Microsoft has announced a refresh to the look and workflow features of Windows’ OneNote to create a more modern appearance and improve its note-taking experience.
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In August last year, Microsoft gave a preview of changes on OneNote, and it has now released a list of updates.
According to Microsoft, the changes to OneNote’s functionality are specifically designed to focus content, record naturally with voice, camera, ink and AI, organise pages, and share notes.
The purpose of Microsoft’s changes to the aesthetic of OneNote is to “help the app feel both familiar and modern”.
Visual Updates
Following the ribbon changes last year, the navigation panes and full-screen mode have been given a refresh. Section tabs, notebook dropdown and page list, have also been updated visually.
The Mica effect displays the Windows 11 theme and desktop wallpaper in the app window, amongst other updates, to boost personalisation.
Other visual touches include animation, rounding the page corners, and changing the look of unread pages to be the same as other Office applications.
An optional simplified ribbon will enable users to create more screen space for their content while maintaining quick access to essential features. Microsoft believes this strikes a happy balance between hiding the ribbon and having the full ribbon on display.
Functionality Updates
The update under lock capability installs updates while the device is locked, which means users will be able to spend more time focusing on their work.
The draw tab has been updated to include new writing and drawing tools which are also found in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ink to shape converts drawings by hand into straight lines and precise shapes. There is also a ruler to draw straight lines at any angle, and ink to text converts handwriting into computer text in the corresponding font size.
Writing or drawing into OneNote, called ‘digital inking’, can now feel like a pen on paper by using the Surface Slim Pen 2 on a Surface Laptop Studio or Surface Pro 8.
