Applies ToOneNote for Microsoft 365 OneNote 2024 OneNote 2021 OneNote 2016

If you’re using an older version of OneNote, you may be prompted to upgrade to the latest version. It’s a good idea to upgrade because you’ll have access to all the latest features, including:

  • Linked Notes

  • Notebook History

  • Notebook Recycle Bin

  • Multilevel Subpages

  • Math Equations

Manually converting notebooks between file formats

OneNote has a conversion tool so you can upgrade a legacy notebook to the current format. OneNote 2010, OneNote 2013, and OneNote 2016 use the same file format so you don’t need to convert files between these versions. You can use them interchangeably.

Tip: If you’re not sure which version of OneNote you’re using, look at the title bar of your notebook. If the words [Compatibility Mode] are in the title, you’re working in an older notebook format.

  1. Choose File > Info.

  2. Next to the notebook you want to convert, choose Settings, and then choose Properties.

    You can upgrade to the latest version of OneNote right from the File menu.

  3. In the Notebook Properties dialog box, look at the Default Format to see what format the current notebook is saved in.

  4. To upgrade a OneNote 2007 notebook to the newer 2010-2016 format, click Convert to 2010-2016.

Notebooks on OneDrive use the latest OneNote file format. Users without newer versions of OneNote can use the free web version or download a free version of OneNote from OneNote to access the notebook.

For more information, see File format changes in OneNote 2016.

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