Your OneNote
Published Nov 04 2019 06:12 AM 179K Views
Steel Contributor

From your flashes of inspiration at 2:00 AM to the list of funny things your children say, or that brilliant idea you had in the conference room, and your ever-growing list of household chores  OneNote holds the notes to your life to track all the things you need to keep in mind, but simply don’t have room for in your overworked brain. 

 

We enjoy the privilege of serving millions of customers like you, who each have unique needs and who use OneNote in unique waysOver the past year, we’ve been listening to your passionate feedback and are humbled by your consistent love for OneNote. We hear you loud and clear — you want to keep your notes your way! 

 

With that in mind, we’re pleased to announce that we are continuing mainstream support for OneNote 2016 beyond October 2020, so that you can continue using the version of OneNote that works best for you. New support dates for OneNote 2016 now align with Office 2019 (October 10, 2023 for mainstream support and October 14, 2025 for extended support). We also want to make deployment and installation easier for organizations and individuals, so for Windows users, starting in March 2020, when you deploy or install Office 365 subscriptions that include the Office desktop apps or Office 2019, the OneNote desktop app will be installed by default alongside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. If you’d like to install OneNote 2016 earlier, you can get it here: aka.ms/InstallOneNote. 

 

And, of course, OneNote should look the way you want it to. That’s why this week we are rolling out Dark Mode for OneNote 2016This will be available for Office 365 subscribers and non-volume licensing Office 2019 customers. Dark Mode changes the app’s interface elements from light to dark. Using OneNote in this mode can improve readability in low light environments, increase legibility of the user interface as well as your notes, provide better contrast, and reduce eye strain. You might also use OneNote in Dark Mode simply as a personal preference. The choice is yours! 

 

OneNote_2016_DarkMode(CROP)

 

We’re excited about today’s announcements and we’ll keep listening to your feedback to make your OneNote better and better! Please continue requesting features and telling us what you think via the in-app feedback. 

 

For more information check out our OneNote FAQ! 

175 Comments
Microsoft

@James B Murphy Today there is no OneNote 2019. The versions available today are:

 

  • OneNote 2016, which is the classic, full-featured, Windows application that we've recently announced we're resuming development of.
  • OneNote for Windows 10, which is the "UWP" app that has been the focus for the last couple of years.

 

With the resumption of development of OneNote 2016 it's likely that version will get an updated name which might be "OneNote 2019" (or might not be, I don't know), but as of today you can use OneNote 2016 or OneNote for Windows 10 (or both; I use both).

 

Hope that helps clear things up. :) 

Brass Contributor

@Ben Schorr , Thanks Ben for the clarification. I do use both almost everyday. I appreciated the dialog here as I think it moves us all forward. 

@Ben Schorr , primary among the missing features is the ability to take a file off-line entirely. Either for archival or for distribution. Network only is a limitation that irritates me to no end, and only on MSFT network storage is even more limiting. And then you have the functional differences which should be obvious. Lastly, I detest the UI changes that prioritize consistency with UI that's been contorted to work on hand-held devices.  

Microsoft

@Ric Bretschneider O.K., good to know. Sounds like OneNote 2016 answers most of what you're looking for there.

@Ben Schorr , yes, OneNote 2016 is the only one I'll actually use, but since it deviates from Office's platform support (no clients for iOS, Android or OSX) it's getting less and less use (I have an Android phone, and iOS tablet, and primarily work on OSX). Cheers.

Microsoft

@Ric Bretschneider I may be misunderstanding what you're saying but OneNote for Android, iOS, and OSX all sync just fine with OneNote 2016. I do that every day when I move from platform to platform and still want to access my primary notebooks.

@Ben Schorr Sync isn't the issue, yes they all sync. Mostly they don't export, print, or handle working with multiple workbooks gracefully (due to UI changes). Again, talking about ON2016 functionality and better/flexible UI that isn't available in the OneNote for Windows 10 (AKA OneNote for Mac v16.xx).

Microsoft

@Ric Bretschneider Ah, I see. If you have specific UI requests for OneNote for Mac I'm happy to pass those along to the OneNote team. (or they might see them here).

Copper Contributor

@Ben Schorr 

Short quote of Ben Schorr:
--------------------------------

Today there is no OneNote 2019. The versions available today are:

  • OneNote 2016, which is the classic, full-featured, Windows application that we've recently announced we're resuming development of.
  • OneNote for Windows 10, which is the "UWP" app that has been the focus for the last couple of years.
    --------------------------------

 

First, sorry for making a mistake by using "OneNote 2019" for "OneNote for Windows 10". 
But when we have the classic "OneNote 2016" and we have the newer "OneNote for Windows 10", how do you call the integration of OneNote in Sharepoint in and Teams? Is OneNote in Teams/Sharepoint also called "OneNote for Windows 10" without the need of having Windows 10 to use for OneNote in Teams/Sharepoint? Hmmm, that makes me confused.  :) But Ok, perhaps everything has it's own name. 

@James B Murphy : I read the initial post and most of the comments, and I am fully agree with you and most people that "OneNote for Windows 10" is far too limited compared to OneNote 2016. But I still do not change my mind, that two OneNote "Desktop" Versions are a pain the **bleep**, especially in business environment and bigger teams.

Also that both tools have some good features, which the other has not, makes confused about what to use.

Of course, you can have a online and a desktop version of an "MS App", which are not identical feature rich. Like Excel Desktop and Excel Online, or Word Desktop and Word Online. The Desktop Version in these cases has more features. That's not a problem.

I do not want to say, that a Online Version has to be feature-rich as a desktop version. Perhaps you thought that, because I wrote of OneNote 2019, but I just miss the correct term and I meant "OneNote for Windows 10" (Desktop)

But by correcting the terms now, my opinion stays the same. It's simply bad, to have two OneNote Desktop Versions ("OneNote for Windows 10"-Desktop and "OneNote 2016 Desktop" ).

Only One of them is connected to Teams and Sharepoint, not both.

Both have different features, also "OneNote for Windows 10"-Desktop has some feature "OneNote 2016 Desktop" not has (even when OneNote 2016 has much more features in general).

 

I think one great desktop Version of OneNote, is the solution we need! Everybody who installs Office 365 Desktop Apps, and will be asked if he want to use "OneNote for Windows 10" or "OneNote 2016", will be (of course) very surprised and confused. 

 

Also, the end of OneNote 2016 was just extended as I understand , not completely canceled.

 

Again, with corrected names of Desktop Apps: I think, the only correct solution should be, bringing all features of "OneNote 2016 Desktop" and "OneNote for Windows 10 Desktop" into one OneNote-Desktop. Of course, with possibilities to connect to OneNote of Sharepoint and OneNote in MS Teams. And being able to use it stand alone or as network solution (as OneNote 2016 can do). But with the same (or as close as possible) features in Desktop use.

 

And still be important,  to integrate all the top suggestions for OneNote of the user-votings. Many nice ideas. 

 

And @OneNotePM , I hope the OneNote MVPs and PMs (also of other MS Apps) are reading here on the Comments and also in the UserVoice Ideas Forums (also of other MS Apps), just as much as we do! I would love to hear/read more of them. Especially, to get some information, why the UserVoice ideas forums of Excel Online, Forms, Flow (now Power Automate), OneNote, are full of top voted ideas, which are stay untouched for years. And most even not get a comment over years.

 

 

Steel Contributor

@Sebastian79 OneNote 2016/2019 and OneNote for Windows 10 only applies to applications installed on Windows desktop computers.

 

All other apps, like OneNote Online, OneNote for iOS, for Android, and for macOS are separate and have nothing to do with this thread. Those are all just apps/platforms that are in effect a window into your OneNote notebook.

@Ben Schorr I should hope they'd be reading the customer comments here, there have been plenty of specifics. If not, I'd like to know what they are reading to determine product function and priority. I hope to look into any sessions they may be having at this year's MVP summit. So far I've been unable to make contact with any team member or OneNote MVP, and not for lack of trying. Thanks. I do realize you're going above and beyond here. While you might consider it thankless effort, it is recognized. -Ric
Brass Contributor

@Ed Hansberry Boy, the support people at MS sure didn't see it that way when they removed Onenote 2016 from my computer during an Office 365 update a while back. In a phone call I was told that since they were moving the note taking functionality to the online app they were eliminating ON2016 and moving everything to the online Onenote. After I raised a lot of cane they finally told me that there was a way to reinstall ON2016 but that I needed to understand that I needed to move my note-taking to the online format. I tried that and it was FAR short of being even close to the same product and thus some additional communication with MS and joining this thread. It seems as though someone on the MS staff heard all of the stories of how the new version was not even close to a replacement, they have extended ON2016, apparently until they can replicate all of the functionality and interfaces with other software. I am thankful that there were listening ears at MS on this issue. Personally, I think they are two different applications and should be left that way. The things that ON2016 is important to me for I would not use on my phone or tablet and the things I use note-taking for on my phone I use as a data entry point for ON2016 so that it can implemented into the normal flow of information within my system. 

Brass Contributor

Praise the software gods. Now i can stop wasting my time figuring out why some ON 16 docs won't open in Win ON. Plus I can use Gem.

Brass Contributor

my faith is again restored that Microsoft is listening to their customers :) Thankyou!!!

Copper Contributor

THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Copper Contributor

I may be in the minority but one of the best features I loved on Onenote was the screen clipping.  It allowed me to save pictures, words, etc from a variety of sources that I can no longer access.  I understand being able to save clippings from a website but now I'm not able to get screen clippings from word documents, pdf, or any other program.  I am disappointed that I cannot do screen clippings on MS Office 365.  If there is another way to get screen clippings, I would like to know.

Brass Contributor

OneNote 2016 -> Windows+Shift+S

 

OneNote for Windows 10 -> I don't know

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/send-to-onenote/9mvjm1z9vwjd?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

Copper Contributor

Thank you! keep us OneNote 2016 forever and keep it updated! However search  has to be improved. It doesn't work well within strings

Copper Contributor

Thanks Dax.  You've made my day.  Thanks for the info.

I"m rocking and rolling now.

 

Thanks again

Copper Contributor

When Microsoft will enable the "int to Text" for OneNote Ipad Users? That miss is a huge damage for IPad users. I've already written to Microsoft and they don care about it. Maybe now they could change their mind, reply and enable that tool for OneNote Ipad Users. 

Brass Contributor

Re Maffet's question about sending clips to ON, nothing works as well as Gem's SendToOneNote 2016.  A bit awkward to use with Chrome but it works fine. Best w IE or FF.    FireShort decent also.

Copper Contributor
Well, It's a very nice feature for onenote and I love it. Thank you very much.
However, there are still a big problem with onenote. I use onenote in china, The character in english always automatic change to Calibri even through I set it to MS YaHei in default character in setting. And when I input english after some chinese characters, the english changes to YaHei. It's a big problem which influences my work greatly. I cannot control my page of onenote.
This problem has lasted about ten years, each chinese user are suffering from this. I donnot know why there are no developer to fix it. I hope this problem can be fixed soon.
(you can find more discuss in MS community with "onenote 中文 Calibri" )
Anyway, thanks very much for your work about onenote.
Copper Contributor

Its awsome MS decided to continue supporting OnNote - can't use anything else in this information overload environment.  Many Thanks !!!!!!!!  Please don't remove the screen clipping feature !!!

Copper Contributor

Thank you Microsoft for not getting rid of OneNote 2016! OneNote 2916 is the best piece of software I have ever used.


I work as a background investigator for a sheriff’s department in California. My job is to perform background checks on our new hires. The process is lengthy, and requires an incredible amount for information from various sources such as: polygraph examinations, psychological examinations, medical examinations, job references, social media, law enforcement reports, DMV information, photographs, etc.  OneNote 2016 keeps everything in place for each applicant.

 

I have to admit that when I heard Microsoft was not going to support OneNote 2016 anymore, I thought file explorer was my only option - not that there is anything wrong with that :beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:! It’s just that OneNote 2016 offers so much more.

 

By the way, from a simple visual perspective, OneNote 2016 has a horizontal layout - just like a file drawer. The newer version of OneNote looks as if the “file drawer” was placed on its side. I mean, that doesn’t make sense. Bad design.


Anyway, thank you for keeping OneNote 2016 intact. 


GOTG

Copper Contributor

Thank you!

Steel Contributor

Any updates as to when OneNote 2016 will again be installed by default when installing Office 2019 or Office 365. Yes COVID-19 might have changed plans, but curious if we have an updated timeline, as it is the end of March.

 

Thanks!

Jared

Copper Contributor

I do not have the " File " tab on my One Note on Office 365.  See my screenshot below..  What's up with that.

I'm not able to export any of my notes.  What other options are available.

 

Maffett741_0-1591148011922.png

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

 

Copper Contributor

@Maffett741 It is currently not possible to export into any usable file format, from OneNote UWP app. If you don't want to install OneNote 2016, your best bet is to "print" the pages you want to export as PDFs. If however you are willing to install OneNote 2016, then the pages should be synced automatically and you should be able to export them in .one file format within OneNote 2016. The person who you want to share it with, needs to have OneNote 2016 installed as well, to import the .one files... The fact that OneNote UWP in 2020, still doesn't have a usable export option, is just baffling to me.

 

How to install OneNote 2016

Copper Contributor

Hello community, I somehow have the same issue. I use OneNote for Windows 10 (the simple app-version) and really enjoy it. However, as I have a a 365 account, I am not able to print more than a single page online when I use it directly in my OneNote Web application. Using it locally in the app, I can print not only one page but a section or a complete book (but there are some serious "page" limitations, as I percieved :-)). Why is there a difference, that from the web application, it is only a page and in the desktop version, it is more? Thank you also for the workaround with 2016 :) for downloading a complete book... Best regarards!!

Copper Contributor

Nice, Thank you !

Copper Contributor

Oh wow - I feel like I've been living under a rock for the last year as I still thought MS were retiring the original (OneNote 2016) codebase and still pushing us to move towards the horribly built OneNote for Windows 10 app.

This is super welcome news as I've always hated using the severely feature poor OneNote for Windows 10 variant, however I was forcing myself to as I always thought the other version would eventually disappear.

Thank you Microsoft for listening to the feedback so many of us sent in about keeping the awesome original codebase :nerd_face:

Copper Contributor

Why does my onenote say OneNote 2016 on the icon yet in the product info it says Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus.  it installed with the rest of my office when installing v2002 of office proplus yet the icon still shows OneNote 2016.  

Copper Contributor

I've been mentally grumbling for over a year about OneNote 2016 going away and being replaced with a version I didn't particularly care for. I wish I'd read this sooner.

Copper Contributor

I think I speak for many (particular higher degree students and young medical professionals) that OneNote for Windows 10 will never be suitable. There needs to be an option to store data locally and not just in the cloud. For many, both the local copy, with the cloud copy is a great system and works well. 

I Truely believe OneNote 2016, has had its name destroyed by OneNote (for 10). I know countless people that used the OneNote from Windows 10 version at uni, and upon graduation, found out they could download the notebooks off 365 enterprises. University normally can access within days / weeks for a grad. People still don't understand the difference and I'm shocked Microsoft hasn't made this very clear. (Seriously, there are tens of thousands online begging for help). 

I wish you guys would try to bring the two together and come up with some decent branding. The confusion system, is just moving people to keep (which isn't feature rich, but it is clear you are the product, but your data at least remains)

Marketing Suggestion (I won't even charge you)
OneNote Basic edition: limited functions, free online or app
OneNote Pro edition: User has control, select what they want to add and implement the positive features from basic (comes paid withn 365)

Seriously, as a share holder, a student with 365, a surface user and an educator, which I force students to use MS, deal with this. Please ......

Copper Contributor

I concur. The current nomenclature is confusing.  One of the things for which I use OneNote is to store my expense receipts. It is important to have that data on my physical drive (backed up regularly) and on OneDrive for  accessibility with my smartphone.  

 

I still wish that MS would restore the ability to scan documents, such as letter size receipts, from a scanner directly into OneNote.  Camera shots of large documents from my phone leave a lot to be desired.

Brass Contributor

One solution may be to use only OneNote 2016

Brass Contributor

Well, the latest version is no longer OneNote 2016, at the least the SKU is different. It's now part of the MSFT 365 Apps for Enterprise...

 

Daetrin_0-1623108025347.png

 

Brass Contributor

It can't be possible.

Desktop versions still are or were here https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/onenote-is-missing-after-installing-office-2019-or-micros...

Microsoft just said "we’re pleased to announce that we are continuing mainstream support for OneNote 2016 beyond October 2020,    [ -> ]    so that you can continue using the version of OneNote that works best for you"

It must be the link to it moved to another place. I just don't find it now. Please post that link as you find it.

Copper Contributor

The naming of OneNote is pure confusion if you've installed the latest Office suite (inc OneNote 2016) and haven't updated the store app. You have two OneNote apps, both just called 'OneNote'.

 

I prefer the speed of opening and syncing Notebooks with the W10 app, but prefer the options 2016 provides around exporting.

Copper Contributor

@dax321 the main problem (for me and people in health/science) is the thought of being chucked out with the trash. I understand things come and they go, but the uncertainty is going to be the reason I will have to start to looks at Alts (which none are anywhere near as functional). I'm think maybe this is a nice wake all call, that maybe using 1 ecosystem is a bad idea. Gotta love the integration of almost all science-based add-on being for the Microsoft ecosystem and not mac (which are rubbish anyway). Any suggestions on what you would do. People in my industry have thousands of notebooks they write during their career. I buy a diary in December and it's lost before the new year. Need something that will be an option for around the next 50 years (I am aware of end of life support), but gathered MS would likely outlive me

Copper Contributor

@bob_sled  You speak wise. If only MS could come to the same conclusion. Honestly, I would pay for the option. It's a massive step, as I have never paid for any MS product. Surely, they can do it.

I am still a little confused about the reasoning behind buying Nuance, when they could purchase something like notability, combined the 3 and kill all the comp. MS has all the ingredience to slaughter the competition, yet seem to lack direction (I am a shareholder in MS, hence my comment). Would love to know what MS employees and their families use.

Brass Contributor

In general OneNote 2016 is faster and delays less. It is nice and good :)

A bug I detected is that it does not always sync the latest changes to the cloud before closing. It does not take Close as a threat.

Copper Contributor

Naming of OneNote versions are totally confusing. Also both use the same icon when pinned to taskbar! I still can't believe this decision from MS to leave different OneNote versions in such a unclear mess. MS, please think about naming convention of different OneNote, best combine functionality so both work very, very similar, but the paid one with more features. At the moment both versions have different features, also free OneNote version has features which paid 365 version does not have. It's totally confusing. And of course, use different icons for them!

 

I agree totally with @AusUni , also for naming convention ideas.

Brass Contributor

no

Copper Contributor

I renamed Onenote 2016 to "Onenote Desktop".  Thus no confusion with "Onenote for Windows 10"

Brass Contributor

@hjsmithjr50 So OneNote2016 is still alive and supported for Windows 10?!?

Copper Contributor

I just got a new laptop and am searching for my Onenote 2016 download! All I'm finding is the Office365 version, which I despise and refuse to use. Then I saw this and went yay, it's going to live longer... and click the link... it goes to an unrelated page. WHERE IS THE DOWNLOAD? :( I found an update file, but not the core file. I really, really hate 365 Onenote.

Brass Contributor

"really hate 365 Onenote"

@TiffRoss it's not the same as 2016?

Copper Contributor

I realized after more searching that I never saw the news that it had become Onenote 365! I've been using it since September on my desktop. :D I'm so happy about this, because it was the superior version.

Copper Contributor

TiffRoss,

 

I experienced the same thing last year when I got a new laptop.  There are things you can do with OneNote 2016 that you cannot do on the 365 version.  One of the things I don't like is the fact that you cannot export documents.

 

I was told to download OneNote 2016 to my laptop as a work around.  That is what I did.  I don't like the fact that I had to do it but it's better than nothing.

Co-Authors
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