How to move onenote sections back to top of notebook?

Anonymous
2017-05-26T06:50:42+00:00

I have found that the default onenote view is to have sections run along the top of the notebook instead of on the right (vertical view). I prefer to have my sections run along the top in the default view, but somehow, my view changed where all my sections are in a left aligned vertical view. I cannot figure out how to revert back to where all the section tabs are back along the top of each notebook. Please show me how. I cannot find this info anywhere in Microsoft support. Please note, this screenshot was taken while Office Theme = Colorful and while the "Enable Experimental Features" box was checked.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2017-05-27T19:38:21+00:00

Hi Nick. I'm glad to hear you're an actual MicroSoft engineer. I hope it is an engineer specifically for the OneNote product. I want to call B.S. on your "user testing". Switching over without the option of giving your end users a choice of layout was plain stupid and short-sighted on the part of MicroSoft. I've been using OneNote for just over a year despite being an avid Apple products user. I did this on the advice of two colleagues who use Onenote regularly, and who actually work for Microsoft (as employees, not vendors). Both of them state that they use tabs across the top and they believe it is only the Apple version that was changed permanently. They stated they would revert to version 15.33 if the engineering team forced this changed upon the software! Also, why don't you take a moment to read the feedback that you've been receiving about this forced change? Not just within the VOTE page (which has risen to 370), but throughout all the tickets that have been submitted asking how to restore this, as well as posts and comments made within the Microsoft online community. The 370 votes posted are only a small percentage of dissent that's out there. Nick, take your head out of the sand. Really. You can add this as an option for those who prefer tabs on the left... But why force it? Stupid. Plain stupid. 

I have reverted back to version 15.33 using Apple's time machine. If anyone reading this wants to know how to fix this issue, the answer is revert back to version 15.33. If you don' have Time Machine, and you need an alternative means to do so, please post a message here and I will help you with this.

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Anonymous
2017-05-27T05:41:55+00:00

Hey Santiago! I'm an engineer on the OneNote team.

To bring consistency across the OneNote platforms we've moved the section selection to the left side of the screen. Through user testing we've determined that (while the migration can be confusing) users find the updated experience to be more intuitive given our hierarchy structure (Notebook => Section => Page).

You're welcome to leave feedback for this change on UserVoice :)

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-12-02T21:45:43+00:00

    Totally feel your pain. Let's stay on em. Shame we have to brow beat these guys into common sense.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-12-02T21:44:27+00:00

    I am in violent agreement with Santiago on this one ! Give us the option. I weighed in on this a while back with the exact same sentiment and that has been CONSISTENT AND HASN'T AND WILL NOT CHANGE.

    I keep a .dmg on a server in case we get hit with the expected upgrade shrapnel from MS Updates were it reverts it. 

    This is really compromised usability on many points. For example the side panelling of sections consumes space otherwise available for authoring content. Why rob authoring content when what you had previously with the tabs on the top was effecient and intuitive. I would love to know what users were of the opinion that side placed sections was more intuitive in lieu of authoring real estate. Their sum zero intuitive characteristics about losing space in a UI. 

    Relational Structure doesn't have to be mirrored on the front end. Usability 101.

    Present the data to user in the manner which makes business sense. Tech is enablement or at least that's the dream.

    Please provide an option to put the stinking tabs side or on the top as a configurable choice and we will stop barking at you.

    Why be needlessly rigid. Leave the consistency to the users to decide what works best for them and their organizations.

    We get that you guys are the smart boys and girls of the promise land round town but know this to be true know knows business like The Business (The People). Tested tried and true. 

    We expected better from MS or should adopt lower expections for MS?

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-11-28T17:05:09+00:00

    just put tabs on top man, at least move  the entire section it to right hand side .

    Tab on top and pages on left is how I know OneNote , I am using one note for last 5 years and this new layout is so irritating that am trying to find a way out of OneNote to some other application. What the **** engineering team is doing at MS, You guys are avid coders so give us an option to move the tab to top as it was in original version.

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