Have Questions? Start a Chat (Make sure to include your Email)
Best OneNote Tips for Productivity and Digital Planning
Quick Answer
This 28-minute deep dive covers 14 advanced OneNote tips: primary vs secondary planner setup, hierarchies, page sorting, full-screen mode, side-by-side windows, dark mode, creating hyperlinks, converting handwriting to text, task reminders linked to Outlook, meeting notes, printing, and emailing notes directly from OneNote.
Once you know the basics of OneNote, the next question is how to use it more effectively. This video covers the features and techniques that make a real difference in a daily digital planning workflow -- the ones that separate power users from people who just scratch the surface of what OneNote can do.
Branden published this productivity tips guide in February 2022. With over 140,000 views it has become one of the most-watched OneNote productivity tutorials in the digital planning community. He covers 14 features across the full range of OneNote use cases: organizational techniques like primary vs secondary planner and hierarchies, interface tips like full-screen mode and dark mode, productivity features like hyperlinks and task reminders, and practical workflows like Outlook meeting notes and printing directly from pages.
For a planner that takes full advantage of all these features, the Key2Success OneNote Digital Planner has hyperlinks, task pages, meeting pages, and the full planning structure built in from day one.
Video Chapters
Video Transcript
Branden covers 14 advanced OneNote features: primary vs secondary planner separation, sub-page hierarchies, page sorting, full-screen mode, side-by-side windows, dark mode and page backgrounds, creating hyperlinks to pages and sections, converting handwriting to text with Ink to Text, task reminders linked to Outlook, creating meeting notes from calendar entries, printing pages from OneNote, and emailing pages directly from the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary vs secondary planner concept in OneNote?
The primary planner is your main daily planning notebook. The secondary planner is a supporting notebook for projects or reference. Keeping them separate helps you stay focused during planning sessions.
How do you create hyperlinks in OneNote?
Right-click a page and choose Copy Link to Page, then paste it anywhere in your notes. You can link to sections or web pages too. This is how the Key2Success planner navigation is built.
How do you convert handwriting to text in OneNote?
Select handwritten notes with the Lasso tool in the Draw tab, then choose Draw then Ink to Text. Works best with clear, consistent handwriting.
Can you use dark mode in OneNote?
Yes. On Windows go to Settings and select Dark under Office Theme. On iPad, dark mode follows the system setting. Page background can also be changed independently.
How do you create task reminders in OneNote?
Tag items with the To-Do tag and use Outlook integration to set a reminder date and time. The task appears in Outlook and fires a notification when due.
Apply These OneNote Tips Today
- Set up your primary planner notebook (Key2Success) separate from reference notebooks.
- Use sub-pages to organize notes within sections using the hierarchy system.
- Add hyperlinks between planning pages for faster navigation.
- Enable dark mode and set your preferred page background color.
- Connect OneNote to Outlook for task reminders and meeting notes.
The Key2Success Digital Planner Uses All These Features
Hyperlinks, task pages, meeting pages, and a full planning structure -- built for OneNote on iPad and Windows.
Shop the OneNote Planner
