Microsoft announced in 2021 that their approach would be to discontinue the use of OneNote for Windows 10 (UWP) and instead shift towards utilizing OneNote for Windows (Win32 version that comes with Office). They have been gradually adding features to make OneNote Win32 on par with the UWP version.
In the latest update released in October 2023, Microsoft introduced new features for OneNote Win32:
– Pen-to-text allows users to jot down notes with a pen and convert handwriting into text. A gray pen button has been added to the Draw tab.
– Inline text prediction helps suggest the next word that users might want to type. It can be confirmed by pressing Tab or the right arrow key, similar to how it works in Word/Outlook. This feature requires a Microsoft 365 account.
– Vertical tabs display the tabs on the side panel, similar to other versions of OneNote. This feature has been in testing for a while and is now available for general use.
– OneNote Copilot utilizes AI to assist in drafting notes or summarizing content into a checklist. It requires a Microsoft 365 account.
– Preview Stream videos support embedding videos hosted on Microsoft Stream (e.g., on SharePoint) and playing them directly within OneNote.
On the other hand, OneNote UWP will no longer receive any new feature updates but will continue to be functional until the end of support in 2025 (equivalent to the support lifecycle of Windows 10). Microsoft recommends transitioning to OneNote Win32.
TLDR: Microsoft has decided to shift from OneNote for Windows 10 (UWP) to OneNote for Windows (Win32). They have been adding features to align the Win32 version with the UWP version. New features in OneNote Win32 include pen-to-text, inline text prediction, vertical tabs, OneNote Copilot, and previewing Stream videos. OneNote UWP will continue to work until 2025, but Microsoft suggests using OneNote Win32 instead.
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