Getting Started Tip 1: Setting up a notebook


Want to get started using OneNote? This post is the first in a series covering the basics. The other tips we’ve published to date include:

Tip 2:  Adding photos, screenshots and links

Tip 3:  Find stuff in your OneNote notebook (search)

Tip 4:  Record and add audio and video

Tip 5:  Connect task lists & turn notes into emails

Some of you might want to know what OneNote is. It’s the ultimate digital notebook. Think of it as a giant container where you can collect and organize all sorts of information. You can use it as a scrapbook, photo album, research notebook, and more. A OneNote notebook is organized like a traditional notebook except you can add or delete as many sections and pages as you want.

Today you’ll learn how to:

  • Set up a notebook
  • Add sections and pages
  • Name sections and pages

Setting up a new notebook

Here you can see how OneNote is organized. Notebooks are listed in the left column, sections are the tabs on top, and pages within each section are listed in the right column.

How OneNote is organized


To create a new notebook:

  1. Go to File, and click New.
  2. Choose My Computer. (Later tips will discuss storing your notebook on the web or on a company network site.)
  3. Give your notebook a name, then click Create Notebook.




Your new notebook opens with a section already in place,and you can add as many sections to it as you want.

To add a new section to a notebook:

  1. You’ll see a tab with a star on it to the right of a Section tab.
  2. Click the starred tab to create a new section.
  3. Each time you add a new section, another starred tab opens to the right. 


Create a new OneNote section


To name a section:

  1. Name your sections by right-clicking the Section tab.
  2. Choose Rename, and type a name for the section.


To add a new page:

  1. Click New Page on top of the right column.
  2. A new page is automatically added to the list. 

Add new OneNote page


To name a new page:

 Type the title on the page itself, and the page tab automatically populates with the name.

name a new OneNote page


Now that you’re notebook is set up, you can start putting stuff into it. Read Tip #2 to learn how to do that.