One Note has cracks when writing

Question

One Note has cracks when writing

reshad chowdhure 0

I have been getting these small cracks in my writing when using one note with my apple pencil and dont know how to fix it

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Answer 1

Kai-H 26,665 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi, reshad chowdhure

This usually points more to input detection or a recent app/iPadOS glitch than to a pen setting inside OneNote, especially if it started suddenly or after an update. It can also happen when the Apple Pencil or screen setup is interfering with touch detection.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

First, test the pencil in Apple Notes or another writing app. If the cracks only happen in OneNote, it is recommended that you fully sync the notebook, then sign out of OneNote and sign back in, because a stuck sync or app state can affect inking. If it happens in other apps too, it is suggested that you remove any screen protector or tight case, write while the iPad is not charging, and turn off Zoom in iPad Accessibility, as those can affect pencil input.

If nothing changes, it is recommended that you back up the iPad and try a full iPad reset, since that has resolved similar OneNote + Apple Pencil issues before.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you.

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reshad chowdhure 0 Reputation points

2026-04-28T09:20:34.3166667+00:00

Hi I tried everything but it still not working and it only happens in onenote
Kai-H 26,665 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-30T07:17:40.79+00:00

Hi, reshad chowdhure

If it only happens in OneNote and not in other apps, this looks more like a OneNote inking bug or limitation on iPad than a bad Apple Pencil. There are a few more app-specific things worth trying that are different from the usual reset/reinstall steps.

If you’re on an M2/M4 iPad, it is recommended that you turn off Apple Pencil Hover / Show Effects when using Pencil in iPad Settings, because that fixed extra trailing lines for some OneNote users. If your OneNote version shows Dynamic Pen Thickness, it is suggested that you turn that off, since tilt-sensitive thickness can make handwriting look cracked or uneven. It is also recommended that you test on a brand new blank page or notebook with no images/PDFs, because there are cases where pages with inserted content cause weird pen behavior only in OneNote. If a clean page works, move your notes to a fresh section and keep writing there as a workaround.
reshad chowdhure 0 Reputation points

2026-04-30T07:43:39.6866667+00:00

Hi I have tried all these suggestions but they have not worked, I also have a apple pencil usb c and ipad a16 if that makes any difference?
Kai-H 26,665 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-01T06:13:37.4066667+00:00

Hi, reshad chowdhure

The iPad A16 supports the Apple Pencil USB-C and the 1st generation Apple Pencil, and the USB-C Pencil does not support pressure sensitivity.

At this point, since it only happens in OneNote and you’re using an iPad A16 with Apple Pencil USB-C, it is recommended that this be treated as a OneNote-specific compatibility issue and escalated with those exact device details in the in-app feedback. If you can borrow a 1st gen Apple Pencil just for a quick test, that would also be a useful last check, because your iPad supports it and that model does support pressure sensitivity.