The OneNote for Windows 10 app and the OneNote 2016 desktop app are very similar, but there are a few key differences. Most notably, OneNote for Windows 10 is regularly updated with new features. Take a look below to see what's available to you today.
Latest updates for OneNote for Windows 10
There aren't any new features in the July 2018 feature update (Version 17.10325.20049). Check back again soon!
Help shape the future of Office
Become an Office Insider, get early access to new releases, and tell us what you think. To get started, open Settings and follow the steps to join the Office Insider program.
Previous releases
June 2018 updates
See what's new in the June 2018 feature update (Version 17.10228.20003).
Pick how you want to paste
Text only? Merge formatting? You decide, and set it as the default. OneNote will remember to paste your way every time.
May 2018 updates
See what's new and improved in the May 2018 feature update (Version 17.9330).
Graph of multiple functions
When you want to visualize math, OneNote can show multiple functions on the same graph. Just ink multiple functions on separate lines and click the Math button.
April 2018 updates
See what's new and improved in the April 2018 feature update (Version 17.9226).
Complex numbers? No problem.
If you're working with Math, you can choose to solve for real or complex numbers.
Access your notebooks from anywhere
Move notebooks stored on your hard drive to OneDrive and get the full benefits of OneNote such as accessing your notebooks from any device, collaborating with other people, and using intelligent services.
March 2018 updates
See what's new and improved in the March 2018 feature update (Version 17.9126).
Open recent notebooks We'll suggest notebooks that you've recently used on one device that you might want to open on another.
See what's changed
Receive notifications when someone makes a change in a shared notebook stored in OneDrive.
Take your pens with you
Choose a personal set of pens and highlighters for inking. Your customized set is available on all your Windows PCs and iOS devices across OneNote, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
December 2017 updates
See what's new and improved in the December 2017 feature update (Version 17.8827.2055).
Set things straight
On touch screens, use the virtual ruler on the Draw tab to draw straight lines and measure distance. Rotate to a specific angle with the help of the angle indicator.
Speedy search
Search just got faster! Your search results now appear instantaneously, making it easier to get back to your notes.
November 2017 updates
See what's new and improved in the November 2017 feature update (Version 17.8730.2074).
Tilt to shade
Use your new Surface Pen and the pencil tool to write or sketch ideas. Tilt the stylus to do shading, just like a real pencil.
But wait! There's more...
We're always making improvements to OneNote. Here are a few of our recent favorites:
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PDF printouts now look crisp and clear in OneNote for Windows 10, even those that were previously inserted with other versions of OneNote.
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Working with pages and sections is even easier. New icons have been added on the right-click menu to help you find just what you need to do.
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The new merge formatting option for paste lets you keep the same font style and size without losing important formatting like bold, italics, and links.
October 2017 updates
Print sections or entire notebooks
Need an offline copy? No problem. Print a page, a complete section, or an entire notebook for safekeeping.
But wait! There's more...
We're always making improvements to OneNote. Here are a few of our recent favorites:
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If you have high-DPI or multiple monitors, you’ll find OneNote looks and acts better than ever.
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Take advantage of a new setting. You can decide if you want to automatically capitalize the first word of a sentence.
September 2017 updates
Convert handwriting to text
Take quick handwritten notes, and later convert them to text to align with the rest of your content. It'll even preserve the size and color of your ink, as well as highlights and effects! On the Draw tab, click the Lasso Select button. Drag a circle around the text you want to convert, then click Ink to Text.
More dazzling ink effects
Note: This feature is only available if you have an Office 365 subscription. If you are an Office 365 subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office.
Grab a pen on the Drawing tab and try out lava, ocean, bronze, and rose gold. Make your notes sparkle!
More graph features
Note: This feature is only available if you have an Office 365 subscription. If you are an Office 365 subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office.
In addition to graphing your function, OneNote can now calculate its key features — such as minima, maxima, or axes intercepts.
Revisit recent pages
Use the new Forward and Back arrows above the Home tab to navigate through the note pages you've already visited.
Link to a specific paragraph
Create a link to a specific paragraph and jump to that content. It's a great way to make a quick table of contents at the top of a long page of notes, or copy the link and paste it in an email to help others find the specific content you want them to see.
Copy a hyperlink
Right-click a hyperlink in your notes and copy the link to use in other places.
August 2017 updates
Text to Math
Use your keyboard to type an equation as text in OneNote, and use Math to solve it or draw a graph. Simply type your equation, and on the Draw tab, click the Lasso Select button. Drag a circle around the text you want to convert, then click Math.
Note: This feature is only available if you have an Office 365 subscription. If you are an Office 365 subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office.
Smart Lookup
Get definitions, wiki articles, and top related searches from the web without leaving OneNote. Right-click a word or phrase and choose Smart Lookup.
Insert online pictures
Use Bing's Image Search to safely insert photos and images without ever having to leave OneNote. On the Insert tab, choose Pictures > From Online. In the Online Pictures pane, use a keyword to search for the perfect picture for your notes.
Tables of all shapes and sizes
One cell or many? Choose the number of rows and columns you need to organize your content. Once you've got a table, you can add or delete rows or columns, add table shading, or sort your content.
More highlight colors
Yellow isn't the only color in the rainbow. Now you can highlight with blue, green, red, and more.
Zoom in, zoom out
Use the new Page Width option on the View tab to zoom out to see all the notes on your page, or zoom in to focus on just what you need.
July 2017 updates
Customize your pens
Choose a personal set of pens, highlighters, and pencils for inking. On the Draw menu, choose the plus sign (+) beside the pens, and choose the type of pen, width, and ink color. Your new custom pen will be added to your drawing toolbar ready for your next masterpiece.
Improve reading with the Immersive Reader
The Immersive Reader boosts reading skills by adjusting text spacing, presenting a narrow column for reading, and highlighting each word as the document is read aloud. It has been designed to help you improve your reading skills by boosting your ability to pronounce words correctly, to read quickly and accurately, and to understand what you read. On the View menu, choose Immersive Reader, and choose your Text options, Parts of speech, Voice options, or have the text read aloud.
Multitasking made easy
On the View tab, choose New Window, or use Ctrl+M, to open a new instance of OneNote. Now you can see a bunch of notes at the same time. Multitasking has never been easier!
June 2017 updates
OneNote reimagined
It’s easier than ever to organize your notes with an improved layout. All of your notebooks, sections, and pages can be found in columns on the side of the app, efficiently navigable with screen readers, keyboards and more.
Resolve page conflicts
Page conflicts sometimes happen in shared notebooks. We've made it easier to find and resolve the differences. Pages with conflicts will be marked with a triangle icon. After opening the Page Conflicts pane you'll see the versions of the page, who edited it, and when. Choose which version you want to keep, or copy specific content from an earlier page version to the current page.
Your pages, your way
Page previews provide a glimpse of what's in your notes by showing the first few words of text on the page, and a thumbnail of any pictures. Turn it on by checking Show Page Previews in the View > Navigation Panes drop down. If you like a more compact view of your page list, you can always clear the box and go back to seeing just the page title.
Hide subpages
Create more room in your page list by collapsing your subpages. Select one or more pages, and from the right-click menu, choose Make Subpage. This will indent the pages beneath the page above and allow them to be collapsed by clicking the chevron beside that page. Use Ctrl+Shift+* to expand or collapse the tabs of a page group.
Find text on a page
Use Ctrl+F to quickly search for a specific word or phrase on the current page. OneNote will find it in text, images, and your handwritten notes. If you don't find it, you can still expand your search scope to include the current section, current notebook, or all notebooks.
You're the expert with Tell Me
Click the light bulb in the upper right corner of the app window, and simply type what you want to do in OneNote using your own words. Tell Me will guide you through the process as well as offer additional resources such as Help or Smart Lookup. Use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Q to quickly go to Tell Me.
Your outline just got easier
Note: This feature is only available if you have an Office 365 subscription. If you are an Office 365 subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office.
Researcher helps you find relevant quotes, sources, and images to start your outline in OneNote. On the Insert tab, choose Researcher. Type a keyword for the topic you're researching and Bing will create a list of results. Add the source to your notes, and the source will be added automatically.
See what's changed
When someone else changes content in your shared notebook, we'll make the page or section name bold so you know.
Nickname your notebook
Add a nickname to your notebook to make it more personal and easier to find. This won't change the original filename of the notebook or break any links you have to the notebook, it only changes the name that's displayed in OneNote. Great for students with class notebooks.
Change the notebook color
Red for work, blue for personal? Change the color of your notebooks to keep things organized. Right-click the name of your notebook, choose Notebook Color, and select a color from the palette.
Latest updates for Windows Insider Fast Skip-Ahead
Keep reading to see what's new in Version 17.10228 for Insider Fast Skip-Ahead then tell us what you think. Your early feedback is invaluable, so keep it coming!
Note: These features are being made available to customers on a gradual basis. If you don't see them in OneNote yet, make sure OneNote is up to date.
Pick how you want to paste
Text only? Merge formatting? You decide, and set it as the default. OneNote will remember to paste your way every time.
Help shape the future of Office
Become an Office Insider, get early access to new releases, and tell us what you think. To get started, open Settings and follow the steps to join the Office Insider program.
Be a part of the community
Office Insider Community
Connect with people who are as interested in technology as you are, and get support from the Office Insider community.
Follow us on @OfficeInsider
Join the growing community of experts and enthusiasts who are helping shape the future of Office.
Where to send feedback
To make a suggestion or report issues in Office Insider builds, open OneNote, tap the
chevron to open the Notebook list, and click the gear to open Settings > Feedback.
