OneNote Tips & Tricks

In this step-by-step tutorial, learn the top 16 best Microsoft OneNote tips and tricks.
👋 Resources called out in this video:
OneNote for Windows 10
- This comes pre-installed with Windows 10
- You can download from the Microsoft Store by searching for OneNote for Windows 10
OneNote app (previously known as OneNote 2016, this version comes with Microsoft Office)
- Download OneNote as a free standalone Windows desktop app: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?link...
More information about OneNote versions: support.microsoft.com/en-us/o...
Microsoft To Do in-depth video: • How to use Microsoft T...
⌚ Timestamps
0:00 Introduction to OneNote Tips & Tricks
0:38 Copy text from picture (OneNote app only)
1:44 Immersive reader (OneNote for Windows 10 only)
3:15 Sticky notes (OneNote Mobile app and Sticky Note app)
4:31 Pull in meeting details (All apps)
5:37 Add task to Microsoft To Do or Outlook Tasks (OneNote app only)
6:53 Add tags (All apps)
8:23 Copy link and work with others (All apps)
9:06 Password protect a section (All apps)
10:32 Ink to text (All apps)
11:03 Keep OneNote window on top (OneNote app only)
11:42 Full screen mode (All apps)
12:16 Translate (All apps)
13:55 Page versions (All apps)
14:41 Open multiple instances of OneNote (All apps)
15:08 Solve math equations (OneNote for Windows 10)
16:32 Dictate (OneNote for Windows 10)
17:16 Wrap up
📃 Watch related playlists and videos
- OneNote: • OneNote
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#OneNote

[@DrSalonen]

Valuable reminder of features that are easy to forget. I “live” within OneNote and still got good reminders in this video. Thank you!

[@KevinStratvert]

📺 Watch more Top Tips & Tricks like this for other products: kzbin.info/aero/PLlKpQrBME6xLt_itmVIfS2qz9cLEarwMN

[@jongloopoh8591]

GOOD JOB.

[@edcoffeebean]

This is such a versatile tool and underrated. 📝I use it for taking meeting notes every day. I add the Outlook meta data like you demonstrated, and in the Notes section, I Insert a Table 3 columns wide; for the first column I add the Date and Time (Alt-N-D is the hotkey); in the second column is where I add the name of the person talking or the topic or the slide number (just be consistent); in the third column is the note/summary/action item/etc. In this third column, you can also paste screenshots (Windows Key+Sift+S). If someone is displaying content that wasn't shared, I take screenshots. If I want to accentuate the screenshot, I change the fill color of the cell it's in (remember you're working within a Table). 🔍For Searches, I like to use the Pin Search Results (Alt-O). This is an amazing search tool. You can select where you want to search (e.g., All Notebooks, this Section, etc.), and it will highlight all the pages that have a hit. What I like to do is click on a highlighted page then Search again, but select Find on Page; this finds the word(s) you searched on or you can search on a new word(s). You still retain all the highlighted pages from the first search. This is great for online classes where you take tons of notes. 🗣Bonus: The Pin Search Results has an Audio Search feature. Yes, you can record a lecture, and if it's a good recording, you can search on the spoken word; it's not 100% perfect. People, we are living in the freaking future! 📺You can paste the URL from a KZbin video in OneNoe, and it will automatically add the thumbnail underneath it. You can also grab the Transcript from KZbin and add it to a OneNote page. This is a decent way of searching on text from a KZbin video. (In KZbin, click on the three dots (ellipses) above Subscribe and select Open Transcript; select all or some of the transcript.) I like to align the timecode with the transcript text in Excel then bring it over to OneNote as a Table. 🚩🎁I also use the Flag/Task feature. You can also assign the task to someone else in Outlook. In Outlook, you can schedule a meeting and you can setup a Skype meeting AND assign a location on a shared Notebook to take notes for the meeting. The attendees will be able to click on the OneNote link in their Calendar Invitation and see the agenda and after the meeting is over, view the minutes (but someone needs to do write them down). 🔗One of my favorite features on the Outlook version is Linked Notes. This is one of the best features! When it's activated, you can take notes in OneNote while you have a PowerPoint file up. You can then link the notes (by paragraph) to the slide number in PowerPoint. (It also works in Word and the IE browser (not Edge).) When you're done taking Linked Notes, turn it off, and you can click on the PowerPoint icon in the margin, and it will open the PowerPoint file and take you to that slide. It also works if the PowerPoint file is on a SharePoint site.

[@thermant8452]

Yup. One of the BEST tools MS has ever created.

[@SuperAstro93]

Kevin, I work in I.T, thank you for your great guides! We are pointing all our users to your KZbin page!

[@TylerStanczak]

Oh wow! That copy text option from picture is something I never realized was possible. I depend on one note so much because it’s such a reliable tool to capture all my crucial notes. This is a great video. Thanks Kevin :)

[@AdamsTaiwan]

Not only that, but I've notice that search will search the text of images too.

[@TylerStanczak]

@@AdamsTaiwan that’s also convenient :)

[@ghanus2009]

@@AdamsTaiwan Yes that is a very intense feature. I use that all the time. Take Screen shots from Web or other software and you can always get to it... good stuff!

[@bernadineschacht8175]

Thanks. Very helpful. Makes our programs so much more useful when you introduce us to features we hadn’t even thought about.

[@sandrakerrigan657]

Kevin, you are simply my go to guy for MS tips/tricks and guidance. Thank you so very much!

[@juancarlosperezdeleon8540]

Kevin, this video is GREAT!! I have one more "OneNote tip" to share. OneNote also "keeps" files. In my job, I have to send lots of emails with attached files but not the same files for everyone. Keeping files on OneNote, I can easily (and fastly) select which files to email .

[@NiraSuarez]

Wow! So interesting video, thanks for sharing! I'm completely in for anything to do with enhancing productivity, especially for freelancers and even more especially for artists, so I'm gonna take good note of what you say in this tutorial! Big hug from a Spanish dancer in India! 🌟

[@ivanwill]

13 & 14 is nice information. I have been using OneNote for ages, from when I switched from Evernote. Never knew I could add a password to a section, or even running OneNote twice. I was thinking that would cause an issue with processing power. Thanks for sharing...

[@saschaw.3785]

Hello, I'm German, so I don't speak English as a mother tongue. - Your pronunciation is great and not too fast. I can understand your videos very well. Many Thanks.

[@ghanus2009]

"So... Learn how to fish!" I fell off my chair! Touché BTW.. im a 30 year + IT Professional and I simply love your presentations. I learn a lot, yeah I know much, however you have found tons of tidbits that I am loving and learning. Keep it up!

[@MichaelToub]

I recently ditched Evernote so these tips were timely!! Thanks!

[@albertwong9661]

I agree. I'm about to ditch Evernote also and I've been using it for 10 years.

[@kariguenther1339]

I really liked that you detailed in which version your tip works in. Could you do one for the mobile version of OneNote?

[@12boxes]

I used four of those tips straight off. Thanks Kevin.

[@tastiere.arranger]

l believed to be an expert of OneNote, but I didn't know 7 tips of yours. Thanks, Kevin. Again.

[@karmacomedia6335]

Thanks for tips I love Onenote and use it daily for my job

[@ghanus2009]

Hi Kevin, OneNote junkie here... if I may add this to your Tip Number 4, add meeting notes, I have been doing that same item a bit differently. When youre in Outlook, where you have your calendar, you can double click it, and open the Calendar item in Pop out, you will see the OneNote icon there to add the meeting notes to your OneNote. However there you get the option to add notes on your own, or share them with participants. Additionally, clicking that "Email Page" in OneNote, emails your notes to everyone that particated in your OneNote meeting. thats cool for when ou have just agreed to acction items, great for accountability especially for people outside your organization that you need to ride to get stuff done. You can also click any email and then check the OneNote icon in the ribbon that adds that email to a selected OneNote tab of your choosing. This is a great way to keep track of orders, and other things. It also adds attachments to the oneNote. I have been a OneNote junkie since 2007 ish... its prob one of the best software pieces Microsoft ever wrote, besides MS Exchange and SQL Server... Great video! Oh I have a "Recipies" OneNote Nice thing about that is I can search any ingredient and it comes up with all Ingredients, such as "cloves". The Search function works over all open notes. So searching for my Braised Short Ribs I I can just type Ribs, but then I have to choose between my most amazing password protected BBQ Ribs, so I just type braised.... then BOOM! I have been a search junkie... however your TAGS feature I never knew about, after all these years I never knew ... now I have to go see my therapist. She will never get it.

[@duffr07]

This one was so helpful!

[@feroserehman3455]

thank you Kevin, great videos

[@v_srikanth]

Very insightful. Thank you so much

[@LicMairi]

Thanks Kevin, awesome tips! I use OneNote to get organized during my science PhD. I paste paper articles and take notes besides them since you can have an infinite canvas. Also, on another notebook, keep photos of my lab notes, keep a copy of submitted results, etc. :) Love OneNote!!! I would totally recomend students to use it.

[@LicMairi]

Maybe if you ever make a second part of this video: I know you can "reference" another section of OneNote to a current section, not sure how to do that. Instead, I copy that section again but I think there is a better way to do it. It would be usefull specially when you have tens of notebooks with tens of sections and you want to "link" between parts. I´d like to know how to link them (instead of copying that section again). Thanks!

[@DougHExcel]

Searchable tags...really liked that one!

[@derranstokes8760]

Every day is a school day with your videos Kevin

[@rajahussain1172]

Your videos inspired to learn techniques and acquire skills by watching videos :)

[@Rijunkv]

Hi Kevin, nice to see you again. Very helpful content, got a lot of tips and tricks from this video. I have to tell you one story, previously you have done a video on how to sign a document using onenote app. After watching this I have tried the same. I have signed on my phone with the red ink and taken the same to my pc, and tried to change the ink color to black, but there was no option in my pc to do that. Today I got the answer, I was using the Office onenote app, and you were using the windows onenote app. I didn't new that windows had two onenote apps. Now I now what happened on that day. Thanks for the video. Love from India...

[@Hamza-Elbasha]

Thanks, Kevin 🌸 شكراً 😃

[@BruceWL]

great tips. THANKS!

[@Jarajesh]

Dictate is my favorite and it is amazing how much this technology has grown in the years.

[@rebeccaw9656]

One of my most important applications as a student, that can be used across platforms between windows and Apple devices. Thanks for the extra tips!

[@donaldbanda3578]

Thank you so much Kelvin, excellent explaination ..i love it !

[@nikubayancawit5170]

I really appreciate you! Will be watching more contents!

[@Reltegropos]

Very nice. Thanks for the great tips. I noticed that the OCR in your first tip missed the term "3rd" in the picture. I don't blame it because Microsoft for some reason sets the default for ordinals to superscript, which is a typographic abomination I'll never understand.

[@marwanfx]

Amazing Tips, Thanks A lot

[@suchala]

Thanks for the wonderful teaching of oneNote. I wanted to know about the same in mobile one note.

[@UpStreamCharlie]

Thank you, Kevin.

[@sudeepsd4695]

thanks for awesome tricks very useful.

[@MichaelToub]

Omg tip 13 previous versions!! I wish I knew that before!!

[@dikshatripathi883]

Same here, its helpful for me to track the things easily

[@EmekaAmuta]

Another very informative and well-done video. Thanks, Kevin

[@kishvalconcha4100]

OMYGOSH THANK YOU SO MUCH! i did not realize that there were two kinds of one note in my laptop. I was trying so hard how to put my tabs on top

[@kishvalconcha4100]

then i realized i was on the wrong application the whole time

[@ShaunaSanders]

OMG- being able to have multiple OneNote windows open at the same time!!! 🤯

[@Nicholasburridge]

Congrats on the great videos! Quick question, is it possible to sort notes by the date created?

[@mathmotives2982]

Excellent Bro. Valuable information.

[@karobeesultana8064]

Just awesome.thanks for the nice tips

[@s7erling696]

Yeah, I'm going to have to watch this video again. There are just too many distractions and he's moving at a pretty good pace. I use MS Notes every day but I learned a few new tricks today. MS Notes is my most favorite MS app.

[@dennislim64]

Thanks for this video, Kevin. It has been most helpful. I have a question - if someone shares his notebook with me, how do I get it saved to my own OneNote so that I can read it offline?

[@abdullahe3674]

Much waited! Thankyou Could you make a video on how to use Apple notes for students, study and more videos specially for the iPad Kind regards Great 😊👌 Apple pages and other apple native apps

[@thermant8452]

Great vid. Thanks, Kevin!

[@ashwinisidhu]

Very helpful!!!!

[@chimpanzu1199]

wow I never knew this was a versatile tool, might use this now instead of word

[@ZarrinTasnimshakuntola]

Hey Kevin! Not one, you deserve One Thousand thumbs up! Keep it up. On a side note, loved the Kevin cookie secret! That's humour was hillarious, just like a perfect cherry rightiously placed on top.

[@sivaraj-ld2ci]

Your videos are awesome...

[@L2002]

Did you just read my mind? No way, yesterday i just searched for OCR Methods, and Onenote "Copy text from picture" is one of them!

[@Munneke1962]

Thanks so much!!!!

[@mzazzera]

Hi, Kevin I absolutely love OneNote and thank you for all the wonderful tips. I have been using it since it came out in 2003 (dang that is a long time...). I was hoping you can help with one issue that I have had a number of times. I sometimes do a recording in OneNote and the audio does not playback. I see the cursor move with my notes but, I lose the audio. Any ideas on how to recover the audio or is the recording corrupted? Any thoughts on why it might be lost? Many thanks, Michael Z.

[@FutureXT]

Great video Kev. 👍👌🏽💯 Can you please do a video on microsoft sharepoint sir?

[@TusharMankad]

Hello Kevin, Thank you for making excellent videos on diverse and interesting topics. A request and question for you: how to transfer content from Evernote to One Note? Thank you in advance.

[@Hharshit01]

Thanks man

[@thoanh327]

😍😍 your tips are really useful, thanks

[@tuliovinicius1210]

Great video! From brazil \o/

[@abu_molhum]

👍🏻 thanks Kevin

[@DJBLESS]

Thanks Kev...

[@cetvideosatmccc1028]

I haven't used OneNote, but I am considering adding it to my Office apps. If I can use only one version, which OneNote is best to access the most features? How does OneNote work with tables? If there's a video I can watch to learn about OneNote and tables, please lead me to the video. Thank you for these excellent and informative videos.

[@vincebenard1]

Hi Kevin. Your videos are top shelf!!! Thanks. I'm searching for a *screen shade* function that works like the screen shade feature that is in Smart Notebook. Do you know if there's an add-in or feature that can do this for OneNote?

[@AdamsTaiwan]

I prefer the OneNote standalone app for the following main reason. I create semi-automatic workflow lists which has items that open folders and files (which maybe scripts). This is not allowed with the Windows 10 version. Another feature which I waited a long time for is being able to copy/paste a link from the browser and have the title also copied. Currently, this only works with the new Edge (Canary) browser. The latest version does not work with KZbin videos anymore so I have to use Chrome for those. Another nice feature which I don't use as much is the new Edge collections to OneNote feature.

[@sexonlegs666]

When you enter the password for protected section. Onenote NEVER SHOWS if caps lock is on, unlike anything else. When using with wireless keyboard never know for sure if it is ON/OFF. Drives me crazy several times a day. Please get one of your friends at Microsoft to make it show caps like proper software. Love the video. Love OneNote

[@lucaslegz]

Hi Kevin. Thank you for your very informative videos. I have a question. How do I delete OneNote files that I synced to my computer and start fresh?

[@EdsonNascimentoEN]

Funny and helpful thanks teacher

[@Joanna-ed8ic]

15:00 you can also shift + L click to open up a second instance of one note :)

[@kennethlapointesongwriter3330]

The king of OneNote programs is 2016, and is free (though its not useful for sharing with other devices). I've added various Gem for OneNote add-ins to mine (adds a ton more functions to the ribbon than any regular OneNote has), as well as a few Onetastic macros.

[@guozhong479]

Thanks for shareing

[@missn.a.ndlovu3322]

Hello Kevin I love the feature of solving math equations on One Note. On which other Microsoft Applications can I find this feature? And thank you so much for this video it was really helpful:)

[@stevennye5075]

very useful!

[@MasterKoala777]

I’ve been using OneNote for 6 years and still didn’t know a few of these tricks. Thanks! Also, the Math option is hidden in the Drawing menu.. what were they thinking? 🙂

[@ghanus2009]

Thinking? You give them too much credit. Joking its actually an amazing program. Its in the drawing Ribbon becaus eyou can also draw your math equation with inking, and it will figure it out.

[@charlestonyank2067]

One of the most important to me was the ability to create multiple notebooks and have them shared across all my devices. Take notes on your phone, read and edit them on your laptop, any which way Each notebook can contain totally different information: one for business one for home

[@springequinox4051]

Thank you! Love the amount you gave. Learnt a lot Can you continue doing OneNote tip please? I use One Notes to take digital notes in class. Still can't figure out page margins so I keep getting pics & info cut in two/disjointed when I print. Any help would be appreciated.

[@fantasiworld3116]

You deserve 10 million follower and ubove

[@springequinox4051]

Videos on different digital taking apps +++ how to print on letter size paper from this apps would greatly appreciated.

[@carlaa.springs1107]

Kevin, could you do a video on the confusion between OneNote and OneNote for Windows. I have both. I like the layout on OneNote, but like the idea of the one for Windows (e.g., updates). I've heard OneNote is not updated as much as the one for Windows, so, could you please clarify some of the confusion. Thanks so much.

[@Torulv]

Thanks for the video. At 05:27 you have clickable text that either expand or collapse text underneat. How would one go about doing that in Onenote? I know you can double click the paragraph icon on the left side of a text box to get a plus icon that does the same thing, but would be nice to be able to set a clickable text as well.

[@bobbyman410]

Copy text from picture is actually available for OneNote for Windows 10 as well. The problem is that it takes 1-2 _days_ for it to show that option.

[@captprem]

Hello Kevin, I enjoy your videos very much and they have really helpful. Need help - how do I convert OneNote to Word retaining attachments still? I currently export the OneNote file to Word but still have to copy paste (migrate) attachments, required dozens of clicks which does not help. Hope to hear from you.

[@minimlrgmr2463]

Thank you so much for your video. Ink to text was greyed out on my OneNote, even after using the lasso tool. Any suggestions?

[@axyzhu]

I like your OneNote lecture but would like to know where my OneNote files stored after creating "My OneNote"?

[@yquintana5673]

Hi Kevin, can you show how to use split view in Outlook? I think it was a recent update for the app on my iPad.

[@Belalrazaa]

thank u sir

[@SuzukiJimnyOffRoadArmenia]

Thanks, usefull video. Will apreciate if you advise how to get other calendars (google for example) added my outlook aaccount showing in meeting notes calendar? Thanks in advance.

[@jukeman]

Corona did boost your channel holy moly...

[@scvslsravikiran]

Copy paste: In some situations we need to do copy and paste or cut and paste the text/page/section. Not only the page but also we can copy and paste the section from Onenote to another.

[@andrewharoun9758]

Thank you for the amazing content!... It's really helpful🤗🤩 My only wish for OneNote that they make a keyboard shortcut for dictate

[@pazhanikumar8584]

Very cool

[@ja.ortiz0]

Kevin please, if you see this, which OneNote version should I use and why?! What is the difference between the desktop version and OneNote for Windows 10. Is one better than the other?

[@eednarb]

Hi. Your videos have been very helpful. I'm having a problem with OneNote that sometimes when I open it, it will have a vertical line down the right side of EVERY text box with my initials in tiny letters next to it. The only way I know how to make it go away is to cut & re-paste all the text/images in the box. I have too many pages and text boxes to do this every time. Is there an easier way to stop this from happening? All these vertical lines are very distracting. I have looked through the options on the main page and can't seem to find what I'm looking for. thank you in advance. EDIT - After a lot of searching, I think I figured it out... go to History then "Hide Authors"

[@XanderWhite]

OneNote 365 (not OneNote for Windows 10) can gain the Immersive Reader and Dictate features with the Learning Tools plug-in from Microsoft!

[@yogione72]

Hi, First of all thanks for tips and tricks. One question - in Immersive Reader - if we write in Spanish language, then will it read for us? Does this feature supports Spanish language?

[@sue4474]

HI Kevin, how do I get my menu from left side to the middle ? BTW, thanks for sharing these amazing tips!!!

[@AdamsTaiwan]

OneNote app does have "Speak Selected Text" button and the Immersive Reader as an addon.

[@Nipthezephyr]

OneNote 2016's Tag Summary feature allowed you to pull all similar tags into a single page. It has been missing since OneNote for Windows 10's inception. Microsoft decides their priorities by the upvotes a problem/feature gets. If you would like to help this feature come back, please open up the Feedback Hub in taskbar search, type in Tag Summary, and upvote the relevant posts.

[@Nipthezephyr]

However, until then, if you don't have the OneNote App (aka 2016), Mr. Stratvert's link up there can get you to it.

[@thowheedh]

I found the Kevin Cookies Secret Recipe Secret

[@worldwidecs242]

fhaha

[@lfoleyify]

Did you make them? I'm tempted to try the recipe

[@worldwidecs242]

@@lfoleyify hs

[@KevinStratvert]

Did you try it? 😎😁🍪

[@thowheedh]

@@KevinStratvert Ha ha not Yet - I don't know cooking, so I can buy your cookies straight away

[@manfredgroh3914]

Thanks from Germany, Kevin. Why is MS offering those two versions of OneNote ? Do still have connections to find out ? Do they plan to consolidate ?