OfficeIMO.OneNote processes native OneNote files and exported notebook artifacts inside a .NET application. Microsoft Graph accesses notebooks, sections, and pages stored in OneDrive or SharePoint through an authenticated Microsoft 365 service. They solve different ownership problems rather than competing for the same source.
Graph facts were last checked on 27 July 2026 against Microsoft's official OneNote API overview and content and structure guide. Microsoft documents delegated authentication requirements and limitations for backup and restore scenarios.
Compare the source of truth
| Question | OfficeIMO.OneNote | Microsoft Graph |
|---|---|---|
Native .one files | Read and write documented structures offline | Not a local file parser |
.onetoc2, .onepkg, notebook directories | Open, enumerate, and export documented content | Access cloud notebook resources instead |
| Live OneDrive or SharePoint notebook | File or export must be supplied to the application | Core service boundary |
| Authentication and tenant permissions | None for local files | Microsoft identity, delegated permissions, service limits, and network access |
| Collaboration and cloud state | Not represented by an offline file engine | Service-owned notebooks, sections, pages, and updates |
| Offline export and Reader chunks | HTML, Markdown, images, PDF, normalized extraction, and other documented routes | Application must transform returned Graph content |
Choose Microsoft Graph when
- the authoritative notebook is live in Microsoft 365;
- the application needs current users, permissions, sections, pages, and collaboration state;
- delegated authentication and service throttling are acceptable;
- the workflow should update cloud page content rather than process an archive.
Choose OfficeIMO.OneNote when
- the input is a
.one,.onetoc2,.onepkg, FSSHTTP section, or notebook directory; - processing must work offline, in a migration utility, or without tenant credentials;
- pages need to become Markdown, HTML, images, PDF, or source-aware Reader chunks;
- the job must inspect or preserve native file structures and report unsupported records.
Combine them at an explicit export boundary
A migration can retrieve cloud content through Graph and use OfficeIMO for downstream document generation or normalized extraction. An archival workflow can process exported native files with OfficeIMO while Graph remains responsible for live service state. Record which side owns identity, synchronization, attachments, permissions, and final acceptance.
Continue with offline OneNote automation, OneNote documentation, and the OneNote API reference.