Accessibility and Assistive Technology

OneNote Options Overview

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In the OneNote options menu, you can adjust settings of the application to better fit your needs.

To find the options, select "File" and then "Options."

Display

Screenshot of OneNote options

In the left column of the Options menu, select "Display." Display options let you adjust how different features are displayed. For example:

  • Create all new pages with rule lines: Makes your OneNote look like a traditional notebook.
  • Show new page (+) button between page names (appears on hover): Shows a button when you are hovering over page names in the right column.
  • Show note containers on pages: Displays a box around your notes on pages.

Horizontal Tabs and Layout Options allow you to adjust where certain things are displayed on your page.

  • Move page list to the left: Displays your notebook pages on the left of the screen.

Editing

Screenshot of OneNote editing options

In the left column of the options menu, select "Advanced." Under the "Editing" header, you can toggle certain options that can make composing notes easier.

  • Show Paste Options buttons when content is pastedYou can use the Paste Options button to override or modify the settings you make in this section of the OneNote Options dialog box. Paste options let you keep source formatting, merge the formatting of the source and your notebook, or keep the text only.
  • Include link to source when pasting from the Web: Select this option if you want OneNote to always include a link to the source file when you paste in content from the Web. Links are displayed under the pasted content. This option can be helpful if you want to remember where the Web content you pasted into OneNote came from at a later time.
  • Apply numbering to lists automatically: Select this option if you want OneNote to automatically number list items for you. For example, if you type the number 1 or the letter A, then a period, and then press the Spacebar, OneNote indents the text and creates a list. When you add more information and press Enter, OneNote numbers the next list item for you.
  • Apply bullets to lists automatically: Select this option if you want OneNote to automatically apply bullets to list items for you. For example, if you type an asterisk (*) and then press the Spacebar, OneNote indents the text and creates a bulleted list. When you add more information and press Enter, OneNote adds a bullet to the next list item for you.
  • Calculate mathematical expressions automatically: Select this option to have OneNote automatically perform simple calculations directly on your pages. For example, typing 1+1= and then pressing Enter causes OneNote to display the answer 2.
  • Enable link creation by typing [[ ]] around a phrase: Select this option to create bookmark links around your text by typing brackets [[…]]. If you assign a bookmark to an item, the bookmarked item appears as a link in your page. The brackets do not appear in printed pages.

Linked Notes

Screenshot of OneNote linked notes options

In the left column of the options menu, select "Advanced." Scroll down and find the "Linked Notes" header. Under the "Linked Notes" header, you can toggle certain options that can make composing notes easier.

  • Allow creation of new linked notes: Select this option to have OneNote automatically link notes you take in a docked window with what you're looking at, such as a Web page, a Word document, a PowerPoint presentation, or another OneNote page.
  • Save document snippets and page thumbnail for better linking to the right places in the document: Select this option to have OneNote automatically save document snippets and page thumbnails which helps you link to the appropriate places in your documents.
  • Select the Remove Links from Linked Notes button to have OneNote remove all links in your notebook from Linked Notes.
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