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WTF?! Microsoft will soon begin slowing down OneNote on Windows 10, forcing users and professionals who rely on the tool to upgrade to Windows 11. According to a recently updated support document, Microsoft confirms that OneNote for Windows 10 will reach the end of official support in October 2025.
The original OneNote was announced by Bill Gates in 2002, back when most people were still using Windows XP or Windows 2000 on their PCs. The note-taking tool was part of the Office suite and later updated and made available free of charge in different versions for various operating systems and the web, but Microsoft is now pushing to streamline the software – while leaving Windows 10 users behind.
As for the current announcement, simply put, OneNote’s “legacy” version is being retired alongside Windows 10. The operating system is also set to lose support in October, and Microsoft is now urging users to install Windows 11 or buy a brand-new device running its latest OS. Software upgrades are an annoying fact of life for PC users, but Redmond seems to be cooking up something extra frustrating in the case of OneNote’s demise.
Enterprise customers still using OneNote on Windows 10 are advised to switch to the latest version – called “OneNote for Windows” – which is available on the Microsoft Store. Microsoft is attempting to simplify the current mess of offerings, as it currently maintains three different versions of the same note-taking platform: one for Windows 10, another for Windows 11, and a web-based version.
Microsoft also confirmed that starting in June 2025, OneNote for Windows 10 will deliberately experience slower sync performance, making real-time collaboration and multi-device access more difficult. Why would Microsoft do this? The company explains that faster synchronization is a feature exclusive to the latest OneNote for Windows, which also includes Copilot AI features, new security options, and other “improvements.”
A few years ago, Microsoft stated that users would not be forced to upgrade their existing OneNote installations and that they would remain in control. While OneNote for Windows 10 will technically still work after October 2025, those of us who prefer it should now expect degraded performance… for absolutely no practical reason whatsoever.
Despite being nearly 10 years old, Windows 10 remains the most widely used desktop operating system. Windows 11 hasn’t received the same warm welcome, and Microsoft now appears to be resorting to its usual heavy-handed tactics to break the market stalemate. Needless to say, there are plenty of alternative note-taking tools to consider if you plan to stick with Windows 10 beyond October 2025.
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