Shared OneNote links won't open OneNote app when special characters are involved

[bunchofsage]

When you click "link to page" in OneNote (doesn't matter if web view or from within the desktop app) this will create two links: one with onenote:https:// scheme that will open either the desktop app or Microsoft Store app and a "web view" link in parentheses.

Those two links in your clipboard can then be pasted in a new e-mail (say in Outlook) but also into a new conversation in Microsoft Teams.

Problem: links to pages that have special characters in their page titles like umlauts (ä, ö, ß) but even brackets [] , parantheses () or slash / won't open in OneNote app when pasted into Microsoft Teams (but will open when clicked on within a mail in Outlook).
OneNote app will try to open the referred link but display an error message like:
«We couldn't open that location. It might not exist or you might not have permission to open it.\n\nPlease contact the owner of |0 for more information.»

In short: application link pasted into Outlook works, same link pasted into Teams does not work. Pasting into Teams will somehow modify and break the onenote:https:// link

Could somebody else replicate this and confirm the bug please? It's not restricted to German language either as it happens in our environment with ( ) and / as well.

[#2]

Hi, will check this out in the morning and report back with findings.

Thanks

Henry

[#3]

Hi @bunchofsage ,

What was an example name of one of your OneNotes?

However before going into this much deeper I wonder if the following would work if you feel the link is getting broken due to an escape/break character or similar.

In a message are you clicking on the Rich Text Editor Icon:

If not, could you click it and for you link utilise across the top the following link option:

Does that method work any better?

Thanks

Henry

[#4]

@HenryPhillipsNimbitechthanks for your reply!

> What was an example name of one of your OneNotes?

example page title:

Allg.: Kein gültiger Benutzer im Kontenplan

> Does that method [Rich Text Editor] work any better?

About pasting a link via Rich Text Editor: it's a bit more complicated as the Insert Link dialog only accepts https: scheme * and not the onenote: scheme that comes with OneNote application links. When I want to paste something with onenote:https://tenantname.sharepoint.com I get "invalid URL" and cannot press Insert.

* scheme = protocol, see https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/inserting-links/m-p/1034700/highlight/true#M4...

Only today I've found 1 related discussion/uservote:

• Link to OneNote app does not work when pasting link of OneNote multi-byte page title
  https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/37436485-link-to-onenote-app-d...
  (update August 2022: the uservoice links are no longer working as Microsoft transitioned to their own portal https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/forum/ad198462-1c1c-ec11-b6e7-0022481f8472)

[#5]

@bunchofsage 

Helllo, any update about this problem ?

I didn't found any workaround except forbid special characters...

[#6]

@SantaHey 

The workaround is: open OneNote for web and create the link to notebook/paragraph/page from there. It will generate the notorious 2 way link: app link (and web view version in parenthesis) - but they're working with special char names as well.

So my workflow for posting OneNote links is: (steps 2-4 are only necessary when there's special chars)

1. Copy link in OneNote application
2. Paste the result from clipboard in the newly introduced "myself"-chat in Teams
3. Click on the web view
4. Copy link in OneNote online
5. Paste the result where I need it

Perhaps a newer OneNote application version has this fixed Sadly, also OneNote in M365 MSO (Version 2208, with 32-Bit) still has this issue. I don't know if 64 bit version fixes this.

(sorry for the late reply - didn't see the response)

[#7]

Good news - just tested it's fixed in this version at least:
Microsoft® OneNote® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2208 Build 16.0.15601.20590) 64 Bit

Perhaps it's the 64 Bit version that's important.