Will deleting the app remove my notebooks?

No, notebooks are stored in OneDrive or SharePoint and remain regardless of the app's presence.

Can I delete the AutoUpdate helper tools?

Keep these files if any other Microsoft apps are still installed on your Mac.

How to Completely Uninstall Microsoft OneNote on Mac (2026 Guide)

Microsoft OneNote has its own uninstaller

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Office for Mac has no uninstaller; Microsoft's own steps are to move the app to the Trash and then delete its containers by hand.
Remove the folders Microsoft OneNote left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Microsoft OneNote keeps on your Mac

16 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.onenote.mac Sandbox container · sandboxed data: notebook cache, settings and pending sync changes Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Application Scripts/com.microsoft.onenote.mac Extension scripts · sandbox script folder created by macOS Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office Shared container · shared Office data: sign-in, templates, Normal template and startup add-ins Back up first: your data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0 App data · Microsoft AutoUpdate, shared by all Microsoft apps Only if no other app uses it/Library/LaunchAgents/com.microsoft.update.agent.plist Background item · starts Microsoft AutoUpdate checks Only if no other app uses it/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper Other · AutoUpdate helper that installs updates Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.ms Shared container · Microsoft sign-in and identity data shared by Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.OfficeOsfWebHost Shared container · cache for Office web add-ins Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.oneauth Shared container · Microsoft sign-in tokens shared by Microsoft apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.errorreporting Sandbox container · Office crash reporting, shared by all Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.netlib.shipassertprocess Sandbox container · Office diagnostics helper, shared by all Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Office365ServiceV2 Sandbox container · Microsoft 365 service helper, shared by all Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.RMS-XPCService Sandbox container · document protection (rights management) helper for Office Only if no other app uses it/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist Background item · starts the Microsoft AutoUpdate helper Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.autoupdate2.plist Settings · Microsoft AutoUpdate settings Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.shared.plist Settings · settings shared by Microsoft apps Only if no other app uses it

Locations are the standard macOS folders Microsoft OneNote uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What Microsoft OneNote leaves behind

Specific to Microsoft OneNote

Moving the app to the Trash preserves containers holding settings and a notebook cache ranging from 500 MB – 10 GB. It also leaves behind shared Office group containers that store sign-in identities and licenses. Background helpers like Microsoft AutoUpdate and its associated launch agents remain active since they are shared with other company apps. Because there is no official uninstaller, these directories stay on your disk until deleted manually.

Background items: Microsoft AutoUpdate installs a launch agent and a privileged helper that are shared with every other Microsoft app.
License: Activation is tied to the Microsoft account and cached in the shared Office Group Containers, so it stays in place for any other Office app still installed.
Account and sync: OneNote notebooks are stored in OneDrive or SharePoint under your Microsoft account; the Mac keeps a local cache of them.

Preparing to remove Microsoft OneNote

Since the app only works with cloud notebooks, ensure all pending changes have uploaded to OneDrive or SharePoint. Unsynced edits exist only in the local container and will be permanently lost if deleted. You should preserve shared group containers if you continue using other Office software. Finally, quit the application fully before attempting to remove any files.

Wait for every notebook to show as syncedConfirm notebooks are visible in OneNote on the webQuit the app before moving it to the Trash

0 of 3 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	16 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

How to Completely Uninstall Microsoft OneNote on Mac

Remove Microsoft OneNote and everything it leaves behind

Microsoft OneNote has its own uninstaller

Everything Microsoft OneNote keeps on your Mac

What Microsoft OneNote leaves behind

Preparing to remove Microsoft OneNote

By hand or with OptiClear

See it working

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Frequently asked questions

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