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Education Blog
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New Layout Options for OneNote on Windows are coming soon

MikeTholfsen's avatar
MikeTholfsen
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Dec 07, 2022

The #1 request we’ve heard from educators and schools looking to move to the OneNote on  Windows (Desktop) version is an option to allow the user interface to look similar to the OneNote for Windows 10 version of OneNote, with pages, sections and notebooks aligned on the left-hand side, and the horizontal tabs to disappear. We’ve heard that many students also prefer this layout option to help simplify navigation, while making OneNote “look the same” on multiple platforms like OneNote web, Mac and iPad.  We always prioritize educator feedback, and so we’re excited to announce a new way to navigate your notebooks, sections, and pages in OneNote on Windows is coming in spring of 2023 🥳  



Using the forthcoming new Vertical Tabs layout option, you will be able to change your OneNote on Windows experience to the same left-sided layout on OneNote for Windows 10, Web, Mac, and iPad.  

 

The OneNote team is putting the finishing touches on this experience before we roll it out to the general public in early 2023, but keep an eye on our official Twitter and Tech Community blog for more information.

 

When this new experience rolls out, switching to vertical tabs in OneNote on Windows will be easy as 1, 2, 3. 

  1. Click the View Tab -> Tabs Layout


  2. Select Vertical Tabs


  3. Your Notebooks and pages will now appear on the left.

 

If you prefer having the section tabs at the top of the canvas, you will easily be able to switch back by selecting Horizontal Tabs

 

Requirements

This feature will only available for OneNote on Windows. It is not available for OneNote for Windows 10.

How do I get the OneNote on Windows app?

The OneNote app can be downloaded on the Microsoft Store or via onenote.com/download.

 

Availability

This feature will be rolling out soon to Insiders running OneNote on Windows. NOTE: If you’re not an Office Insider yet, click here to learn how to join.

 

Mike Tholfsen

Group Product Manager

Microsoft Education

Updated Jun 09, 2023
Version 3.0

53 Comments

  • Thank you! I always have preferred this view both in the Mac and Web versions of OneNote.

  • EdEvansHB's avatar
    EdEvansHB
    Copper Contributor

    This is great. Not because I want vertical tabs. In fact, I personally don't like them at all. It's GREAT because Microsoft is introducing this as an option. They're not saying you have to do it. It's your choice. Microsoft, choice is one of the things that made you great in the first place. You seemed to lose sight of this for a while. I'd like to think that this decision is an indication that you're listening to all of your users. Thank you for introducing this as a user choice. One size does not fit all!

     

    Options, customization, extensibility. The things that made Microsoft great in the first place!

  • AbelToHelp's avatar
    AbelToHelp
    Copper Contributor

    I am IN LOVE! 

     

    Now, if only we could get some settings options to be shifted "down" to us non-tenant owners on Group Notebooks so we can manage/delete sections we no longer need added to new student notebooks!