Microsoft’s 2022 Store announcement made its existing OneNote desktop app available through another official download channel; it did not introduce a new OneNote product. That distinction matters now: the separate OneNote for Windows 10 app reached end of support on October 14, 2025, and Microsoft says it is read-only. For creating, editing, and syncing notes on Windows, use the current OneNote app.
What Microsoft’s Store announcement meant
On October 26, 2022, Microsoft announced that the OneNote desktop app could be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. The announcement, updated November 3, 2022, described a new way to get the existing app—not a newly built version. Microsoft’s OneNote team said, “We’re simply making it easier to install the right OneNote app on any Windows device by making it available in the Microsoft Store.” Its FAQ clarified that the Store download was the same app available from OneNote.com or as part of Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 Blog announcement
“OneNote” can refer to the desktop app, while “OneNote for Windows 10” was a separate Windows app. The Store being a source for both at different times did not make them the same product.
OneNote desktop and OneNote for Windows 10 are different apps
| Feature | OneNote desktop app | OneNote for Windows 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Support | Microsoft directs users who need ongoing editing and syncing to the OneNote app on Windows. | Reached end of support on October 14, 2025; now read-only. Users can view and export existing notes, but editing and syncing are no longer supported. Microsoft Support |
| Storage | Supports cloud notebooks and local notebook storage on the PC. | Does not offer the desktop app’s local notebook storage option. |
| Interface | Has a full Office ribbon and more customization options. | Used a smaller, single-line ribbon. |
| Availability | Available through the Microsoft Store, OneNote.com, and with Office or Microsoft 365. | Was preinstalled on Windows 10 and also available separately from the Store. |
Microsoft’s comparison describes the desktop app as the only OneNote version with local notebook storage on a PC. The local-storage option may matter if you specifically need notebooks kept on that computer; users choosing cloud notebooks can access them across supported devices. Microsoft’s OneNote version comparison
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Which OneNote app should Windows users use now?
Choose the current OneNote app on Windows if you need to create, edit, or sync notes. Microsoft says it remains available from the Microsoft Store and is included with Microsoft 365. If you still have OneNote for Windows 10, you can use it to view or export existing notes, but it is not a supported option for continued editing and syncing.
OneNote is also available for Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, and the web, according to Microsoft’s download information. Microsoft’s OneNote download guide
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to install the desktop app
- Open Microsoft’s OneNote for Windows installation guide and follow its download link, or find OneNote in the Microsoft Store.
- If you use the Microsoft Support download route, run the downloaded installer.
- After installation, open OneNote and sign in with the account used for your notebooks. Microsoft says the installer detects whether Microsoft 365 or Office 2019 is 32-bit or 64-bit and matches the OneNote installation to that architecture.
- If this is a work or school device and installation is blocked or unavailable, ask your administrator; they may control which software you can install.
Microsoft says OneNote should associate with an activated Microsoft 365 or Office 2019 license after installation. Its supported OneNote versions are free to download and use, while certain premium features require an eligible Office 2019 or Microsoft 365 subscription. The Store desktop download itself is not a paid app. Microsoft’s OneNote version comparison
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