OneNote for Windows 10: The universal app finally dies in October

It’s been a long time coming, but Microsoft is finally killing off the OneNote 2016 desktop app in favor of the OneNote for Windows 10 app. The software giant first announced its plans to phase out the older app back in 2017, when it said that it would “focus [its] energy and resources on making OneNote for Windows 10 the best note-taking experience for our customers.”

Now, the company has announced that the OneNote 2016 app will reach its end of life on October 2020. After that date, it will no longer receive security updates, so Microsoft is urging users to switch to the OneNote for Windows 10 app before then.

The OneNote for Windows 10 app is already included with Windows 10, and it’s available to download for free from the Microsoft Store. It’s a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, which means that it’s designed to work across all Windows 10 devices, including PCs, tablets, and phones.

If you’re still using the OneNote 2016 app, you can export your notes to the OneNote for Windows 10 app before it’s discontinued. Microsoft has published a support article with instructions on how to do this.

Once the OneNote 2016 app is gone, the OneNote for Windows 10 app will be the only way to access your notes on a Windows PC. If you’re using the app on a phone or tablet, you’ll still be able to access your notes offline, but you won’t be able to sync them with your PC unless you have the OneNote for Windows 10 app installed.

The OneNote for Windows 10 app is a decent replacement for the OneNote 2016 app, but it’s not without its own problems. Some users have complained about missing features, Sync problems, and stability issues. Microsoft has been slowly adding new features to the app, but it’s still not as feature-rich as the OneNote 2016 app.