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OneNote for Windows is getting a new Ink Selection gesture for Microsoft 365 Insiders

A Microsoft OneNote Logo

OneNote for Windows users who are also members of the Microsoft 365 Insider program can try out a new feature that helps select content handwritten using fingers or styluses.

In a blog post, Microsoft stated that many users of the OneNote Windows app find that selecting handwritten or drawn content with the normal Lasso Select tool can be an issue. Now, Microsoft has come up with a new Ink Selection multi-tap gesture that should make it easier to select that kind of writing on the app.

ink selection

People who open a page on the OneNote Windows app with handwritten or drawn ink can select an area with a finger, stylus, or cursor tap. Then, all they have to do is keep tapping on that ink in the app to expand the selection to other parts of the content. You can keep tapping until the selection spans the entire page of the app.

Microsoft does have a few hints and tricks on how to use the new Ink Selection feature:

  • To clear selected ink, tap anywhere outside of the selected range.
  • In some cases, an ink stroke can be selected instead of a word with an initial tap. In that case, the ink selection progression will go from strokes, to visible ink on the page, to the entire page.
  • Highlighters and drawings are selected as ink stroke and follow the above ink selection progression.

The new feature is now available for Microsoft 365 Insiders to try out on the Beta Channel running Version 2402 (Build 17304.20000) or later. You can try it on the regular OneNote desktop app for Windows 10 and 11. It is not available for the old OneNote app for Windows 10. Microsoft has already announced that updates for that version of OneNote will end in October 2025.

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