Microsoft quietly hit the reminder button this week: the UWP-era OneNote for Windows 10 — the touchscreen-friendly version that came bundled with Windows for years — is officially being retired. Beginning October 14, 2025, that app will be switched to read-only: you’ll still be able to open and view notebooks, but editing, creating new pages, and cloud sync will stop. Microsoft will also stop shipping updates, bug fixes, and security patches for the app.

OneNote has been oddly split across multiple Windows experiences for close to a decade: there was the original desktop “OneNote 2016,” the UWP “OneNote for Windows 10,” and — more recently — a single, unified OneNote on Windows app that Microsoft has been building as the future of the product. The company says consolidating into that single app lets it move faster on new features, keep security and support focused, and deliver a more consistent experience across devices. Bola Soneye, a OneNote product manager, framed the move as consolidating effort into “a single, more powerful OneNote on Windows” so Microsoft can deliver features faster and support the app long term.

For everyday users, this is mostly about timing and habits: millions learned to use the Windows 10 app because it was preinstalled and touch-friendly. Now, Microsoft is nudging those users to migrate so notebooks keep syncing and remain editable.

What changes on October 14, 2025

• OneNote for Windows 10 becomes read-only. You can view notes but not edit, create, or sync.
• No more security updates. Microsoft will not provide fixes or patches to that app after the date.
• Microsoft recommends moving to OneNote on Windows. The company points users to the newer app in the Microsoft Store and offers an in-app migration ribbon to help.

How to move your notes

Microsoft built a relatively straightforward in-app path to make the switch painless:

1. Open OneNote for Windows 10. Look for the migration banner or the migration ribbon that says something like “Switch now.”
2. Follow the ribbon to the Microsoft Store listing for the new OneNote on Windows app and install it.
3. Sign in with the same Microsoft account or org account. The new app should surface your cloud notebooks automatically once you sign in and sync.
4. Double-check sync and content. Verify sections and pages are intact; if you use local notebooks or third-party sync, make backups (export or copy to OneDrive) before switching.

If you’re an admin, Microsoft publishes migration guidance and deployment notes aimed at business and education customers — those pages include more detail on staged rollouts, policies, and automation options.

What users should watch out for

• Local notebooks: If you have notebooks stored only locally (not in OneDrive or SharePoint), make a local backup or move them into the cloud before the deadline. The migration flow expects cloud-synced notebooks for seamless transfer.
• Add-ins and workflows: Some older integrations or add-ins built for the Windows 10 app may behave differently (or not at all) in the unified OneNote. Test critical workflows before making the switch across many machines.
• Enterprise timelines: Organizations that use managed Windows 10 fleets should coordinate migrations; Microsoft’s enterprise guidance covers bulk deployment and validation steps.

What’s coming next in OneNote (hint: AI)

OneNote’s future roadmap is tightly coupled with Microsoft’s Office/365 AI push. Microsoft has been folding Copilot features into its productivity apps — and OneNote is getting its share: Copilot can summarize notes, generate content, and even work with inked (handwritten) notes in the new OneNote experience. Microsoft has also introduced Copilot Notebooks, which gather AI chats, documents, and other content into focused project spaces inside OneNote. In short, the unified app is where Microsoft is directing its AI investments.

Final take: should you worry?

Not immediately — Microsoft isn’t yanking your notes offline today. But October 14, 2025 is a hard date: after that, the old app will be read-only and unsupported. If you rely on OneNote for daily work or school, it’s a simple, low-risk move to follow the in-app migration and switch to the supported OneNote on Windows now: you keep editing, you keep syncing, and you gain access to the newer AI features Microsoft is building. Back up local notebooks first, test the new app briefly, then make the jump.