A once common and Microsoft recommended OneNote app is on the way out and has only six months to live. Make sure you’re using the right “OneNote for Windows”.
You’re forgiven for being confused because this is a problem entirely of Microsoft’s making. There was a time when Microsoft insisted that their Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps would take over the world and encouraged customers to use it.
Later, Microsoft dumped the UWP program leaving OneNote customers split between two different Windows apps and a confusing jumble of names.
OneNote for Windows 10, the ‘modern’ or UWP app (also works with Windows 11) became the orphaned app in 2019. Originally it was to end support in 2022 but that was pushed out to 14 October 2025 or about 4 months from today
The preferred OneNote app (which we call OneNote desktop but Microsoft calls either “OneNote (M365)” or just “OneNote”) will continue to be supported. The easy way to tell if you have the desktop app is to look for the File menu at top left.
If your OneNote for Windows app does NOT have a ‘File’ menu at top-right, you need to change apps.
The OneNote for Windows 10 app will continue to work after October 2025 however from June, the app will have slower sync performance, impacting real-time collaboration and multi-device access.
From July, there’ll be in-app reminders about the need to switch to OneNote desktop.
Switch to OneNote desktop/M365 now
There’s no good reason to delay switching away from OneNote for Windows 10.
In many cases, people will have both apps on their computer because OneNote desktop would have been installed with Microsoft 365 or Office 2024/2021/2019.
Make sure you’re opening the correct program called “OneNote” not “OneNote for Windows 10” on the start menu,
If only the “OneNote for Windows 10” app is on your computer, install the OneNote desktop app free. It will run ‘side-by-side’ with the older app, if necessary.
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