Handwrite, draw, and sketch in Microsoft OneNote

OneNote for iPad isn’t just for note-taking. You can use its built-in inking features to handwrite notes or to create drawings and sketches. To draw in OneNote, you can use your finger or use a compatible stylus or pen that's paired with your iPad.

iPad

To begin drawing or writing in OneNote for iPad, follow these steps.

Write, draw, or highlight text

In your notebook, navigate to the page on which you want to draw, or tap + Page to create a new one.
On the Draw tab, tap any pen or highlighter to select it.
Start drawing or writing with the selected pen or highlighter.
To change the color, tap the same pen again to open the Ink Color Selector menu.
Do any of the following:
- In the upper part of the menu, select one of five pen thickness settings (ranging from .25 mm to 3.5 mm) by directly tapping the thickness you want or by tapping either the – or + symbols until the sample ink stroke looks the way you want.
  
  : You can set your preferred ink stroke thickness more quickly by directly tapping any of the dots between the – or + symbols.
- In the lower part of the menu, tap to select one of the provided colors.
  
  : If you want to select a specific color that's not already shown, tap More Ink Colors, select the color on the left and brightness level on the right, and then tap Apply. If the color is too dark or grey, increase the brightness level.
To accept your selections and return to the current page, tap outside of the menu.
To erase ink strokes, on the Draw tab, tap the Eraser tool to the left of the pens, and then carefully move your finger or stylus over any ink strokes that you want to erase.
:
- Erasing ink with precision may take a bit of practice. If you make a mistake at any time while erasing ink, tap the Undo arrow near the top left corner of the app to undo your last action, and then try again.
- To more quickly erase a large selection of ink strokes, see Cut, copy, delete, or move an ink selection in Microsoft OneNote.
To exit drawing mode and return to text entry, tap the Text Mode button on the left of the Draw tab, and then tap anywhere on the page to display the on-screen keyboard again.

: OneNote for iPad does not currently support converting handwriting to text.

Add or remove pens or highlighters

You can set up your own custom pen toolbox by adding or removing any of the pens and highlighters on the Draw tab.

: Customized pens and highlighters are portable, which means you'll be able to use them in other Office apps that support drawing — including Microsoft Word, Excel, Visio, and PowerPoint.

Do the following to add a pen:

On the Draw tab, to the right of the pens and then tap the plus ( + ) icon to add a new pen.
Select whether you want to create a new pen or a new highlighter.
Do any of the following:
- In the Ink Color Selector menu, select one of five pen thickness settings (ranging from .25 mm to 3.5 mm) by directly tapping the thickness you want or by tapping either the – or + symbols until the sample ink stroke looks the way you want.
  
  : You can set your preferred ink stroke thickness more quickly by directly tapping any of the dots between the – or + symbols.
- In the lower part of the menu, tap to select one of the provided colors.
  
  : If you want to select a specific color that's not already shown, tap More Ink Colors, select the color on the left and brightness level on the right, and then tap Apply. If the color is too dark or grey, increase the brightness level.
To accept your selections and return to the current page, tap outside of the menu.