--- title: "Microsoft OneNote Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Microsoft OneNote the right Note-Taking solution for you? Explore 1985 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/227211/Microsoft-OneNote/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- Microsoft OneNote 4.6 (1985) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/227211/Microsoft-OneNote/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated October 19th, 2026 # Reviews of Microsoft OneNote Ease of use 4.6 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews KL Kate L SalesMachinery, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “It was a useful tool for organizing notes, keeping information in one place, and accessing content across multiple devices. Although there was a learning curve with some features and formatting, it proved to be an effective application for note-taking, organization, and collaboration.“ July 27, 2026 VC Viergela C ABAChild Day Care Services, Self-employedUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Formatting can sometimes behave inconsistently across different devices, and collaboration features aren’t always as seamless as other Microsoft apps.“ July 13, 2026 MB Megan B Systems AdministratorLibraries, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Microsoft OneNote is one of the best tools I use for document management, particularly because I have a heavily admin-focused role where keeping information organised and accessible is extremely important.“ August 21, 2026 Swarnima G Software EngineerInformation Technology and Services, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Another issue is that the organization system, while flexible, can become messy if not managed carefully. When there are many notebooks and sections, it can get harder to keep things structured and easy to find.“ May 2, 2026 MB Megan B Systems AdministratorLibraries, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The collaboration features are particularly useful, allowing my team to work on shared pages, contribute information and keep everything in one place.“ August 21, 2026 BC Brendan C Territory Account ExecutiveInformation Technology and Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I have always been a person who takes notes and minutes for all my meetings, and I’m most cases, I would write the notes in my journal or notebook, only to find that the book gets lost or damaged along with all the notes and minutes.“ November 12, 2025 EL Eduardo L Safety Coordinator IIConstruction, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Its syncing feature lets me access my notes across devices, which is especially useful when working or studying on the go.“ August 17, 2026 cq connor q it team leadMedia Production, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “It doesnt feel as well-structured as other dedicated note or KB tools, which could pose a problem i9f seeking explicitly defined databases, rigid workflows or formal information architecture.“ April 18, 2026 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 1985 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Furkan A. Founder Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Powerful for project notes, but takes time to master" September 8, 2026 5.0 Overall, my experience with OneNote has been very positive. I use it more as a project knowledge and note library than just a place for quick notes. It works especially well when a project already uses Microsoft 365 because notes, meetings, files and team collaboration can stay within the same ecosystem. It helps me keep information organized and improves productivity when I am working across several projects. I also think the value for money is good when it is already included as part of Microsoft 365. I rarely need customer support because the application is generally reliable, but I would still like Microsoft to simplify some parts of the interface and organization experience. Pros OneNote is one of my preferred tools when I need a structured place for project notes, meeting records and information that needs to stay accessible over time. Some of the teams I work with specifically prefer Microsoft tools, and OneNote fits very naturally into that workflow. I like being able to separate information into notebooks, sections and pages while still keeping everything searchable. Shared notebooks are also very useful for team collaboration, especially when several people need to contribute notes or keep project information in one place. Cons The main downside for me is that it can become more complicated than a simple note-taking tool needs to be. The notebook, section and page structure is powerful, but larger workspaces can start to feel crowded, and some features or settings are not immediately obvious. There is definitely a learning curve if you want to use OneNote beyond basic notes. I have also experienced occasional syncing delays, although they have not been frequent enough to seriously affect my work. Review Source cQ connor Q. it team lead Media Production Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A flexible solution - strong syncing, flexible noting and 365 integration" April 18, 2026 4.0 it serves as a strong option for flexible, low friction information capture and organisation. it works particularly well for mixed media, collaboration and for environment already embedded in 365/Microsoft. Pros A strong app for free-form notes; allowing mixed-media notes (i.e handwritten input, sketches, images and clips etc). Being part of the 365 ecosystem is supports strong collaboration and integration with other MS tools, and provides easy organising through notebooks; sections; pages; tags and more. Cons It doesnt feel as well-structured as other dedicated note or KB tools, which could pose a problem i9f seeking explicitly defined databases, rigid workflows or formal information architecture. It is perhaps not the best choice for users seeking strong control over xync behaviour or advanced document formatting, and is stronger as a note capture tool rather than a process, document management and presentation platform. Alternatives considered [Microsoft Planner](https://www.capterra.com/p/227201/Microsoft-Planner/)[Microsoft To Do](https://www.capterra.com/p/227173/Wunderlist/)[Notion](https://www.capterra.com/p/186596/Notion/) Reason for choosing Microsoft OneNote Microsoft have provided too many products with similar functionality so it's ultimately a bit of a gamble between what others recommend and making a choice in that respect- here, planner and Notion came ahead Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Nutrition and Regulatory Officer Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Convenient note taking" January 2, 2026 3.0 Pros The ability to share notes and collaborate with team members with updates to notes in real time. Versatility with the free form layout Cons Search functionality is poor - often can't find what I am looking for. Interface is not great and looks outdated Review Source MB Megan B. Systems Administrator Libraries Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My Favourite Tool for Staying Organised" August 21, 2026 5.0 My overall experience with Microsoft OneNote has been very positive. It is an easy-to-use and reliable tool that has become a valuable part of my day-to-day work, particularly for managing documents, notes and information. It also offers excellent value for money, as it is included within our existing Microsoft bundle, making it a very worthwhile addition without requiring a separate investment. The collaboration features are particularly useful, allowing my team to work on shared pages, contribute information and keep everything in one place. This makes it easier to work together and improves overall productivity. Overall, OneNote is a flexible, user-friendly and practical tool that provides a lot of value as part of the Microsoft suite. Pros Microsoft OneNote is one of the best tools I use for document management, particularly because I have a heavily admin-focused role where keeping information organised and accessible is extremely important. I can draft and develop my work in OneNote without having to worry about losing information, as everything is automatically saved and can be filed and organised exactly how I need it. This makes it much easier to manage large amounts of information and quickly find what I need. The collaboration features are also excellent. My team can share a page and contribute our own information, allowing us to work together in real time without having to constantly send documents back and forth. This makes teamwork much more efficient and helps ensure everyone is working from the same information. Overall, OneNote has a really positive impact on my productivity. Features such as easy organisation, search, automatic saving, page sharing and the ability to add notes, images, links and other information all make it a flexible tool that fits very well into my day-to-day work. Cons The main area I would improve is Microsoft’s customer support. This is more of a general Microsoft issue than something specific to OneNote, as support often directs you to online help pages and guidance rather than providing the opportunity to speak directly with someone who can assist with a specific issue. This can be frustrating when you need more personalised support or are dealing with a problem that is not easily resolved through the available guidance. That said, I have experienced very few issues with OneNote itself and therefore have rarely needed to contact customer support, so this has not significantly affected my overall experience with the software. Switched from [Goodnotes](https://www.capterra.com/p/233930/GoodNotes/) We made the switch because Microsoft OneNote made more sense from a value-for-money perspective, particularly as it is already included within our existing Microsoft bundle. It is also much easier to use and fits naturally into our day-to-day working processes, making it a more practical and cost-effective option for our team. Review Source Eric T. Manager, Project Management Office Telecommunications Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Most Powerful and Flexible Note Taking Tool on the Market" December 20, 2025 5.0 As a project manager, I have used OneNote for years. I have used a variety of different tools including Keep, Evernote, Confluence, etc. Not one of them compares to OneNote. I am able to generate notes on my desktop and then access those notes on any of my mobile devices. Pros I have been a long-time user of OneNote. It is one of the most powerful and user friendly note taking apps available. Now it has become even more powerful with its integration with Copilot, MS Teams and Loop. OneNote can be connected to MS Teams based meetings and populated with everything captured by the MS Teams Facilitator. IT'S AWESOME! Cons Literally nothing. There is nothing that I dislike about OneNote, especially since it integrates across all of the Microsoft applications, including Dynamics. Switched from [Google Keep](https://www.capterra.com/p/233847/Google-Keep/)[Confluence](https://www.capterra.com/p/136446/Confluence/)[Evernote Teams](https://www.capterra.com/p/154969/Evernote-Business/) These other tools have their place. Keep is awesome for tracking to-do lists and shopping lists, especially in a shared environment. For note taking, it isn't in the same ballpark. Confluence is fantastic for process documentation at the organizational level. I needed a note taking tool that I could access across devices. Review Source JD Joshua D. Senior Support Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "One of Microsoft's best products, let's hope they never change it" October 21, 2026 5.0 I love OneNote. I've used plenty of different ways to keep notes and organize information, and nothing else has worked quite as well for me. Being able to throw almost anything into a notebook, organize it however I want, and actually find it again later is what makes it so useful. For IT work especially, it's fantastic. There's always some command, configuration, troubleshooting procedure, or client-specific detail that you need to keep track of. OneNote makes it easy to build up a huge collection of information over time without it becoming impossible to navigate. It's one of those applications that I use constantly and would genuinely miss if it went away. Pros OneNote is probably my favorite way to organize information. The notebook, section, and page structure makes it easy to keep everything organized without being too rigid about it. The search functionality is excellent, and being able to quickly find some obscure note I made months or years ago is incredibly useful. It's especially good for IT work where you're constantly collecting technical notes, troubleshooting steps, documentation, and random bits of information you know you'll need again someday. Cons The biggest concern here is that Microsoft will "update" and "improve" it until its ruined. To their credit, they did actually release a major upgrade which was so unpopular they rolled back to the previous interface. I'm not sure whether that means they'll never "upgrade" it again, or if that was a warning of the inevitable things to come. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer New Well Delivery and Geomechanics Team Lead Oil & Energy Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My digital notebook for keeping everything together" September 9, 2026 5.0 OneNote has been useful for keeping notes and reference material together instead of having information scattered across different places. I especially appreciate being able to access and update my notes from different devices. Pros OneNote gives me a lot of freedom in how I organize information. I can keep notes, screenshots, links, lists, and other material together, while notebooks, sections, and pages help separate different topics. The search function is also helpful when I need to find something I saved earlier. Cons As notebooks grow, they can become cluttered unless you maintain a good structure. Moving information around and keeping sections organized sometimes requires more manual effort than I would like. Review Source HB Hannah B. Entrepreneur Publishing Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Microsoft OneNote Review" September 19, 2026 5.0 My overall experience with Microsoft OneNote is positive. Microsoft OneNote offers flexibility and versatility when it comes to note taking. Pros What I like most about Microsoft OneNote is the productivity and simplicity of note taking! It is very versatile, and you can type, handwrite, or draw your notes. Cons Microsoft OneNote has a lot of organizational features and options. Without a consistent organization system, documents can become very cluttered quickly. Review Source AH Alexis H. Registered Nurse Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Microsoft OneNote Review" September 2, 2026 5.0 My overall experience with Microsoft OneNote has been positive. It has a lot of great features, including the ability to insert pictures and files right there in your notes. Pros What I like most about Microsoft OneNote is how organized you can make your notes. Keeping everything in one place, with the ability to share with peers is a great feature. Cons I have nothing negative to report about Microsoft OneNote. It is a great note taking software with many useful features. Review Source DD Dee D. Customer Service Consumer Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "One Note Review" September 12, 2026 4.0 Pros Great for taking note during meetings. The tab system helps in categorizing the meetings, or the different team. It is easy to collaborate with team members and upload documents to the platform. Cons As the tabs are added it is quiet hard to see the titles and you end up clicking each tab to know which one is which . Review Source MH Michael H. Project Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful Tool OneNote" December 19, 2025 5.0 I have used one note for several years after giving up the paper notebook and it's been great. I think the software is well worth the money and I have not needed customer support due to the fact of it's ease of learning. Pros I find OneNote a great tool for notetaking, organization and collaboration with my team. It is very easy to use but allows everyone to find different tools to make their notes work for them. Cons I would like it to have more tagging features to allow me to search for notes falling in certain subjects that I need to find quickly. Although the search tool is very powerful to use. Review Source TJ Tomas J. Senior EUC Specialist Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for notes" June 1, 2026 5.0 Overall a solid note-taking tool that I use regularly. However, I may gradually transition to Microsoft Loop as it evolves and offers a more modern, integrated experience. Pros Very easy to use with a clean layout. Great for quick note-taking, organizing thoughts, and syncing across devices. Perfect for capturing ideas on the go. Cons Noticeable UX inconsistency between the 2016 version and newer versions, which can be confusing. Some features feel fragmented or missing depending on the platform used. Review Source PD Patricia D. Loan servicing representative Banking Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A lifesaver " February 11, 2026 5.0 My overall experience with one note has been as positive experience since it is where all my training notes are stored. It automatically saves it. Pros What I love the most about Microsoft one note is the it is my go to for locating all my important information especially my notes. Cons The con on Microsoft one note is that it has a poor printing feature. I would like to see some improvements. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Data Analyst Medical Devices Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "It's good but not WAY better than others." April 1, 2026 5.0 Overall I have had good experiences with OneNote. I would recommend others use it but other note platforms are similar and work just fine. Pros I use one note a lot. I take a lot of notes during my day to track what I've done and what i need to do. It is easy to use, manage documents, and collaborate. Cons Sometimes the UI gets a little confusing. This only really happened for the first bit I was using it. If you read my other reviews this is a theme so maybe it's just me. Not really many cons besides of this. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Sales Specialist Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "OneNote Helps With Note-Taking, Organization, and Productivity" May 26, 2026 5.0 I use OneNote when it comes to taking quick notes or to remind myself specific tasks I need to get done for the day. The platform is very easy to use so I don't have to take notes with a pen and paper. Pros I like that OneNote helps me stay organized and manage my notes I take on my meeting and call summaries. I like the notepad structure with sections and pages because it makes it easy to keep information organized and accessible. Cons I wish there was a way for OneNote to be more interactive like to be able to set reminders or to notify you of a task you write down. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Founder Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great tool but not my go-to after using it." January 2, 2026 4.0 Very solid choice for freeform note-taking especially if you're already using other Microsoft tools. it didn’t completely replace other tools in my stack but it's definitely a nice add-on. Pros OneNote is incredibly flexible for capturing your thoughts, meeting notes or ideas in whatever format makes sense.Its notebook/section/page structure feels intuitive once you lock in your organization style. Also the integration with Microsoft 365 makes it handy if you already live inside that ecosystem Cons It's versatile but it can feel a bit loose if you prefer more structured or linear note systems. It’s easy to end up with scattered pages if you aren't disciplined enough with your organization. Review Source Dominica E. Owner Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great product to keep notes, etc in one place. Replaces the use of old fashioned sticky notes." November 4, 2025 5.0 Wonderful. Game changer especially when I was a Network Administrator. I swore by this program and also recommended it to co-workers. Pros I can save as much information as I like in one software program. Notes, important information. It is my go to software. Cons Sometimes having too many tabs is overwhelming. Wish I could group some by importance or relevance. Highlight the tabs I use daily. Review Source NA Nadeem A. Data Analyst Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A neat way to organise work notes" December 6, 2025 4.0 overall i use this daily as a storage of information and organising my notes as well as key information. there could be room for improvement Pros A great way to categorise my notes and group them. it allows me to have multiple pages within a certain section, and easy to duplicate existing notes. Cons although there is some level of customisation, it would be better if there was more ability to "draw" such as tables and formatting, similar to excel, visio and power point. being able to "hide" sections or merge would be useful also. Review Source JH John H. President Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "OneNote is very helpful for tracking unformatted data" June 23, 2025 5.0 I have been using OneNote for about 15 years. I find it very helpful for keeping track of information on dogs we are considering rescuing. Pros One Note is a free form database. It lets me copy and track information with both text and images. It is very helpful for tracking data which is not in a standard format. Cons Relatively few people use it, so I have to copy information I wish to send to others into another program (usually Word or Outlook). Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) OneNote is easier to use for certain tasks. Review Source BN Bre N. Service Coordinator Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Overall it’s useful to have" February 26, 2026 4.0 Pros I like that I can copy and paste things to make my work day easier. We have a set prompt we like to use when emailing our customers so I just copy and paste when I need too. Cons It doesn’t let you print your notes. I wanted to print them and put them in my desk. Im a very organized individual so this is a major conflict for me. Review Source AM Alejandro M. Chief Security and Investigations Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very usefull for organizing information" November 26, 2025 5.0 Pros Very good tool for keeping information updated and always on display. Also very good as a calendar for having your tasks organizaed Cons Sometime is tricky to export information and re-import on another computer when you are wrking off line Review Source EJ Emily J. Operations Manager Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best Microsoft product" June 6, 2025 5.0 I love this product. I use it to take all of my work notes and the ability to search and create folders for each product is pivotal. Pros OneNote is my favorite application of the Microsoft suite. The ability to organize freely, enter dark mode, and search your notes is a complete game changer. Cons I really do not think there is a Con to this product. The only one might be the limitation Cloud saves when off wifi, but this is a limitation that is not really apparent since a local version is also saved. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Senior analyst and consultant Logistics and Supply Chain Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reliable and simple, as it should! " July 13, 2025 4.0 Overall good, reliable and works as should. Not fancy features which are not needed for basic notes writing and storage. Pros Simple to use, possibility to synchronize with one drive, tags and classification, different tabs and sections to keep it tight, no strict layout. Cons Limited features for text and images editing, more to improve in terms of internal search and integration with other tools. Review Source HD Harry D. Paid Media Manager Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "OneNote for teams" December 5, 2025 5.0 Overall very good! It helps with sharing notes and meeting agendas across teams and makes for the best space to collaborate Pros Microsoft Onenote is used a lot across the agency for collaborating and planning. Really improves our productivity! Cons Sometimes it can be a little bit slower to update when it's been integrated with teams. but mostly is okay! Review Source AG Amita G. Learning and Development coordinator Banking Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Very useful program for note keeping and sharing " December 16, 2025 4.0 I enjoy using one note, it is easy to navigate around and keeps all your notes in one place. It's a secure place to keep confidential information but easy to share with others. Pros It's very easy to use and a good way of collating information and sharing with other within your team. Adds value when training up new members of staff. Cons It would be great if you could customize the information/notebook i.e. add images and have more fun with the formatting. 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