Sign in with Microsoft
Sign in or create an account.
Hello,
Select a different account.
You have multiple accounts
Choose the account you want to sign in with.

While Macs don’t have a touchscreen, you can use your mouse or trackpad with OneNote for Mac to write notes, highlight portions of text, or draw shapes anywhere on a page.

Note: OneNote for Mac doesn't currently support converting handwriting to text.

Do the following:

  1. On the ribbon, click the Draw tab.

    Shows Mac ribbon with Draw tab selected

    Note: If you don’t see the Draw tab, you may need to update to the latest version of OneNote for Mac. Check for updates

  2. Select the drawing tool you want to use. There’s a Pen, a Marker, and a Highlighter.

  3. After you’ve chosen your preferred drawing tool, customize your drawing style by doing any of the following:

    • Select a basic drawing color by clicking one of the four color dots

    • Select a custom color by clicking the arrow next to the Ink Color button and choosing the exact color you want to use. After selecting a custom color, clicking the Ink Color button will apply that color to any other ink strokes you have selected. To change your custom color selection, click the arrow next to the button again.

    • Select the stroke thickness for your selected drawing tool by clicking one of the wavy line samples. You can make a new selection at any time to begin drawing with a different stroke thickness.

  4. To erase any parts of a drawing, click the arrow to the right of the Eraser tool, choose the eraser size that you want, and then draw over the ink strokes that you want to erase.

  5. To select any parts of a drawing, either to modify or move them, click the Lasso Select button, drag a selection around the ink strokes you want, and then Control-click the selection for more options.

  6. To erase any parts of a drawing, tap the Eraser tool, and then drag the eraser over the ink strokes that you want to remove.

  7. To stop drawing at any time, click the Text Mode button on the far left of the Draw tab.

    Tip: To return to text mode quickly, on the keyboard, press the Esc key.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Was this information helpful?

What affected your experience?
By pressing submit, your feedback will be used to improve Microsoft products and services. Your IT admin will be able to collect this data. Privacy Statement.

Thank you for your feedback!

×