Let’s talk about how to make the switch between the two. Check to Make Sure You Have OneNote Installed If you are a frequent user of Microsoft OneNote, you’ll want to know what version you are actually using. If you have Office 2016 or Office 365, chances are you are using OneNote 2016. If you are pretty new to OneNote, you might just have the newer version that came bundled with Windows 10. If that’s the case, you don’t have anything more to do! If you aren’t sure, there are a few ways to check. The older version of OneNote is typically labeled as OneNote 2016 while the new version is just called OneNote. You’ll also notice a difference between the icons, as shown above. To check to see if you have the new OneNote installed, click on the Start Menu and type ‘onenote’ and you should see the app just labeled as ‘OneNote.’ If you have 2016, that should show up there too. If you don’t see the new version of OneNote, you are either very behind on your updates, or it wasn’t dished out to your workstation. Either way, it’s best to check with IT if that’s the case or give SRS Networks a call at (831) 758-3636. You can open and use the new OneNote app at any time, but your notes from OneNote 2016 might not appear. Keep in mind you’ll also need to sign into the new OneNote for the first time with your Microsoft or Office 365 account, which might require your IT admin. Migrating Notes from OneNote 2016 to OneNote OneNote 2016 has a couple different ways it can store a notebook. Chances are even if you use OneNote a lot, you probably don’t realize how it’s working behind the scenes, because it rarely asks you if and where you want to save something. That’s part of the beauty with every version of OneNote – once it’s set up, it just saves everything you do on the fly. First, Let’s Back Up Your OneNote 2016 Notebooks Back Up your OneNote 2016 Notebook Open OneNote 2016 and perform the following to back your notes up. Click File > Options. In the OneNote Options dialog box, choose Save & Backup. On the right, you’ll see a section called Save. Select Backup Folder. Click the Modify… button. Choose a destination to store your backup. A good spot would be a folder called OneNote 2016 Backup in your Documents folder or on your desktop. Once you’ve found a place to put your backup, click Select. Then click Ok on the OneNote Options dialog. Go back to File > Options > Save & Backup. On the right, in the section labeled Backup, click Back Up All Notebooks Now. Wait for OneNote to finish backing up your notebooks. Try Simply Opening Your Notebooks in OneNote OneNote 2016 stores all of your notes in notebooks. These notebooks, by default, are either stored in your Documents folder in their own folder, or on Microsoft OneDrive. You can also store notebooks on a shared location on your network or essentially anywhere else. If you are using one of the default options, the new version of OneNote will likely have no problem pulling up your old notebooks. Open OneNote (the new version) and […]
OneNote has been sort of a hidden gem over the last several years. It’s been included in most Microsoft Office packs, including Office 365 subscriptions, and for those who have discovered it and got to know it, it’s a great little app for taking quick notes, organizing thoughts, and most importantly, it even syncs with smartphones. If you’ve been using OneNote for a while, chances are you are using OneNote 2016, which over the last few years, has come with Office, including Office 365. You might have noticed how some Microsoft Office apps get little updates and tweaks over time, but OneNote 2016 hasn’t been given that kind of love. That’s because Microsoft has other plans for the app. OneNote is Leaving Office Although OneNote 2016 will still get support from Microsoft for a little while, their focus is on the OneNote app that comes bundled with Windows 10. In fact, there’s a very good chance it’s already installed on your computer. Click on your Start Menu and type OneNote and you’ll likely see two options; OneNote 2016 and simply, OneNote. These are two separate apps, and Microsoft is focused on making OneNote (Not OneNote 2016) the definitive version. What’s the Difference Between OneNote 2016 and OneNote? According to Microsoft, the big difference is that OneNote now comes with Windows 10, and it’s no longer exclusive to Office. It will still be bundled in with Office 365 and Office 2019, AND OneNote 2016 will still be available as an option for anyone who still needs it, for now. They’ve been adding new features to this new version of OneNote, especially when it comes to sharing, sorting, and dressing up your notes with annotations. If you have a computer or tablet with a pen, like the Surface Pro, support for that has improved a whole lot too. Microsoft has a big list of features available on the new OneNote, and a much shorter, and hopefully less critical list of features that are only on the older version. Check out both lists here. OneNote 2016 isn’t going to get new features, so if you want the latest and greatest capabilities, you’ll need to move everything over to the new OneNote. Fortunately, you can run both apps side by side, so you can play around with the new OneNote before you commit to migrating your notes over. Personally, this gave me some time to get rid of old notes and do a little spring cleaning, and since my notes were all organized into Notebooks, I was able to simply open up my Notebooks in the new app and start using them right away. We’re going to put together a guide shortly on how to migrate your OneNote 2016 notes into the new version of OneNote for those who might not be so lucky. Keep an eye on our blog!