Error 0xE0000021: OneNote needs a password to sync some of your notebooks - OneNote 2010

Method 1: Install the latest updates

Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can often correct problems by replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities. To install the latest updates, click the link specific to your version of Windows and follow the steps in that article:
Note: For Microsoft Office 2010 users, installing the latest updates will include Service Pack 1 (SP1). SP1 includes updates to OneNote 2010 that may resolve issues syncing OneNote notebooks with your OneDrive account. OneNote 2010 SP1 uses Windows Live Essentials to log onto OneDrive and improves how OneNote synchronizes with OneDrive. For an overview of Office SP1 improvements, see Description of Office 2010 SP1.

Install Windows updates in Windows 7

Install Windows updates in Windows Vista

Install Windows updates in Windows XP

If installing the latest updates did not resolve your issue, continue to method 2.


Method 2: Install the latest version of Windows Live Sign-in Assistant

Issues syncing OneNote notebooks with your OneDrive account can be resolved by updating to the latest version of Windows Live Sign-in Assistant. Windows Live Sign-in Assistant is part of Windows Live Essentials which also includes Windows Live Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Mail, and more. To resolve this issue, Windows 7 and Windows Vista users can install the latest version of Windows Live Essentials or to install only the Windows Live Sign-in Assistant, click the link specific to your version of Windows:

Windows 7 and Windows Vista

Windows XP


Note: If you need to uninstall and then reinstall Windows Live Essentials, see How to remove and reinstall Windows Live Essentials.

If installing the latest version of Windows Live Sign-in Assistant did not resolve your issue, continue to method 3.


Method 3: Remove Windows Live IDs from Credential Manager

This step applies to Windows 7, and Windows Vista

Credential Manager allows you to store credentials such as user names, and passwords that you use to log on to websites. Sometimes Credential Manager may not be able to acquire log on credentials, and removing your Windows Live IDs may resolve the issue.

Here’s how to remove your Windows Live IDs from Credential Manager:

This step applies to Windows 7, and Windows Vista

For Windows 7

1. Close OneNote.
2. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.
3. In the left pane, click Manage your credentials.
4. Click the vault that contains the Live ID credential that you want to remove.
5. Click the Live ID credential that you want to remove, and then click Remove from vault.
6. Repeat step 5 until you have removed all of your Live ID credentials from the vault.
7. Open the OneNote notebook you want to sync.
8. Click Web.
9. Sign in with your Windows Live ID and password, and try to sync your OneNote notebook with OneDrive.

For Windows Vista

1. Close OneNote.
2. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts, and then clicking User Accounts. O
3. On the Advanced Tab, click Manage Passwords.
4. Click the name of the credential that you want to remove, and then click Remove.
5. Repeat step 4 until you have removed all of your Live ID credentials.
6. Open the OneNote notebook you want to sync.
7. Click Web.
8. Sign in with your Windows Live ID and password and try to sync your OneNote notebook with OneDrive.

If removing your Windows Live IDs from Credential Manager did not resolve the issue, continue to the More Information section.