The techniques used to handwrite notes in OneNote are the same as those used in other programs designed for the Tablet PC. To write a note, drag the stylus across the tablet to form letters and numbers. OneNote includes writing guides and special commands to help you handwrite notes.

1. On the View menu, tap Show Ink Groups.

   With Ink Groups turned on, writing guides appear on the page when you start handwriting a note. A writing guide is a shaded box that increases in size to accommodate the note as you write it. A writing guide looks different from the drawing canvas that appears when you draw a note.

2. Tap the Pen button .
3. On the Tools menu, point to Pen Mode, and then tap Create Handwriting Only.

   This indicates to OneNote that all marks you make on the surface of the tablet are meant to be handwritten notes, not drawings.

4. Tap once, and start handwriting your note.

   As soon as you start writing, the writing guide appears. This writing guide, which expands horizontally to accommodate your writing, helps you see where to handwrite your note. If the writing guide doesn't appear when you tap, OneNote thinks you are drawing, not writing.

   
5. Tap outside the writing guide after you finish handwriting your note.

   Your note appears in the standard note container. (You can move a handwritten note on the page by dragging its note container.)

Convert a drawing canvas into a note container

Start a new paragraph in a note

Make the current paragraph a continuation of the previous paragraph

If OneNote starts a new paragraph against your wishes, tap the Make Current Paragraph a Continuation of Previous Paragraph button on the Drawing and Writing Tools toolbar. Tapping this button joins the paragraph you're writing with the previous paragraph.

Erase a mistake

If you make a mistake, tap the Eraser button , and drag across the line you want to erase.

1. Select the handwritten note by moving the pointer over its selection bar and tapping when the four-headed arrow appears. You can also move the pointer to the left of the note container and click the paragraph selection tool.
2. Tap the Convert Handwriting to Text button on the Drawing and Writing Tools toolbar. Or on the Tools menu, tap Convert Handwriting to Text.

   If the handwriting-recognition software on your computer reads the handwritten note correctly, it's rendered in text instead of handwriting.

   

Correct a word that was converted incorrectly

1. On the View menu, tap Rule Lines, and then tap Standard Ruled.

   The rule lines that appear on the page help the handwriting-recognition software identify letters and numbers because they encourage you to enter characters on the same baseline.

   If you don't want to see these lines until you've finished handwriting, tap the Show/Hide Rule Lines button to remove them.

2. On the Format menu, tap Stationery to open the Stationery task pane.
3. Tap Tablet PC Portrait, and then tap Meeting 1. A new page designed especially for use on Tablet PCs is added to the section.
4. On the Tools menu, tap Options.
5. Tap the Handwriting category.

   

6. Select the Use pen pressure sensitivity check box.

   This makes lines darker if you press harder with a stylus. However, it also increases the file size of sections.

7. Select the Automatically switch between Pen and Selection Tool check box. OneNote switches automatically between the pen and the selection tool.
8. Select the first option if you want the writing guide to make room for the next paragraph when you come to the right side of the page.
9. Select the second option if you want the writing guide to make room for the next paragraph before you reach the right side of the page.
10. Tap OK.