Microsoft has confirmed that OneNote for Windows 10—the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app preinstalled on many Windows 10 machines—will be retired on October 14, 2025, and will switch to a read-only state after that date, meaning you will still be able to view content but will not be able to create, edit, or sync notes from that app anymore.
OneNote’s Windows story has been unusually complicated for a decade. Microsoft has maintained multiple OneNote clients: the classic desktop OneNote (historically branded OneNote 2016 and now simply OneNote), the UWP OneNote for Windows 10 app that shipped with Windows 10, and cross-platform web and mobile versions. That split caused confusion for consumers, IT admins, and educators about which app to use and which features would be supported going forward.
In August 2025 Microsoft announced a firm consolidation plan: moving development and support into a single Windows client called OneNote on Windows (the desktop app in Microsoft’s current naming), and ending support for the UWP OneNote for Windows 10 app on October 14, 2025. After that date the UWP app becomes read-only, will no longer receive bug fixes, feature updates, or security patches, and will not sync. Microsoft is encouraging users to switch to the OneNote on Windows app now to avoid disruption.
This change is tightly coupled with a larger Microsoft lifecycle event: several Microsoft products—including Windows 10 editions and some Office products—also reach end of support on October 14, 2025. The simultaneous timing means organizations must coordinate device, application, and compliance plans across several interdependent systems.
For users, the upside should be clearer product direction, a single feature set to learn, and better long-term support. For administrators and power users, the change reduces fragmentation but introduces a short-term migration cost and a need to revalidate workflows and compliance.
Because Microsoft’s product roadmaps evolve, any promises about specific AI capabilities or feature release dates should be treated as subject to change. Organizations that depend on those capabilities should track official release notes and pilot previews before rolling them out broadly.
Immediate steps—verify which OneNote you use, ensure complete sync, install the desktop OneNote, back up any local-only notebooks, and communicate a migration plan to users—will prevent data loss and reduce disruption. Organizations should also align their Office client update cadence to maintain access to voice and AI-driven features that depend on current builds.
The consolidation promises a cleaner future for OneNote, but it arrives with a deadline: do the work now or face a read-only app and a scramble to recover unsynced notes later.
Source: The Windows Club OneNote for Windows 10 to be discontinued; Which are you using?
OneNote’s Windows story has been unusually complicated for a decade. Microsoft has maintained multiple OneNote clients: the classic desktop OneNote (historically branded OneNote 2016 and now simply OneNote), the UWP OneNote for Windows 10 app that shipped with Windows 10, and cross-platform web and mobile versions. That split caused confusion for consumers, IT admins, and educators about which app to use and which features would be supported going forward.In August 2025 Microsoft announced a firm consolidation plan: moving development and support into a single Windows client called OneNote on Windows (the desktop app in Microsoft’s current naming), and ending support for the UWP OneNote for Windows 10 app on October 14, 2025. After that date the UWP app becomes read-only, will no longer receive bug fixes, feature updates, or security patches, and will not sync. Microsoft is encouraging users to switch to the OneNote on Windows app now to avoid disruption.
This change is tightly coupled with a larger Microsoft lifecycle event: several Microsoft products—including Windows 10 editions and some Office products—also reach end of support on October 14, 2025. The simultaneous timing means organizations must coordinate device, application, and compliance plans across several interdependent systems.
What Microsoft is changing and why it matters
The practical change: read-only and no sync
- On October 14, 2025, OneNote for Windows 10 will switch to read-only.
- Users will be able to open and view notebooks stored on the device, but they won’t be able to edit, create, or sync changes from that UWP app.
- Microsoft will stop shipping updates, bug fixes, and security patches for the UWP app after that date.
Why Microsoft is consolidating
- Consolidation reduces development overhead and customer confusion from multiple Windows OneNote products.
- It centralizes feature development (including AI and Copilot-style integrations) in one app so Microsoft can ship innovations faster.
- The desktop OneNote offers broader enterprise features—such as richer compliance and integration scenarios—that Microsoft wants to standardize on.
How to tell which OneNote you have right now
Recognizing which OneNote client you’re running is the first practical step.- Look for a File menu at the top-left of the app window. If you see a standard File menu and a fuller ribbon layout, you’re running the desktop OneNote (the app Microsoft will continue to support).
- If there is no File menu and the UI looks like a single-line simplified ribbon with vertical section tabs at the left, you are using OneNote for Windows 10 (the UWP app that will be retired).
- The UWP app may also explicitly show “OneNote for Windows 10” in the title or Windows shell search results.
- If you use Windows’ default-app prompts, Windows may ask which OneNote you want to use when opening notebooks; that prompt can also reveal which apps are installed.
Immediate actions for users — a migration checklist
If you rely on OneNote for day-to-day work or study, follow these prioritized steps now—don’t wait until the October deadline.- Sync everything to the cloud
- Right-click each notebook in OneNote for Windows 10 and select Sync This Notebook (or use Sync Now for each notebook). Ensure notebooks finish syncing to OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Any notes not synced to the cloud may not be available in the new OneNote client; local-only notebooks are the biggest migration risk.
- Install OneNote on Windows (the desktop app)
- Download the free OneNote app from the Microsoft Store or install via Microsoft 365. Sign in with the same Microsoft account (work, school, or personal) you used for sync.
- Use the in-app migration banner
- The retiring UWP app includes a migration banner (often labelled Move to the newest version of OneNote or Switch now). Click that and follow prompts to open OneNote on Windows and verify your notebooks appear.
- Validate notebooks and history
- In the new OneNote app, open each notebook and verify pages, ink, attachments, and searchability are intact.
- Use File > Open Backups (within OneNote on Windows) if you need to recover older material.
- Export or back up critical notebooks
- If you rely on local notebooks or have content that must be preserved outside OneDrive/SharePoint, export pages or notebooks (PDF/OneNote package) or copy the OneNote backups to external storage.
- Update workflow integrations
- Check any integrations, add-ins, or macros that reference the UWP app. Update shortcuts, default app settings, and saved links to point to the desktop OneNote.
- For offline workflows
- If you must work offline frequently, confirm the desktop OneNote supports your offline needs. The desktop client has broader capabilities for local files and backups than the UWP version.
Enterprise and education considerations
Large organizations and school IT teams must treat this migration as a short project. Key points for admins:- Timeline: Plan migration activity before October 14, 2025 to avoid user disruption. Coordinate with broader Windows 10, Office 2016/2019, and Microsoft 365 updates that share the same lifecycle dates.
- Default app and user experience: Windows can prompt users to choose a default OneNote when multiple versions exist. You can set defaults via Settings > System > Apps > Default apps or deploy defaults via configuration management tools.
- Bulk deployment: Use Microsoft Endpoint Manager / Intune, Configuration Manager, or standard software distribution methods to install OneNote on Windows across endpoints.
- Compliance and data protection: OneNote on Windows supports enterprise labeling and security features that integrate with sensitivity labels and Microsoft Purview. Ensure desktop apps are updated to versions that support your organization’s labeling policies and conditional access requirements.
- Education-specific migration: Education tenants may have specialized OneNote Class Notebook content; follow Microsoft’s migration guidance to preserve class and staff notebooks, permissions, and notebook links used in learning platforms.
- Communicate with users: Provide clear messaging on the migration steps, highlight how to identify the app, and share a short checklist for users to confirm their notebooks synced.
- Audit and reporting: After migration, audit user activity and identify any orphaned local notebooks that need manual attention.
Risks, pitfalls, and edge cases
No migration is risk-free. Watch out for these common traps.- Local-only notebooks: The most common data-loss risk. If a notebook was created locally in the UWP app and never synced to OneDrive or SharePoint, it won’t automatically appear in the new app. Users must export or manually copy such content before the read-only cutover.
- Third-party add-ins and legacy integrations: Some add-ins or workflows built around the UWP app may not work with the desktop app. Inventory integrations and test critical workflows.
- Feature differences and UX complaints: Some users prefer the UWP app’s simplified UI or vertical navigation. The desktop app’s interface differs and may require short retraining or configuration (for example, adjusting tabs layout or ribbon visibility).
- Versioning and feature flags: Microsoft will continue to iterate on the desktop app. Some features announced for future releases—such as Copilot-powered summaries, richer voice integration, or new media handling—are roadmap items and timing can shift. Treat such promises as aspirational until a release date is published.
- Voice and AI features dependency: Separately, Microsoft is upgrading backend services for voice features like Read Aloud, Transcription, and Dictation; older Office clients will lose access to those features in January 2026 unless updated. This means even if OneNote users migrate, they also need current Office/App builds to keep voice and AI-driven features working.
- Support lifecycles are different: Windows 10’s end-of-support on October 14, 2025 affects OS security updates and Microsoft’s broader support stance. Even if OneNote functionality remains via the desktop app, running on unsupported Windows 10 builds carries security and compliance risks.
Practical troubleshooting for common migration problems
- Notebook doesn’t appear in the new OneNote:
- Verify the notebook fully synced in OneNote for Windows 10 to OneDrive/SharePoint.
- Confirm you signed into the new OneNote with the same account.
- In the new OneNote: File > Open > Open from OneDrive and search for the notebook manually.
- Check the OneDrive web interface—if the notebook files exist there, OneNote can open them.
- Ink or audio recordings missing:
- Ink and audio should sync with OneDrive, but large multimedia items can fail if sync didn’t complete. Re-sync from the old app and check the OneDrive web view for attachments.
- If backup files exist locally, use OneNote on Windows’ File > Open Backups to restore.
- Read-only pages in the new app:
- Read-only behavior in the UWP app after October 14 is expected; in the desktop app read/write should be allowed for synchronized notebooks. If a notebook is marked read-only in OneDrive/SharePoint due to permissions, update sharing settings.
- Admins seeing failed bulk installs:
- Confirm the desktop OneNote package version and channel compatibility with your deployment tools. Use Microsoft’s enterprise migration documentation and test in a pilot ring.
Recommendations by user type
Casual/home users
- Sync notebooks to OneDrive now.
- Install OneNote on Windows and confirm your notebooks show up.
- Export any local-only notebooks as a safety measure.
Power users and heavy ink users
- Test ink behavior and performance in the desktop OneNote—inks rendering, ink replay, and pen shortcuts can differ.
- Back up notebooks before bulk edits or importing large media.
Educators and students
- Coordinate with school IT to ensure Class Notebooks and shared notebooks migrate cleanly.
- Share simple step-by-step guidance with students: sync > click migration banner > verify.
IT admins and enterprise teams
- Plan a migration project with inventories: users, notebooks, integrations, compliance needs.
- Use group policy, Intune, or managed deployment to standardize OneNote on Windows installs.
- Evaluate sensitivity label support and confirm desktop app versions meet compliance needs.
- Communicate deadlines and provide help resources/pilots.
The broader Microsoft timeline and related changes
- October 14, 2025 is a pivotal date: multiple Microsoft products (including Windows 10 versions and some Office releases) reach end of support on that day. That makes OneNote’s retirement part of a wider platform shift.
- January 2026 (end of month): Microsoft is upgrading the backend for voice features. Clients older than a specific Office build will lose Transcription, Dictation, and Read Aloud capabilities unless updated. Government cloud tenants receive a short extension into March 2026.
- These converging deadlines mean organizations must coordinate OS, Office app, and OneNote migrations together to maintain security, feature parity, and accessibility functionality.
Long-term outlook: what this means for OneNote and Windows users
Microsoft’s consolidation of OneNote into a single Windows client signals a push to modernize the product and fold in cloud and AI features more tightly. The company has explicitly identified future directions—Copilot-assisted note generation, richer multimedia and voice features, and streamlined cross-platform parity—as areas of investment.For users, the upside should be clearer product direction, a single feature set to learn, and better long-term support. For administrators and power users, the change reduces fragmentation but introduces a short-term migration cost and a need to revalidate workflows and compliance.
Because Microsoft’s product roadmaps evolve, any promises about specific AI capabilities or feature release dates should be treated as subject to change. Organizations that depend on those capabilities should track official release notes and pilot previews before rolling them out broadly.
Final assessment: strengths, trade-offs, and what to watch
Strengths
- Simplification: One supported OneNote client reduces user confusion.
- Faster innovation: Consolidated engineering should accelerate feature delivery.
- Enterprise alignment: Desktop OneNote better integrates with compliance, labeling, and enterprise security tools.
- Clear migration path: Microsoft provides built-in migration prompts, documentation for admins, and a supported desktop target.
Trade-offs and risks
- User experience disruption: People who prefer the UWP app’s simplified UI will need to adapt.
- Data risk for unsynced notebooks: Local-only content can be lost if not handled before retirement.
- Compatibility concerns: Legacy integrations or scripts may need rework.
- Timing pressure: The migration coincides with Windows 10 and Office lifecycle changes, increasing the coordination burden.
What to watch next
- Adoption metrics and user feedback after the migration deadline—will large user segments push back on UI or workflow changes?
- The arrival timeline for Copilot-driven OneNote features and whether enterprise customers receive parity with consumer features.
- How Microsoft supports organizations that can’t move quickly—any extended tooling, migration APIs, or assisted migration services that may appear in response to customer demand.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s decision to retire OneNote for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025 is a clear signal that the company intends to simplify and invest in a single OneNote experience on Windows. The change is manageable for most users—provided they act now: sync notebooks to OneDrive, install the OneNote on Windows desktop app, and follow the in-app migration guidance. For IT teams and organizations, the retirement should be treated as a short project within a larger October 2025 lifecycle event that affects Windows and Office products simultaneously.Immediate steps—verify which OneNote you use, ensure complete sync, install the desktop OneNote, back up any local-only notebooks, and communicate a migration plan to users—will prevent data loss and reduce disruption. Organizations should also align their Office client update cadence to maintain access to voice and AI-driven features that depend on current builds.
The consolidation promises a cleaner future for OneNote, but it arrives with a deadline: do the work now or face a read-only app and a scramble to recover unsynced notes later.
Source: The Windows Club OneNote for Windows 10 to be discontinued; Which are you using?