Last Updated on August 22, 2026
You may or may not know that Windows comes with a built in sticky notes application, so you do not have to actually put real Post It Notes on your monitor for things such as reminders and other types of notes. And if you have used the Windows Sticky Notes app, then you know it’s fairly easy to use and is pretty effective for what it is.
But now there is a newer version of the Windows Sticky Notes that comes with the Microsoft OneNote app. There is a free version of OneNote as well as the version that comes bundled with Office 365. In this article, we will be showing you how to configure and use the new OneNote Windows Sticky Notes app.
The image below shows the original Sticky notes application running on Windows 11. You can create multiple notes and do things such as change their color, format the text, and add images if needed. When you close the main Sticky Notes app and re-open it, your notes should be restored as well, unless you have closed the notes individually.
Installing the New Sticky Notes App
1. Download OneNote from the Store
To use the new OneNote Sticky Notes app, you will need to install OneNote if you do not have it on your computer already. If you have Microsoft 365 installed, you should have OneNote installed as well. If not, then you can install the free version of OneNote directly from the Microsoft Store app. All you need to do is open the Microsoft Store app and do a quick search for OneNote. Click on the Install button to have it added to your computer.
2. Wait for the Installation to Finish
The download process will take a few minutes depending on your internet speed. You should see a success message similar to the one below when the installation is finally complete. You are now ready to launch the upgraded application.
3. Launch the New Application
Now when you do a search for Sticky Notes in your Windows taskbar, you should see both the old version and the new version. You can use either version or even both of them if you like. Click the new icon to open the upgraded interface.
Configuring Your Microsoft Account
1. Accept the License Agreement
Once you launch the app and accept the license agreement, you will be asked to sign in with your Microsoft account. This account will be used to remember your notes in case you log in on to a different computer. The Sticky Notes app will sync your data securely to the cloud.
2. Sync Your Recent Notes
We opened the Sticky Notes app on a brand new computer for this test. As you can see, once we logged in, it had all of the saved notes that were tied to the Microsoft account. They populated instantly in the Recent Notes section.
3. Check Your Active Account
If you click on the ellipsis (…) at the top right of the app, you will be able to see what account you are logged in with. It will pull this account information directly from the OneNote app itself. If you want to change the account used with Sticky Notes, you will need to do so from OneNote directly. The Dock to desktop option will permanently pin the app to the right side of your desktop.
4. Review the App Settings
When you click on the Settings option, you will see that there is not much that you can actually configure. The interface is designed to be extremely lightweight and simple. You can toggle basic features like dark mode or source capturing here.
Creating and Managing Your Notes
1. Create a New Note
To create a new sticky note, simply click on the New Note button at the very top of the app. You can also search your existing notes from the search box located right below the New Note button. This makes finding old information incredibly fast.
2. Pop Out the Note Window
When you create a new note, it stays attached to the main interface by default. You can click the pop out button to have the note be completely separate from the Sticky Notes app. This makes the note free floating so you can drag it anywhere on your screen.
3. Pin and Format Your Note
Once the note is free floating, you can then click the thumbtack icon to pin it. This ensures it is always on top of other apps. That way, if you open another program, the sticky note will always be in front so you can see it. If you click the ellipsis, you can then change the note color, copy it to a new note or delete it. The two bars at the upper left are used to hide the top toolbar icons if you want a cleaner look.
Using the New Screenshot Feature
1. Capture an Open Application
The Screenshot button can be used to add a screenshot of an app that you have open in the background. If you do not have anything open, the Screenshot button will be greyed out. As you can see in the image below, once we have something open in the background, we can click the Screenshot button to have it automatically be added to our note.
If you click the Screenshot button from within the Sticky Notes app, it will take a screenshot of the open app and add it to a new note automatically. If you have more than one app open, it will take a screenshot of the one that is currently in focus (in front).
2. Take Screenshots from the Main Menu
You can also click the Screenshot button from within the main Sticky Notes app interface. It will instantly take a screenshot of the open app and add it to a brand new note automatically. If you have more than one app open, it will take a screenshot of the one that is currently in focus right in front.
As you can see, the new OneNote Sticky Notes app has some improvements over the older Sticky Notes app. And since you can use them both at the same time, you should definitely try it out to see which one you like the best!
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