Is OneNote Going Away? OneNote for Windows 10 End of Life

Is OneNote going away? No. Only one version is gone: OneNote for Windows 10, the Microsoft Store app that came preinstalled on Windows 10, reached end of support on 14 October 2025 and is now read-only. The main OneNote app for Windows is still supported, still free to download, still included in Office 2024 and Microsoft 365, and still getting new features.

Which OneNote Versions Are Still Supported?

Microsoft's page What is happening to OneNote for Windows 10 confirms the end-of-support date and says the OneNote app on Windows will continue to receive new features, quality updates and protection.

Is OneNote Going Away or Just One Version?

Just one version. For years Windows users had two OneNote apps with almost the same name, which caused much of the confusion. Microsoft has now unified Windows around a single app, simply called OneNote, and retired the duplicate.

The two apps were:

• OneNote for Windows 10, a lighter Microsoft Store app preinstalled on Windows 10. This is the one that reached end of support.
• OneNote, the full desktop app previously called OneNote 2016. It installs with Office or on its own and is the version Microsoft is developing.

If your OneNote window title or Start menu entry says "OneNote for Windows 10", you are on the retired app. If it just says "OneNote", you are on the supported one.

What Happens to OneNote for Windows 10 Now?

OneNote for Windows 10 is now read-only. You can open it, read your notebooks and export content, but you can no longer create, edit or sync notes in it.

Your notebooks themselves are fine. OneNote notebooks are normally stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, not inside the app, so the same notebooks open in the supported OneNote app as soon as you sign in with the same account. Microsoft says any changes that had not synced before end of support were backed up and can be reached from the OneNote app on Windows.

There is also a security reason to move. An unsupported app no longer receives security fixes, and an app that handles files and syncs over the internet is exactly the kind you want patched.

How Do You Move from OneNote for Windows 10 to the OneNote App?

You move by installing the OneNote app, signing in with the same Microsoft or work account, and opening your notebooks from OneDrive. It takes about ten minutes.

1. Open the old app and confirm which account you use: select your profile picture or Settings and More → Settings → Accounts.
2. Install the OneNote app. It may already be on your PC if you have Office; otherwise get OneNote free from the Microsoft Store.
3. Open OneNote and sign in with the same account.
4. Go to File → Open and select each notebook stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.
5. Check that your recent pages are present, then pin OneNote to the taskbar.
6. Once everything is there, uninstall OneNote for Windows 10 from Settings → Apps → Installed apps so you don't open the wrong app by habit.

Is OneNote Still Free?

Yes. Microsoft's guide to the differences between OneNote versions says all supported versions are free to download and use, and the Windows app is available on its own from the Microsoft Store. Some extra features need Microsoft 365, but taking, organising and syncing notes does not.

OneNote is also part of every current Office suite. Microsoft confirms that the Windows desktop version of OneNote is included with Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024. If you are buying Office anyway, Office 2024 Professional Plus includes OneNote alongside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. The subscription route is covered in our Office vs Microsoft 365 guide.

Is Publisher Going Away Too?

Yes, and unlike OneNote, Publisher is going away completely. Microsoft removed Publisher from Microsoft 365 from 1 October 2026, and the last perpetual version lost support with Office 2021 on 13 October 2026. No replacement version is planned, and Office 2024 does not include it.

The difference matters: OneNote lost a duplicate app, while Publisher lost the product itself. Our post on Publisher end of life and your .pub files explains how to convert publications before they become hard to open.

A Common Mistake We See

The mistake we see most is people uninstalling OneNote for Windows 10 before checking where their notebooks live. Most notebooks sync to OneDrive and are safe, but a notebook that was only ever saved locally can be harder to recover once the app is gone.

Open the supported OneNote app, confirm every notebook is there, and only then remove the old one. The same rule applies when you replace a PC or move to newer Office: check your data first. Our Office end of support dates table shows which Office versions still receive updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Microsoft discontinuing OneNote?

No. Microsoft is not discontinuing OneNote. It retired only OneNote for Windows 10, the preinstalled Store app, on 14 October 2025. The OneNote app on Windows, plus OneNote for Mac, iPhone, Android and the web, remain supported and continue to receive updates.

When did OneNote for Windows 10 end of support happen?

OneNote for Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025, the same day Windows 10 reached end of support. Since then the app has been read-only: you can view and export notes, but you cannot create, edit or sync them.

Will I lose my OneNote notes?

Not if your notebooks are stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, which is the default. Sign in to the OneNote app on Windows with the same account and they appear. Microsoft also backed up unsynced changes from OneNote for Windows 10 so they can be recovered.

Is OneNote 2016 the same as the new OneNote app?

Yes. The supported desktop app was previously called OneNote 2016. Microsoft now just calls it OneNote. It is the same full-featured app that installs with Office and Microsoft 365 or from the Microsoft Store.

Is MS Publisher going away?

Yes. Microsoft retired Publisher in October 2026. It was removed from Microsoft 365 from 1 October 2026, and Publisher 2021 lost support on 13 October 2026. Microsoft recommends Word and PowerPoint for newsletters, flyers, posters and other publications.

Does Office 2024 include OneNote?

Yes. Microsoft confirms that the Windows desktop version of OneNote is included with Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024. You can also download OneNote free from the Microsoft Store if you don't need the rest of the Office suite.

Conclusion

So, is OneNote going away? No. Only the duplicate OneNote for Windows 10 app was retired; the main OneNote app is free, supported and improving. Move your notebooks to it now, and if you need a full Office suite with OneNote included, compare the options in our Microsoft Office collection.

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