Microsoft Enhances OneNote Copilot with Handwriting Recognition

What to know

• OneNote Copilot now analyzes both typed and handwritten notes, expanding its functionality beyond the initial typed-text-only capability.
• Users can access Copilot through the ribbon or directly from the canvas, with options to summarize, rewrite, or create to-do lists from handwritten content.
• The feature is currently available to Microsoft 365 Insiders using OneNote on Windows Version 2404 (Build 17628.20006) or later.

---

Microsoft has announced an update to OneNote Copilot, expanding its capabilities to include handwritten note analysis. As noted by TheVerge, this new feature allows the AI-powered assistant to process both typed text and handwritten (inked) notes within OneNote.

Victoria Chen, Product Manager on the Office AI team, introduced the update to Microsoft 365 Insiders. The enhancement builds upon the initial release of OneNote Copilot in November 2023, which was previously limited to typed text analysis.

Key features of the update include:

1. Accessibility: Users can access Copilot through the ribbon icon or directly from the canvas.

2. Functionality: Copilot can now summarize, rewrite, and generate to-do lists based on handwritten content.

3. Integration: The feature works with existing OneNote notebooks containing both handwritten and typed notes.

To use the new functionality, users have two options:

1. Using Ribbon:

1. Open a OneNote section with handwritten notes.
2. Select the Copilot icon on the ribbon.
3. Ask Copilot a question about the handwritten notes.

2. Using Canvas:

1. Select ink strokes using touch, pen, or mouse.
2. Click the Copilot icon to open the dropdown menu.
3. Choose a Copilot menu prompt (e.g., summarize, rewrite, create a to-do list).

Let’s also talk about some of the use cases that Microsoft itself suggested for the handwriting recognition feature in OneNote:

• Asking questions about notebook content
• Summarizing inked notes for meetings or exams
• Creating task lists based on handwritten notes

The handwriting recognition feature is currently available to Microsoft 365 Insiders running OneNote on Windows Version 2404 (Build 17628.20006) or later. This update represents a step forward in digital note-taking technology, potentially improving productivity for users who prefer handwritten notes.