Starting October 14, 2025, OneNote for Windows 10 will be reduced to a read-only shell, cutting off editing, syncing, and security updates for millions of users still clinging to the legacy app. Microsoft confirmed the deadline in an official product announcement, aligning the move with the simultaneous end of support for Windows 10 itself. The only path forward is a migration to the unified OneNote on Windows client—a transition that, while straightforward for individuals, requires careful project management in enterprise and education environments.

OneNote Product Manager Bola Soneye framed the retirement as part of a consolidation effort: “As we continue to invest in a more secure, modern, and capable note-taking experience, we’re consolidating our efforts into a single, more powerful OneNote on Windows app.”

A tangled history of OneNote clients

For a decade, Microsoft maintained multiple OneNote experiences. The classic OneNote 2016 desktop version coexisted with the UWP-style OneNote for Windows 10, available through the Microsoft Store. Adding to the confusion, a separate “OneNote” app (often called OneNote for Windows 10) came preinstalled on many systems, while the newer, unified OneNote on Windows app—sometimes branded simply as “OneNote”—gradually absorbed features from both predecessors. This fragmentation meant users faced overlapping feature sets and inconsistent support. The October 2025 deadline finally collapses that legacy into a single, actively developed client.

What changes on October 14

After October 14, 2025, OneNote for Windows 10 will launch in read-only mode. Users can view existing notes, but they cannot create, edit, or sync content from that app. Microsoft will no longer provide bug fixes, feature updates, technical support, or security patches. The change is unconditional and applies across all Windows 10 editions. The new OneNote on Windows app—free from the Microsoft Store and included with Windows 11—becomes the sole supported client.

Migration relies on syncing notebooks to OneDrive or SharePoint, then using an in-app banner labeled “Move to the newest version of OneNote.” For notebooks that hold unsynced local sections, Microsoft supplies backup tools that capture that data before the legacy app is removed. Enterprise and education IT teams can leverage published PowerShell scripts to automate the process at scale.

Why now? Consolidation and AI ambition

Microsoft’s stated rationale is efficiency. One engineering team maintaining one codebase can ship features faster and strengthen security. The unified app also provides a cleaner foundation for the Copilot-driven AI capabilities Microsoft is weaving into Microsoft 365. Features like Copilot Notebooks, AI summarization, voice transcription, image and video ingestion, and audio overviews are either rolling out or on the roadmap specifically for the new OneNote client. Keeping the Windows 10 version alive would fracture that investment.

Migration for individuals: a checklist

For personal and small-business users, migration is a six-step process that should be completed well before the October deadline:

  1. Sync everything. Right-click each notebook in OneNote for Windows 10, choose “Sync This Notebook,” and confirm all changes are uploaded to OneDrive or SharePoint.
  2. Install the new app. Download OneNote on Windows from the Microsoft Store and sign in with the same Microsoft account.
  3. Use the migration ribbon. In the legacy app, click the banner “Move to the newest version of OneNote.” If unsynced content is detected, follow the backup workflow—notes will be saved to a folder under your user profile.
  4. Import backups. In the new OneNote, go to File > Open Backups and open the files created in the previous step. Drag restored sections into the correct notebooks.
  5. Verify integrity. Check that all pages, attachments, ink, and audio recordings appear and function as expected. Run a search to confirm index completeness.
  6. Remove the old app. Only after full verification, uninstall OneNote for Windows 10—doing so earlier risks irretrievable data loss if backups were incomplete.

The backup path varies: on Windows 10 it resides in the UWP app’s sandboxed AppData folder; on Windows 11 it appears in Documents\Backup. Users with multiple accounts (personal and work) must repeat sync and sign-in for each account.

Enterprise and education: a project, not an update

Organizations cannot treat this as a simple app swap. Microsoft provides a migration guide and sample PowerShell scripts, but IT teams must run a structured project:

  • Discovery. Use Intune or other inventory tools to locate devices running OneNote for Windows 10. The package name is typically Microsoft.Office.OneNote. Identify version numbers—scripts require a minimum version to function reliably.
  • Pilot. Run the migration on a small group of power users. Test the backup/import workflow, validate integration with add-ins, and document any interface differences.
  • Automate backups. The PowerShell scripts back up unsynced sections to a safe location, output JSON status logs, and can optionally uninstall the legacy app per-user (not per-device, to avoid stale data). Customize and harden these scripts for your environment.
  • Staged rollout. Deploy the new OneNote on Windows app via Microsoft Store for Business or Intune, execute the migration scripts, and then uninstall the legacy client. Coordinate with your Windows 10 end-of-support program—many organizations will combine OS upgrades, Office lifecycle planning, and device refresh into a single roadmap.
  • Training and communication. Inform users about the timeline, how to check sync status, where backups are stored, and how to recover missing content. Short how-to videos and cheat sheets reduce helpdesk load.
  • Compliance check. Confirm that retention, eDiscovery, and data loss prevention policies still apply to notes stored in OneDrive/SharePoint. Unsynced local notes may fall outside those policies, so identify and remediate them during migration.

What can go wrong: risks and mitigation

Real-world migrations are rarely flawless. The most common failure points and their countermeasures:

  • Unsynced local notes. A user created a notebook offline and never synced it. The in-app backup workflow will catch this, but only if the user responds to the prompt. IT teams can script a forced backup before uninstall, but must validate logs for errors.
  • Version mismatches. If the legacy OneNote for Windows 10 isn’t updated to the required build, automation scripts may fail. Update the app via the Microsoft Store before running any script.
  • Add-in and integration breakage. Third-party add-ons designed for the UWP app may not function in the new client. Inventory critical workflows, test in the pilot, and contact vendors.
  • User interface shock. Subtle differences in layout and navigation can frustrate long-time users. Provide walkthroughs and a grace period for questions.
  • Premature uninstall. An automated task removes the legacy app before backups are validated. Add robust checks—confirm backup file existence and successful import logs before allowing the uninstall.
  • Compliance gaps. Local-only notes can slip through retention holds. Use the migration to bring all content under governance.

AI features on the horizon

The consolidated app isn’t just a clone—it’s the vehicle for Copilot in OneNote. Microsoft’s roadmap includes:

  • Copilot Notebooks: Project workspaces that aggregate documents, chats, recordings, and notes, then generate summaries and answer grounded questions.
  • Summarization and Q&A: AI-generated summaries of lengthy pages and the ability to ask a notebook contextual questions.
  • Audio overviews: “Podcast-style” summaries of content.
  • Image and video ingestion: Extracting key insights from media and turning them into searchable notes.

Availability varies by subscription plan and region, and timelines remain fluid. However, the migration is a prerequisite for accessing these features on the desktop.

Alternatives and fallback plans

If you decide against the new OneNote on Windows app, you can:

  • Use OneNote on the web. It remains part of Microsoft 365 and receives updates, though offline access is limited.
  • Export and switch. ONEPKG exports preserve notebooks for archive or import into third-party apps like Obsidian, Joplin, or Evernote. Test imports thoroughly before decommissioning OneNote.
  • Stay on Windows 10 with Extended Security Updates (ESUs). This keeps the OS patched for a fee, but does not extend OneNote for Windows 10 support—the app will still become read-only on October 14 regardless of OS status.
  • Now: Inventory users, sync all notebooks, and communicate the deadline.
  • Within two weeks: Complete pilot migrations and test backup/import automation.
  • Four to six weeks out: Begin phased rollout to heavy OneNote users.
  • Early October 2025: Finish migration, verify backups, and schedule final remediations.
  • Post-deadline: Maintain a short support window for stragglers, but escalate unresolved data recovery cases immediately.

Treating this as a coordinated project rather than an afterthought wards off data loss and keeps your organization on a secure, AI-ready note-taking platform.

The bottom line

Microsoft’s decision to retire OneNote for Windows 10 is both a technical cleanup and a strategic bet on AI-assisted note-taking. For individual users, the migration is simple if you sync first and back up unprompted. For IT administrators, the process demands discovery, automation, and user training—but Microsoft’s published scripts and guides shorten the path. The clock is ticking: October 14, 2025, will turn the legacy app into a static archive. Start now to avoid disruption and to position your notes for the Copilot era.