Microsoft OneNote for Android Tablets adds Handwriting Support

Until now, the Android version of OneNote lacked the ability to use a stylus within the app. Credit: Shutterstock

Microsoft's OneNote is one of the best note-taking applications around. It lets you type, dictate or write out notes with a stylus, then sync your notes across all your devices — at least, that's been possible on most mobile platforms. Until now, the Android version of OneNote has been a bit hamstrung by the lack of certain features, including the ability to write out notes with a stylus. But a new update adds handwriting support, as well as a brand-new tablet-optimized interface. Here are three new features that make OneNote for Android tablets worth another look.

Handwriting support

You can buy a capacitive stylus for just about any Android tablet, and some Android slates such as Samsung's Galaxy Note tablets come with a stylus out of the box. However, you couldn't use a stylus within the app at all with the Android version of OneNote — until now. The new update adds this functionality so you can take notes and draw diagrams right on your tablet's screen, then sync those notes and images across all your devices so you'll always have access to them. In other words, OneNote finally gives Android users a good replacement for pen-and-paper notes.

New interface

The best tablet-optimized apps take advantage of the extra screen space afforded on a large slate, giving you easier access to options that a smartphone app would have buried in layers of menus. Now, the latest version of OneNote for Android tablets features a brand-new user interface designed for bigger screens. The biggest difference is a persistent navigation pane on one side of the screen to help you scan through your notebooks more quickly to find just the note you're searching for.

Formatting options

Microsoft also added a slew of new formatting options to help you organize your notes better on your Android Tablet. You can now color-code your notes by changing the page's hue, or add grid lines or ruled lines to your pages for neater handwriting or drawing. Additionally, you can now tag individual notes so they're easier to find later.