Microsoft OneNote has been around for several decades. However, Microsoft has been offering two versions of its popular note-taking service (Office 365 and UWA) over the past few years. The Office 365 version works like previous versions and has a UWA (Universal Windows App) client in the Microsoft Store.
OneNote can be used completely free of charge, unlike other applications in the Microsoft Office suite. With a recent push for native Windows apps, the company shut down the desktop version of OneNote and is now focusing on the UWA version.
Microsoft is slowly adding OneNote desktop features to its UWA counterpart. While they’ve done a pretty good job, the company still hasn’t ported all keyboard shortcuts to the new app.
Now that doesn’t mean we’re out of options. The service offers some attractive keyboard shortcuts. And in this post, I will cover the most important shortcuts for OneNote on Windows and macOS platforms.
Before diving into the article, let me make it clear that I’m not talking about the usual shortcuts here. Common ones like Copy (Ctrl+C), Paste (Ctrl+V), Undo, Redo, select all are universal and you probably use them one way or another. Instead, I’ll tell you the most important ones to help you get the job done.
1. Add Bullet/Numbered list
Like many note-taking apps, OneNote supports adding bullet points or numbering schemes to a note. You can use Ctrl + . Shortcut or Command + . On macOS, choose Ctrl + / and Command + / for bullets or to add numbers respectively. You can also go through the list with various shapes and numbers. They are not supported by any keyboard shortcuts though.
2. Select Page Title
There comes a time when you want to quickly change the title of the page. You can use the Ctrl + Shift + T shortcut on macOS or the Command + Shift + T shortcut to select the title of the page.
3. Add Hyperlink
OneNote provides an option when you want to add a hyperlink to a particular word, just select the word and press Ctrl + K for macOS shortcut or Command + K to complete the action.
4. Highlight the Words
On a long note, you may want to highlight certain words to make them stand out in the crowd. With OneNote, you can easily highlight specific sentence or words with the quick shortcut of Ctrl + Shift + H and Command + Shift + H on Mac.
5. Enter Date and Time
When working on a long note for a specific period of time, you may want to include a date and time for last edits. Just press Alt + Shift + F or Shift + Command + D shortcut on Mac.
6. Show/Hide Ruler Lines
As the name suggests, OneNote supports ruler lines across notes. To add or remove ruler lines from the page, simply press Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows.
7. Add a New Subpage to the bottom of the current page
OneNote supports adding subpages to a specific page in a specific section. Useful for long projects. Hit the Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N shortcut and you’re good to go with a new subpage.
8. Open Another OneNote Window
Working on multiple OneNote pages can get tiring after a while. Fortunately, OneNote supports opening a new window for adding content. Press the Ctrl + M shortcut to trigger the action.
9. Create New Notebook and Section
As you know, OneNote supports new notebooks and adding sections to it. Now, of course, you can select the ‘+’ icon, but even better, you can use the shortcut Ctrl + T or Command + T to add a new section. You can also create a new notebook using the Control + Command + N shortcut on Mac.
You can also add a new page to the section by quickly pressing Ctrl + N or Command + N.
10. Move Existing Note to New Section
This is standard in note-taking apps. On macOS, you can quickly move pages to the new section using the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + M or Command + Shift + M.
11. Adding Columns to a Table
OneNote supports adding tables to pages. After a while you may want to add columns to the table. On Windows, press Ctrl + Alt + R (to add columns to the right) and Ctrl + Alt + E (to add columns to the left). On macOS you have to press Control + Command + L (to add a new column to the left) and Control + Command + R (to add a new column to the right).
12. Add Tags
This is a lifesaver. I use them regularly. Adding tags is the best way to look at what’s important or what needs to be highlighted. Also, they are the easiest to remember.
For windows, Ctrl + 1 (To Do), Ctrl + 2 (Important), Ctrl + 3 (Question), Ctrl + 4 (Remember), Ctrl + 5 (Description) and Ctrl + 0 (Remove All) are available. labels).
macOS requires keyboard shortcuts Command + 1 (To Do), Command + 2 (Important), Command + 3 (Question), Command + 4 (Remember), and Command + 5 (Description).
13. Search in Notes
OneNote offers powerful search functionality in the app. Press Ctrl + E or Command + E to quickly search for notes.
Use OneNote like a Pro
The list above shows that OneNote supports many shortcuts on Windows and macOS. The list is even more specific on Windows considering it’s a Microsoft product. I’m sure once you memorize most of these shortcuts, the note-taking app will be very easy to use and navigate.
Next: WhatsApp for web also comes with several keyboard options. Read the post below to know more about them.
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