Template Pages in OneNote

Can I quickly create similar pages using OneNote page templates? 

If you haven’t used OneNote before it is a searchable electronic notebook.  Great for use on the go and impossible to lose!! 

Each notebook can consist of many pages, amongst other things, and some of these may end up being similar.  This is where OneNote template pages come in.  Rather than creating a page from scratch, over and over again a standard starting point can be used. 

How do I access OneNote page templates? 

Page templates are accessed using the Page Templates icon on the Home tab

Initially a list of the last 8 template used is displayed but page templates brings up a templates pane on the right of the screen which shows many more.  These are divided into the following sections. 

• Academic – lecture and class notes 
• Blank – different sizes of page and different coloured backgrounds 
• Business – project overview and a choice of different meeting note designs 
• Decorative – flashy background images 
• Planners – to do lists 

By clicking on the template you want to use a new page is added to the OneNote notebook using this design. 

Using a page template as a default for new pages

Any of these template pages can be set as the default for new pages in that section of the notebook. 

Just click on the drop down for No Default template and choose the required option. 

NOTE: This is only for the current section so each section can have its’ own unique default template. 

Creating a new template 

But what if the templates provided are not what you need?  Or they are similar to your requirements but certain text always needs to be added or additional functionality included?  This is where a template of your own can be created. 

1. Create a page with the exact layout you want to replicate.  This could be from a blank page or using a pre-existing template as a starting point 
2. Click on Save page as current template at the bottom of the templates pane 
3. Give the template a suitable name.  This template can be set as the default for this section if required 

4. The new template can be used from the My templates section on the templates pane. This section is not available until at least one customised template has been produced. 

Delete a OneNote page template 

Pre-existing templates cannot be deleted.  To delete a newly created one right click on the template name and select Delete 

Although templates will take a little time to produce, if you are going to using them on a regular basis it is worthwhile investing time to save time in the long run. 

Further Reading

If you’ve enjoyed reading about how to set up and use Page Templates in OneNote, there’s some other blogs below that you might find useful:

• Microsoft Teams Templates and more new features
• Top 6 Save As Types