Creating a notebook takes three clicks in OneNote

Open OneNote and look for the File menu in the top left corner. Click it, then select New. A window will open asking where you want to store the notebook — choose between your local computer, OneDrive, or SharePoint if your workplace uses it. Name the notebook something you'll recognize (like "Project Planning" or "Daily Notes"), then click Create Notebook. OneNote will build the notebook and open it when ready.

The notebook appears in your left sidebar under the location you chose. You can start typing in the blank page that opens automatically. If you're using OneNote on a phone or tablet, the process is the same: tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), find New Notebook, name it, and confirm.

Key Takeaways

  • A new notebook opens through File > New, and you choose whether to save it locally or to OneDrive.
  • OneNote creates one blank page inside the notebook automatically, so you can start typing right away.
  • Notebooks stored on OneDrive sync across your devices, while local notebooks stay only on that computer.
  • You can organize notebooks by topic, project, or time period — create as many as you need without slowing down your system.

Choosing between local storage and OneDrive

When you create a notebook, OneNote asks where to save it. Local storage means the notebook lives only on your computer's hard drive. This is faster if you have a slow internet connection, and the notebook won't sync to other devices. Use local storage for sensitive information you don't want in the cloud, or for temporary notes you plan to delete.

OneDrive storage means OneNote saves the notebook to Microsoft's cloud service. The notebook syncs automatically to your phone, tablet, and other computers where you sign in with the same Microsoft account. This is useful if you work across multiple devices or want to access notes from anywhere. OneDrive notebooks are also easier to share with colleagues — you can give them permission to view or edit without sending files back and forth.

If you're unsure, OneDrive is the safer choice for most people. You get automatic backups, access from anywhere, and the ability to share. Local storage is mainly useful if you have privacy concerns or work offline frequently.

Adding pages and sections to organize your notes

A new notebook starts with one blank page, but you'll want to organize it as you add more notes. Look at the right side of the OneNote window — you'll see a Pages panel. Right-click in that panel and select New Page to add another page to the current section. Each page is a separate note within the same topic area.

For larger notebooks, create sections to group related pages together. Right-click on the section tabs at the top of the page (where it says "Untitled Section" by default) and select New Section. Name it something meaningful like "Meeting Notes" or "Budget Planning". Then add pages inside that section. You can also right-click a section tab to rename it, delete it, or move pages between sections.

As your notebook grows, this structure keeps related information together. A notebook for work might have sections for each project, with pages for weekly updates, decisions, and action items. A personal notebook might have sections for health, finances, and home projects.

Renaming or deleting a notebook you no longer need

To rename a notebook, right-click its name in the left sidebar and select Rename Notebook. Type the new name and press Enter. The change takes effect when ready across all your devices if the notebook is on OneDrive.

To delete a notebook, right-click it in the sidebar and select Delete Notebook. OneNote will ask you to confirm. If the notebook is stored locally, it's deleted from your computer. If it's on OneDrive, OneNote moves it to your OneDrive recycle bin, where you can recover it for 93 days if you change your mind. After 93 days, OneDrive permanently deletes it.

Sharing a notebook with others

Notebooks stored on OneDrive can be shared with other people. Right-click the notebook name in the sidebar and select Share. OneNote opens a sharing window where you can enter email addresses of people you want to invite. You can choose whether they can edit the notebook or only view it.

When you share a notebook, everyone who has access sees the same content. Changes one person makes appear for everyone else within seconds if you're all online. This is useful for team projects, family planning, or any situation where multiple people need to contribute to the same notes. Local notebooks cannot be shared this way — you'd have to move them to OneDrive first.

Keeping OneNote from slowing down your computer

OneNote runs in the background and syncs notebooks automatically, which can use memory and internet bandwidth. To keep it from slowing your system, avoid creating hundreds of notebooks. Instead, use sections and pages to organize information within a few notebooks. A notebook with 50 pages organized into 5 sections uses far less memory than 50 separate notebooks.

If you store notebooks locally, they don't sync and use less background processing. If you use OneDrive notebooks, OneNote only syncs the notebook you're currently viewing, so switching between notebooks occasionally is fine. Close OneNote when you're done working to free up memory. On Windows, you can also disable the OneNote system tray icon — right-click it and select Exit — so OneNote doesn't run in the background unless you open it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a notebook from local storage to OneDrive later?

Yes. Right-click the notebook in the sidebar, select Move or Copy, and choose OneDrive as the destination. OneNote copies the notebook to OneDrive and keeps the local version. You can then delete the local version if you want to keep only the cloud copy.

What happens if I create a notebook but never use it?

Unused notebooks take up storage space and appear in your sidebar, making it harder to find the notebooks you actually use. Delete notebooks you're certain you won't need. If you might use it later, rename it with a date or "Archive" prefix so you know it's inactive.

Can I create a notebook without a Microsoft account?

OneNote requires a Microsoft account to use the app. You can create a free account at outlook.com. Local notebooks don't require OneDrive, but you still need the account to open OneNote itself.

How many notebooks can I create before OneNote slows down?

OneNote handles dozens of notebooks without performance issues. The slowdown comes from having too many pages within a single notebook or from syncing very large notebooks over a slow internet connection. Organize by sections and pages rather than creating many small notebooks.