Microsoft OneNote for Windows

Get OneNote on Windows

You can download OneNote for Windows at no cost, and the app can be used on its own. If you want continuous cloud backup, deeper integration with Office desktop apps, and advanced collaboration tools, those are unlocked when you subscribe to Microsoft 365. OneNote moves note-taking beyond paper and basic word processors, letting you capture ideas in many formats on a flexible digital canvas.

What makes OneNote different from a word processor

• Deep integration with other Office apps lets you drop in slides, spreadsheets, and other content from PowerPoint or Excel.
• The layout behaves like a freeform page rather than a single long document, so text boxes, tables, and images can be placed anywhere.
• You can write by hand with a stylus or draw equations directly on the page instead of hunting for special symbols.
• Images, audio, and video clip insertion are treated as first-class elements you can annotate or reposition.
• Files saved via OneDrive are continuously backed up, so there’s no need to manually click Save.
• Multiple people can work on the same notebook at once and see each other’s edits in real time.

Working with Office files and multimedia

OneNote accepts content from many sources. You can embed an Excel worksheet and keep it linked to the original file so updates flow through, paste slides from PowerPoint, or pull web content into the page. Everything you add—tables, text blocks, photos—acts like its own movable object, so you can rearrange sections of a note visually instead of forcing everything into a linear format.

Auto-save and team collaboration

When you use OneNote with a Microsoft 365 account, notebooks are stored on OneDrive and saved automatically. This enables uninterrupted editing and instant recovery of changes. Notebooks can be shared with coworkers, classmates, or friends so everyone can contribute; edits appear live, and you can track who made which changes.

System support and minimum requirements

OneNote works best on Windows 10 or later. You can also get it as part of a standalone Office installation or access it via the web. Note that the seamless autosave and enhanced real-time collaboration features require OneNote to be used with OneDrive through a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Microsoft 365 plans and how they affect access to OneNote

• Family / Personal — Designed for home use, includes desktop Office apps and full OneNote features for personal organization.
• Premium — Adds extra security and business-oriented extras on top of the standard apps for users who want more advanced capabilities.
• Standard — Suited for small teams that need desktop apps and basic business tools alongside OneNote’s full feature set.
• Basic — Provides web-based access to apps (including an online version of OneNote) for users who need simple, browser-accessible functionality.

OneNote is available at every subscription level: a browser-based version is provided with basic plans, while desktop and expanded features come with higher-tier subscriptions. Choose the plan that matches whether you need only web access, desktop apps, business tools, or family-oriented sharing.