Save a Copy.

  4. Choose a location:

    • OneDrive – Personal to sync with your personal Microsoft account.

    • This PC to save a local backup.

  5. Enter a notebook name and click Save.

Note: Saving to OneDrive – Personal allows the notebook to sync automatically, making it accessible on any device, including Mac.

On macOS

Option 1: Copy Sections Directly (Recommended)

  1. Open OneNote on your Mac.

  2. Sign in with both your school/work and personal Microsoft accounts (if not already).

  3. Click the Notebook drop-down (top left) and select the notebook linked to your school or work account.

  4. Hold down Shift and click to multi-select all the sections you want to transfer.

  5. Drag and drop the selected sections into a notebook stored in your personal OneDrive

Tip: You can also right-click on a section and choose Copy Section To... to move it to another notebook.

Option 2: Use the Backup Tool

To restore from a backup and move to your personal account:

  1. Open OneNote on your Mac.

  2. Go to the menu bar and select: OneNote > Preferences > Backups

  3. Select Back Up All Notebooks Now.

  4. After backup is completed, go to File > Open Backups.

  5. Select the notebook and sections you want to recover.

  6. Once open, multi-select the sections using Shift+Click.

  7. Drag and drop them into a notebook stored in your personal OneDrive.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.