• OneNote allows you to take notes quickly, move them around in any order, and even categorize them into multiple notebooks.
  • You may convert handwritten notes and mathematical formulas into text.

How to Take Handwritten Notes in OneNote

Step 1: On the OneNote app, click the Draw option > select your preferred pen or highlighter tool . The cursor changes shape when you select the tool.

OneNote draw option - 1

Step 2: Start writing on the canvas.

Each pen/highlighter tool also offers different settings to change size and color. You can access these by clicking on the tool again to open a drop-down menu.

Tool options on onenote - 2

Once you’ve completed a page, you can switch to the next one by clicking on the Add page button at the bottom of the second column.

Next Page on OneNote - 3

Convert Handwriting to Text

After taking down your notes, you can convert them into a text file, and OneNote does a pretty good job. To convert your handwritten notes into text, follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on the Draw menu > select the Lasso Select tool in the top toolbar. This tool will help you select the handwriting you wish to convert into text.

Lasso tool on onenote - 4

Step 2: Draw a selection around your handwritten notes that you wish to convert into text.

Select the handwriting - 5

Step 3: Now, click the more icon and select the Ink to Text option to instantly convert your selected handwriting into text.

Ink to text option in OneNote - 6

You should now see your handwritten text looking like it was typed with your keyboard.

Handwritten text converted - 7

Convert Ink to Math

Besides converting handwritten words to text, OneNote allows you to convert handwritten mathematical writings or formulas as well. Follow these steps.

Step 1: On the OneNote app, click the Draw option > select your preferred pen or highlighter tool . The cursor changes shape when a tool is selected.

OneNote draw option - 8

Step 2: Start writing any mathematical text, formulas, or equations.

Step 3: Click on the Draw menu > select the Lasso Select tool in the top toolbar.

Selecting the lasso tool on OneNote - 9

Step 4: Draw a selection around your handwritten notes.

Step 5: Now, click the more icon > select Ink to Math to instantly convert your selected handwriting into math.

Ink to math option - 10

Step 6: Edit the writing as you please using the Write , Erase , Select and Correct , and Clear options > click Insert .

Insert the math fomula - 11

Note: You could follow some basic fixes if OneNote is not opening .

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