Microsoft OneNote is a free digital notebook that lets you type, write or draw notes anywhere on a page rather than in a fixed top-down document. Notes are organized into notebooks, sections and pages, sync automatically across devices via a Microsoft account, and support handwriting input, audio recordings and clipped web content alongside typed text.
How OneNote Differs from a Plain Text Editor
A word processor forces content into a linear flow, but OneNote pages work more like a freeform canvas — you can drop text, images, ink and audio anywhere on the page. Combined with a searchable notebook structure and a browser clipper for saving web pages, it suits messy, mixed-media note-taking better than a plain document.
Microsoft OneNote Features
- Notebook hierarchy — organizes notes into notebooks, sections and pages.
- Freeform canvas — type, write or draw anywhere on a page, not just top to bottom.
- Handwriting & ink-to-text — write with a stylus and convert handwriting to typed text.
- Web Clipper — a browser extension for saving web pages directly into a notebook.
- Cross-device sync — keeps notebooks up to date across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS via a Microsoft account.
- Tags — flag notes as To Do, Important or other custom categories.
- Audio recording — attach voice recordings synced to the notes taken at the time.
- Deep search — finds text inside handwritten notes and even text within images.
How to Install Microsoft OneNote
- Open the official download page using the button on this site.
- Download OneNote for your device — Windows, Mac, Android or iOS.
- Install the app and open it.
- Sign in with a Microsoft account so notebooks sync across your devices.
- Create or open a notebook to start taking notes.
Is Microsoft OneNote really free?
Free. OneNote is free to use for personal note-taking with a Microsoft account; it is also bundled with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
How to download Microsoft OneNote safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for www.onenote.com — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Microsoft OneNote. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Microsoft OneNote
Other free office & productivity software worth comparing before you decide:
Evernote
A note-taking app with web clipping and cross-device sync.
Notion
A block-based workspace combining notes, docs and databases.
Frequently asked questions
Is OneNote completely free?
Yes, OneNote is free to use for personal note-taking; it also comes bundled with paid Microsoft 365 plans.
Is OneNote the same as Word?
No, Word is a linear document editor while OneNote is a freeform notebook app designed for organizing quick notes.
Does OneNote work offline?
Yes, notes are available offline and sync automatically once you're back online.
Can I write by hand in OneNote?
Yes, OneNote supports stylus handwriting input and can convert handwriting into typed text.
What happened to the older OneNote 2016 desktop app?
Microsoft has consolidated development around the modern OneNote app, which is the version offered for download today.
Tell us what went wrong — a person reads every message and replies. Corrections to this page are treated as priority fixes.
People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Microsoft OneNote is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from www.onenote.com.
