Microsoft has begun beta testing the new OneNote design. Last year, the software company previewed the aesthetic change, stating that it will combine its OneNote and OneNote for Windows 10 applications into a single OneNote app. Some of the new OneNote design modifications are now available to beta testers in the classic desktop version of OneNote.

OneNote now blends in better with the rest of the Windows 11 look thanks to the design adjustments. The page list, section tabs, and notebook dropdown have all been modified, as have the navigation windows and full-screen mode. For the general program window of OneNote, Microsoft is adopting its Mica effect, which is also utilized in the Windows 11 theme and desktop wallpaper.

With softened edges and improved animations, all of the modifications give OneNote a more contemporary design. There’s also a new unread indication that matches the rest of Office and makes pages with unread updates simpler to spot. OneNote will also get a streamlined ribbon that falls between between hiding the ribbon and utilizing the full-height version.

If you like taking digital ink notes with OneNote, the current edition features an enhanced sketch tab with capabilities that are comparable to those found in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This upgraded tab includes features such as Ink to form, Ruler, and Ink to text. The Surface Slim Pen 2 and its tactile signals that imitate the feel of a pen on paper are also supported by OneNote. Ink replay and a new pen focus view are both on the way, transforming OneNote into a “pen-first experience.”

OneNote will also include page sorting, which will allow users to order pages by date created, date changed, or alphabetically. Right now, testers may try out a new sharing experience and the insert photo capability from the Windows camera app, and the remainder of the new features will be accessible soon.

Microsoft is now concentrating on improving the primary OneNote desktop program, with plans to add key functionality from the touch-friendly OneNote for Windows 10 to the main unified app. Because there is no set date for when this development will be completed, the OneNote for Windows 10 app will continue to exist for some time.