Microsoft has created a mess with multiple Office products that mostly perform the same thing, but have different names. Case in point is OneNote. New Windows users are being greeted with two versions of OneNote pre-installed on their computer — OneNote and OneNote 2016. Users aren’t sure what’s happening with their favorite note-taking app. Which one should they use?
Maybe this problem is specific to using the apps on apple devices however there seems to be no acknowledgement of a problem - i have never had a response to feedback or queries from Microsoft So despite one note being great to use this really spoils it for me and am moving away from using it.
- OneNote for Mac. Control-click the notebook name in the Notebooks list, and then click Sync This Notebook. OneNote for iOS. Pull down the Notebooks list with your finger to initiate a sync. A progress marker will appear at the top of the list. OneNote for Android. Tap and hold on the notebook name in the Notebooks list, and then tap Sync Notebook.
- Microsoft OneNote with a Microsoft 365 subscription is the latest version of OneNote. Previous versions include OneNote 2016, OneNote 2013, and OneNote 2010. Follow Microsoft 365.
While OneNote is not going away for sure, it points to the fact that Microsoft is making a lot of changes. Let’s see what they are and what they mean for us, the end-users.
What’s Happening
OneNote 2016 is the legacy version which comes pre-installed with Office 2016 suite of apps. Microsoft designed the Office 2016 for desktop. Meanwhile, Office 365 is a cloud version that works online. Microsoft released a new version of OneNote for desktop and calls it OneNote or OneNote for Windows 10.
Microsoft wants to phase out OneNote 2016 eventually, and port most its features to the newer universal version. To give users some time to make up their minds and make the shift, Microsoft will continue to fix bugs and provide security patches for OneNote 2016 until October 2020. All new features are now added into the new OneNote.
Office 2019 is on the horizon, and OneNote will continue to play an important role in Microsoft’s Office suite of apps. It will be the default app for both Office 2019 and Office 365. That relieves Microsoft from working on two separate products.
Let’s see how they differ.
1. Dark Mode
OneNote supports the dark mode, which means less strain on the eyes and improved battery life. It’s easy to read the text in the dark mode thanks to better contrast. If you are using dark mode on Windows 10, OneNote will automatically suggest you use it the first time you open it.
Open Settings and click on Options.
You can choose the Dark option here.
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Read More2. Layout
OneNote 2016 has sections on the top whereas OneNote shows them in the sidebar below the drop-down notebooks option.
You can close this sidebar while working allowing you to focus on the note in question.
OneNote 2016 also displays pages on the right. The sidebar move is a welcome change because now notebooks, sections, and pages are all in the same area instead of being fragmented all over the UI.
3. Recent Notes
It’s easy to get lost in a sea of notes even though OneNote does a fantastic job of organizing them neatly by notebooks and sections.
OneNote has a Recent Notes tab in the sidebar where you can quickly access recently edited notes that are arranged date-wise. A real time saver. OneNote 2016 never had it.
4. Templates
OneNote 2016 came with pretty cool templates. You could use pre-defined layouts for taking different kinds of notes.
Sadly, OneNote lacks this feature. Hopefully, they will port it before the OneNote 2016 is discontinued.
5. Page Color
OneNote 2016 allowed users to use colors in sections and notebooks to easily identify them. That would change the header and sidebar color but not page color.
OneNote will also allow you to change page color giving more control over how it looks.
Hmm, the font color also needs to be changed.
6. Sticky Notes
They are a real timesaver. OneNote mobile app for Android and iOS have a dedicated tab for Sticky Notes. Anything you copy there will instantly sync to your OneNote for Windows 10 app.
Now it’s quick and easy to share text and links between devices — much-needed feature for all Windows users.
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Read More7. Ink Math Assistant
OneNote 2016 and even previous versions of OneNote were able to solve math equations with ease. The only note-taking app capable of doing so and it’s one of my favorite features. I don’t have to use a calculator now.
OneNote takes things to the next level with Ink Math Assistant. It will not only solve the problem and provide an answer, but also show step by step calculation to help you understand how the answer was derived. Brilliant for math students. Oh, it also supports handwriting.
On the flip side, OneNote 2016 had a database of math equations that you could add from the menu with the click of a button. Handy when you need to refresh your memory. That option never made it to OneNote.
Again, OneNote comes with an Immersive Reader option which removes all distractions and opens the page in full screen mode. In there, you can click the audio button to read the math equation and answer out loud.
8. Record Video
OneNote 2016 allowed users to record and save audio as well as video. Not only that, it would intelligently attach notes to the time they were taken during the recording.
That means you can scan your notes based on timestamp while going through the video. Makes life so much easier for those who take notes during lectures or presentations. Sadly, that feature never made it to OneNote, but I am hopeful as it supports audio recording.
9. Print to OneNote
Find something useful on the web? Maybe on an app? There is a hidden setting in Windows 10 which will take a printout and save it to a page in OneNote instead of a physical printer.
Press Windows key+I to open Settings and search for 'printer' option. Select Add a printer or scanner.
Select OneNote here.
10. Local or Cloud
OneNote 2016 stores all OneNote notes on your computer's hard drive or SSD. That's useful if you are privacy-minded but dangerous should anything happen to your hard drive. OneNote stores all data in the cloud and provides a smarter backup solution. However, I am not too confident about the privacy part.
OneNote to Rule Them All
While some cool features haven’t yet made their way to OneNote from OneNote 2016, the update is still worth it. You can continue to use OneNote 2016, but all new features and updates will be pushed to OneNote. Not to mention bug fixes and security patches. For example, Microsoft recently added Cortana support to OneNote. You can now speak to take notes instead of typing them.
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The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read Next2 Useful OneNote Integration Extensions For Better ProductivityAlso See#onenote #productivity
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Sticky Notes has been a part of the Windows operating system for years. It’s a useful utility, lets you pin quick thoughts and notes on the desktop. In 2018, Microsoft delivered the much-needed makeover to Sticky Notes with sync capabilities, file attachment, and a complete redesign. At the same time, the company made sure the users get to access Sticky Notes on rival OS, including Android, iOS, and Mac.
The added syncing function is useless if you can’t access or create Sticky Notes on Android, iOS, or web. To counter the problem, Microsoft has making Sticky Notes available on iOS and Android via other apps and on Mac using the Outlook platform. The company is also leveraging the Microsoft Launcher app on Android for deep integration of Stick Notes.
In this post, we are going to talk about how to access Sticky Notes on Mac, iOS, and Android. It’s not as straight forward as downloading the app from the App Store or the Play Store. Let’s get started.
Use Sticky Notes on Mac
From Outlook App
Apple does provide a capable alternative called Stickies on the macOS. But it’s basic, doesn’t have syncing and it’s only available on the Mac. There is no way to access them on other platforms. Enter Sticky Notes.
There are two ways to use Sticky Notes on the Mac. Microsoft is using the Outlook app for Sticky Notes integration. Follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open the Mac App Store and download the Outlook Email app.
Step 2: Open Outlook Mail and sign in using the Microsoft account credentials.
Step 3: After the successful login, move to the bottom menu bar.
Step 4: Here, you will see the mail, contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes.
Step 5: Tap on the notes icon and it will open the sticky notes menu in the app.
Click on the notes to view or edit them. To create a new note, go to File > New Note or use the ‘Command + N’ keyboard shortcut to compose a note. Add a title and content to it and hit Command + S shortcut to save the note. You can view and arrange the notes via dates.
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Read MoreUse Outlook Web
In recent years, Microsoft has radically improved the Outlook web functionalities. From a single place, you can access the major Microsoft services such as Mail, Calendar, To-Do, Contacts, Skype, and more.
As it’s dependable on the web, the trick lets you access Sticky Notes on Chrome OS and Linux too. Follow the steps below to access Sticky Notes on the Outlook web.
Step 1: Open any web browser and navigate to Outlook.com.
Step 2: Login using Microsoft account credentials and it will take you to the default mail page.
Step 3: From the Outlook Mail, go to Folders > Notes.
Step 4: Here, you will see the Sticky Notes list.
Step 5: Tap on the notes to add content, change color, or even delete it.
Step 6: To create a new note, navigate to the upper left corner and select ‘New Note’ option.
Using Sticky Notes from the Outlook web is a much better experience than the standard Outlook app from the Mac Store.
Use Sticky Notes on iPhone
Here is where it gets confusing. Unlike on desktop, you can’t access Sticky Notes from the Outlook app on the iPhone. Instead, the company has integrated Sticky Notes with the OneNote app for the mobile.
Step 1: Download the OneNote app from the App Store.
Step 2: Sign in using Microsoft account and synchronize the notebooks.
Step 3: Here, you will see the separate Notes section at the bottom.
Step 4: Select it and here you will see all the Sticky Notes in it.
Users can create new notes, change color, format the notes using the default editing options, and more.
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Read MoreGet Sticky Notes on Android
There are two ways to use Sticky Notes on the Android operating system. You can either use the OneNote app or opt for the Microsoft Launcher to access Sticky Notes on Android. Speaking of Microsoft Launcher, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open the Play Store and download the Microsoft Launcher app.
Step 2: Set the launcher as the default on Android from the device settings.
Step 3: Swipe left on the Microsoft Launcher and sign in using the Microsoft account credentials.
Step 4: Go to the Glance tab, and here you will see the Notes widget in the menu.
The notes widget will synchronize the notes from the Sticky Notes app. You can create and edit the existing notes from the same widget.
Alternatively, you can use the OneNote Android app to get Sticky Notes on the Android OS. The steps for it are identical to its iOS counterpart.
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#sticky notes
Click here to see our sticky notes articles pageUse Sticky Notes Everywhere
As you can see from the steps above, a user can access Sticky Notes on all the platforms, including Mac, Android, iOS, and web. It’s useful for those living in a cross-platform ecosystem. I mostly use it to jot down quick thoughts on my iPhone and Windows laptop. What about you? Sound off in the comments section below.
Next up:Sticky Notes now working for you on Windows 10? Use the tricks below to fix the issue.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read NextTop 8 Ways to Fix Sticky Notes Not Working on Windows 10Also See#windows 10 #Microsoft
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