Microsoft OneNote

Overview

In OneNote, users can enter typed text via keyboard, create tables, and insert pictures. However, unlike a word processor, users can write anywhere on a virtually unbounded document window by just clicking there. Also, users do not need to explicitly save their work – OneNote saves data automatically as the user works.

OneNote saves information in pages organized into sections within notebooks. The interface provides an electronic version of a tabbed ring-binder, into which the user can directly make notes and gather material from other applications. OneNote notebooks collect, organize, and share possibly unpolished materials – as compared to word processors and wikis, which usually target publishing in some way. The difference shows in certain OneNote features and characteristics:

Users can move pages within the binder and annotate them with a stylus or word-processing or drawing tools. Users may add embedded multimedia recordings and web links.

While OneNote commonly runs on laptops or desktop PCs, additional features support pen-enabled tablet computers, in environments where pen, audio, or video notes are more appropriate than an intensive use of keyboard.

OneNote integrates search features and indexing into a free-form graphics and audio repository. It can search images (e.g., screen captures, embedded document scans, photographs) for embedded text-content. It also searches "electronic ink" annotations as text, and phonetically searches audio recordings on a text key. It can replay audio concurrently with notes taken during the recording.

Its multi-user capability allows offline paragraph-level editing with later synchronization and merging. This facilitates collaboration among workgroups members who are not always online. More than one person can work on the same page at the same time—using OneNote as a shared whiteboard environment.

On March 17, 2014, Microsoft released the OneNote cloud service API that enables third-party application developers to integrate the service into their apps. The API runs on Microsoft’s globally available cloud, and sends data from applications into the user's OneDrive. While the service stores the data in the OneNote notebook, it can also do things like running Optical Character Recognition on images and rendering webpages as snapshot-images.

Microsoft also announced a number of new features in OneNote that use the service API:

File format

A OneNote Notebook is stored as a folder of "section" files that have the .one extension. Microsoft upgraded the file format twice after it introduced OneNote 2003—first in OneNote 2007, then again in OneNote 2010. OneNote 2003 files can be opened by both OneNote 2007 and OneNote 2010 in read-only mode, and subsequently upgraded to the later versions of the file format. OneNote 2010 can read and write OneNote 2007 file formats. It can also convert back and forth between the 2010 and the 2007 formats.

Microsoft has documented the OneNote file format. It is an open file format file that allows for the storage of attachments such as pictures, video, etc. inside a single binary file.

OneNote file format is also supported by Outline - note-taking app for iPad and Mac. Outline can open, edit and save notebooks in OneNote file format.

Platform support

OneNote supports simultaneous editing of shared OneNote documents by multiple users when the document is stored in a shared folder, OneDrive or Dropbox. OneNote supported Windows Live Mesh for cloud-based storage and synchronization of OneNote files. OneNote clients, including OneNote web app of Office Online, could view and edit them.

OneNote is also available for mobile phones. A mobile OneNote version is included in the Office Hub on Windows Phone. This version supports notebooks stored locally on the phone, or synchronized with a remote copy on OneDrive or SharePoint. Notes created by OneNote for Windows Phone 7 cannot be opened with OneNote 2007. OneNote Mobile is also built into Windows Mobile Professional 6.1. OneNote Mobile for older Windows Mobile smartphones and pocket PCs is included with OneNote 2007. OneNote is available on Symbian as part of Microsoft Apps. Microsoft has released a stand-alone OneNote app for iOS and Android, which are each free for up to 500 notes. Beyond 500 notes, a paid upgrade is available. On July 1, 2013, Microsoft released version 2 of its app for iPad, containing significantly updated features, to correspond more closely to those available on the Windows platform. On August 19, 2014, Microsoft released Android for tablets that includes handwriting support and touch-friendly navigation.

A Windows Store version of OneNote (formally known as OneNote MX) is available for Windows 8 and RT, using OneDrive as a storage place. It is optimized for use on tablets by implementing a unique radial context menu and invoking operating system's tablet-specific functionality.

On March 17, 2014, Microsoft released OneNote for Mac. It is compatible with Mac OS X 10.9 and above and can be downloaded for free from the Mac App Store. Microsoft also made OneNote 2013 for Windows desktop available for free. OneNote for Windows and Mac are both based on a freemium model. Premium features such as SharePoint support, version history and Outlook integration were previously available only to Office 365 and Office 2013 customers, but on February 13, 2015, Microsoft removed all feature restrictions from the programs, essentially making the program completely free to use.

Microsoft OneNote has become an integral part of Windows 10 and its mobile phone counterpart, with features that bring the app more in line with its iPhone/iPad and Android counterparts.

Reviews

Christopher Dawson reviewed OneNote 2010, titling his favorable review "OneNote is Office 2010's killer app in education". He speculated that the app would be particularly useful as a tool for student notetaking.

Version history

All release dates pertain general availability. Release to manufacturing is usually two or three months in advance.