Blnak page when exporting onenote for mac os

Question

Blnak page when exporting onenote for mac os

Ziv Abutbul 0

Hi everyone
Started my first year at the university and I'm writing all of my classes in OneNote on my MacBook.

When I am trying to export the summary as a PDF I get a blank page.
Also tried to print as PDF.. same results.

Appreciate your help with the problem.

1 answer

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Answer 1

Flora-T 7,685 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Ziv Abutbul

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A Forum and sharing the details of your issue.

I understand how frustrating it can be to encounter blank pages when exporting your OneNote summaries to PDF on your MacBook, especially when reliable note-taking is essential during your first year at university.

To better understand, could you please share the following:

Your macOS and OneNote app version.
Whether you're exporting a single page, an entire section, or the full notebook/summary.
If you're using OneNote for the web in a browser or the desktop app.
If possible, you can share any error messages or screenshots.

Based on my testing and Microsoft's official guidance, PDF export behavior may vary by platform:

In my testing on the web browser, the behavior is similar to what you've described, it results in blank pages during export. On OneNote desktop app, exporting works reliably via File > Save as PDF, and it only supports individual pages.

If you're currently using OneNote for the web, I highly recommend switching to the desktop app for better stability and more comprehensive export options. Keep in mind that exporting entire sections or full notebooks as PDF isn't supported.

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Please let us know how you get on, as your feedback can help others in the community facing the same problem. I'm looking forward to seeing your response soon.

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Ziv Abutbul 0 Reputation points

2025-11-06T10:35:26.64+00:00

Hi, and thanks for the fast response.

I'm using the desktop app Version 16.102.2 (25102623)

on MacBook Air M4 chip with Sequoia
There is no error message just a blank page output
I am using the method you mentioned - file > save as PDF
Also tried to use print to pdf..
Flora-T 7,685 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-07T14:10:02.36+00:00

Hi Ziv Abutbul

Thank you for confirming the details.

Could you let us know if you’ve tried using OneNote in a web browser and whether the same blank-page behavior occurs there? Also, are you signed in with a personal Microsoft account or an education account provided by your university?

In case the problem appears on both the web and desktop app, the next step would be to completely uninstall OneNote and reinstall the latest version. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, consider reverting to a previous stable version to determine whether that resolves the issue. Before doing so, check the update history to ensure the version is still supported and known to be reliable: Update history for Office for Mac. Also, disable Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) right away to prevent any automatic updates from interfering.
Ziv Abutbul 0 Reputation points

2025-11-07T16:01:25.51+00:00

No problem with the online version, but the design of the page is different and I need to change all of the boxes location.. so its not a long term solution.

its my education account.
Ziv Abutbul 0 Reputation points

2025-11-07T16:06:51.8166667+00:00

ok found out something..
When creating a new page and the headline is in English, it works fine.
but if I change the title to English from my native language / writing the title in my language - its not working.. Can this information can help?
Flora-T 7,685 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-10T14:41:08.57+00:00

Hi Ziv Abutbul

Thanks for your helpful observation. It may point to a possible issue with how OneNote handles non-English characters in page titles during PDF export on macOS. Export works fine when the page title is in English, but fails when the title is in your native language or after changing it from your native language to English.

As a temporary workaround, keep the page title in English before exporting. If you need your native language in the title, try adding it in the body of the page instead of the title.

Also, the problem does not occur in OneNote Online, which suggests the rendering issue is specific to the desktop app. You may consider uninstalling and reinstalling the desktop app as mentioned above. Please give me feedback if you've already tried this step.
Flora-T 7,685 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-11T15:09:30.0966667+00:00

Hi Ziv Abutbul

Have you had a chance to review the replies provided?

Any update would be appreciated.
Flora-T 7,685 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-13T14:11:26.0466667+00:00

Hi Ziv Abutbul

It has been a while, and I'm just checking in to see if you had a chance to review the suggestions above.

I'm looking forward to your response.
Ziv Abutbul 0 Reputation points

2025-11-15T09:07:07.94+00:00

Hi, I reinstalled OneNote and still not exporting the PDF correctly.
Unfortunately I will move to Word because of this problem until Microsoft finds a solution for non-English writing
Flora-T 7,685 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-17T06:37:10.2933333+00:00

Hi Ziv Abutbul

Thank you for letting me know the outcome. I understand how disappointing it is when a key feature doesn’t work as expected. Since reinstalling didn’t resolve the problem, moving to Word as a temporary solution is understandable.

I recommend submitting feedback directly through Help > Feedback in the OneNote app or via the Microsoft Feedback Portal, including the details you shared about language-specific titles. Your input is sincerely appreciated and plays an important role in shaping future improvements.

Thank you for your patience and for continuing to advocate for better support and accessibility in this area.

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Blnak page when exporting onenote for mac os

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