How to use OneNote effectively in Windows 11 and 10


If you're not using OneNote, you're missing out on one of the most powerful note-taking tools around. With its simple interface and host of features, OneNote can help you take control of your notes and keep them organized and easy to access.

In this article, we'll show you how to use OneNote effectively in Windows 10 or 11. We'll cover the basics, such as taking notes and creating notebooks, as well as more advanced features like adding attachments, tagging notes, and collaborating with others. So whether you're a new user or just looking to brush up on your skills, read on for our tips on getting the most out of OneNote!

Ctrl+F to search for notes:

 Ctrl+F to search for notes in OneNote
Did you know that you can use Ctrl+F to search for text in OneNote?

Whether it's text, handwritten notes, or even words shown in pictures, this feature is incredibly powerful. It can help you find what you're looking for quickly and easily.

Quick Notes:

how to do quick note in OneNote

Windows Key + N, a pop-up window with a simplified UI will let you quickly compose a quick note (send to OneNote tool should be running in the system tray to work). If you want to customize it, you can do so using the mini toolbar.

OneNote's built-in tags:

But if the built-in options aren't enough, you can also create your own tags. To create your own tabs in OneNote for Windows 10: Click the arrow next to the tab list. Click "+ Create new tab". Type a name for your tag.

Use tags to organize content. Tags are an easy way to organize pages in OneNote, allowing users to annotate their notes. Tags consist of symbols and text labels that break the page into easy-to-use sections. oneNote for Windows 10 offers fewer tags.

Do simple math problems with OneNote:

how to do math in OneNote

just write the equation you want to solve. For example, you can write "100 + 400 =" and OneNote will fill in the answer.The Equation Tools feature is available in OneNote for Windows 10. This new feature will make it easier for students to type and edit math equations in OneNote using the keyboard. Students can access this feature by clicking the New Equation button in the Insert tab in OneNote.

Take notes without opening OneNote.

OneNote makes it easy to create notes quickly, especially if you have to jot down important things (such as assignment dates or spontaneous exam prompts.) PC users can use Win+N to open Quick Notes or Win+S to take a screenshot, which is then automatically saved to OneNote.

Use Cortana/Siri/Google to send notes to OneNote:

Not only can you have Cortana show you your OneNote notes, you can also use your voice to quickly create notes in Windows 10。

To set up this feature, go to Cortana -> Notebook -> Settings -> Get started and choose "Send notes to OneNote".

Once you have enabled it, you can start sending notes to OneNote by saying "Hey Cortana, send a note to OneNote".

With Cortana and OneNote, you can quickly create notes with your voice. You can use Cortana to create a note in OneNote from any app—just say "Hey Cortana" and ask to create a note in OneNote.

If you don't know what to say, try one of these ideas:

  • "Create a note in OneNote"

  • "Create a new note"

  • "Take a note"

    If you're looking for a way to connect Siri with OneNote, you're in luck!

OneNote is one of the most popular note-taking apps, and it works on every device. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can use Siri to create notes and reminders that will sync with your OneNote account.

Here's how:

  1. Open the app or go to your homepage on the web (depending on where you want to create a note).

  2. Use Siri to say "create a note," followed by whatever topic or subject comes to mind. For example: "I want to make a note about my phone bill."

How to Use Google Assistant to Send Notes to OneNote

It's very simple; all you have to do is say "Hey Google," followed by the command: "Send a note to OneNote." You can also use voice commands such as "Take a note," "Create a note," or "New note."

Once you've done that, all that's left is choosing which notebook you want your new entry placed in. That's it!

Handwrite notes and draw or sketch things

 Handwrite notes and draw or sketch things with OneNote

Have you ever used OneNote for handwriting notes? It's a powerful way to take notes and draw things, and it can help you be more creative when brainstorming or mind mapping.

You can use your hand to write down ideas or draw pictures that are searchable in OneNote.

For example, if you're taking notes on the fly at a meeting, then drawing pictures of what people say helps you remember it better. You can also use drawing tools to make quick sketches of things like web pages or whiteboards.

If you've never tried using OneNote for handwriting, we recommend giving it a shot next time you need to make some quick notes!

OneNote is great for brainstorming because it's easy to draw or sketch things out in the note pages. And if you need to remember something visually, like an image or diagram, OneNote will let you take a picture or screenshot and paste it into your notes.

Handwriting is also helpful for mind mapping—the process of using words and images in tandem to organize thoughts and ideas. With OneNote, all those words and images are searchable later on, making them easier to find when they're needed most!

Enhance OneNote with the Onetastic plugin

calender feature in Onetastic plugin

Onetastic is an add-in to enhance OneNote functionality with a set of built-in features and an extensible macro processor.

The Favorites feature allows you to bookmark your frequently used pages or sections into the Ribbon, or pin them to your desktop or any folder you choose.

Click the gear icon at the bottom right of the main calendar page to access Settings. One of the most frequently requested features for OneNote is image cropping.

Onetastic adds an item to the image right-click menu that allows you to crop a selected image.

Rotate Printout feature lets you easily rotate a printout that is inserted in the wrong orientation. Macros can create pages and modify page content, like inserting outlines, paragraphs, and tables.

Use Onenote as a collapsing outline.

 Use Onenote as a collapsing outline

Outlining is very similar to creating tables of contents for documents and very powerful note taking techniques, as well as creating scaffolding for pre-written activities for books, research papers, blog posts, and more.

The outline feature in OneNote makes quick work of organizing long or complex documents, plans, and presentations. It can organize up to five levels of information, and it starts to assign a hierarchical structure to your notes as soon as you indent one paragraph under another. You can promote or demote items in the outline hierarchy by changing their indentation.

Create an outline:

  • Type a line or paragraph of text, and then press Enter.

  • The first paragraph you type is formatted as Level 1 of the outline.

  • To make the second paragraph a subparagraph (Level 2) of the first, click Increase Indent Position.

  • Collapse an outlineOne of the benefits of structuring notes in an outline format is that you can hide sublevels.

Notes: For any paragraph with subheadings, you can choose how many levels you want to display.

Microsoft OneNote is available in different languages

but you may need to install additional downloads depending on the language you are interested in using. It makes sense to set the default language you use most often. To do this: Select File. Select Options. Then in the OneNote Options dialog, select Language.

Whether you're from another country or just prefer speaking a different language, Microsoft OneNote is available in many different languages. This makes it easy to use regardless of where you are or what language you speak.

Conclusion

Do you have any tips to share about using OneNote effectively in Windows? If so, please share them in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you. And if you found this post helpful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and followers on social media. Thanks for reading!