The Windows Sticky Notes app is a popular app for Windows 11 users, because it’s simple, easy to access, and free. It even looks like those real sticky notes that we use in offices. The newly updated Sticky Notes app has gotten better with recent upgrades. Here are some cool features you can use right now in Windows Sticky Notes app.
Table of Contents
- 1. Show/Hide Sticky Notes from Taskbar
- 2. Expand/Collapse a Sticky Note by Double-clicking the Title Bar
- 3. Enhanced OneNote Integration
- 4. Finally, a Launch Shortcut
- 5. Additional Sticky Notes Themes
- 6. Capture Screenshots in Individual Notes
- 7. Automatic Source Recollection
- 8. Copy-Paste Notes With One Touch
- 9. Important Notes Belong on Top
- 10. Using Sticky Notes in a Side by Side Mode
1. Show/Hide Sticky Notes from Taskbar
One of my main annoyances with the old Sticky Notes app used to be having to constantly see my notes while using other applications, especially browsers.
Before, the only option was to close the Windows Sticky Notes app, then reopen it later. But now, you can easily switch it on and off using the taskbar. You don’t even need to keep the app pinned – it shows up on the taskbar automatically.
Right-click the taskbar and click Show/Hide all notes to either collapse or display all your Sticky Notes. You can also create a new note directly from the taskbar, which is pretty handy.
With the new Sticky Notes app, there’s another keyboard shortcut feature we’ve covered below. However, I personally find the old Sticky Notes app’s latest taskbar option for switching on/off all your notes very effective.
2. Expand/Collapse a Sticky Note by Double-clicking the Title Bar
Instead of resizing the Sticky Notes window to see the details, there’s an easier way. Just double-click the title bar of any sticky note, and it will expand to fill your whole screen. To collapse it, move your mouse to the top and double-click the title bar again.
This feature is really helpful when you have lots of Windows Sticky Notes all over your screen. It can be hard to see one note from another. If you don’t wish to migrate from the old Sticky Notes feature to the new one, this is a good reason to retain it.
What’s more, you can view the sticky notes side by side, filling the whole screen. Just view them from the taskbar. If the notes are related, you can switch between them easily. It would be even better if there was a navigation pane to scroll through the sticky notes.
3. Enhanced OneNote Integration
While the free Windows Sticky Notes app has its benefits, many Microsoft users prefer OneNote for its rich features. Now you don’t have to choose between them – the “new” Sticky Notes app is well-integrated into OneNote, and you can use them together. This is what the new app version is all about. It just relaunches your old app in a new avatar.
Previously, you could sync your Sticky Notes with OneNote, but now the integration is more intuitive. Once you download and install OneNote, the new Sticky Notes app appears at the top. All your past Sticky Notes (with pictures and other data) will show up one by one.
You can scroll through each Sticky Note within the OneNote app. When you double-click on any note, it opens in a new window for closer examination. No need to download a new version of Sticky Notes – these features are built into OneNote.
4. Finally, a Launch Shortcut
Previously, you had to launch the Microsoft Sticky Notes app from the search menu or pin it to the taskbar. Now, with the new OneNote integration, there’s a dedicated keyboard shortcut to open the app. Just press Win + Alt + s to see the Sticky Notes app with all its features.
Once you open the shortcut window, you can pull out the Sticky Notes one by one or search for them using the search bar. If you run into any problems or errors while navigating the notes, we have a detailed guide to help you get them working properly.
Want to close the Sticky Notes window? There’s now a dedicated close button on top. It makes you wonder why Microsoft took so long to add this.
5. Additional Sticky Notes Themes
The new Windows Sticky Notes app now has more themes. Just open the ‘Settings’ icon from the three-dot menu, and you can choose from options like colorful, dark gray, black, white, and system setting. The dark themes are perfectly suited for those who prefer less brightness on their screens as they’re really good for your eyes and laptop battery.
Any color change you invoke will automatically apply to each sticky note. You can also change the color of each sticky note by clicking its three-dot icon and selecting More options for a different color.
6. Capture Screenshots in Individual Notes
It was always possible to add screenshots to your sticky notes, but you had to use another tool like Snipping Tool. This worked, but wasn’t great for browsing since you had to keep switching your focus.
Now, you can take screenshots directly with the new Sticky Notes app inside the browser window. It also works with apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or even a game. Just use the launch shortcut to insert the Sticky Note and save the screenshot, like a website.
For me, one big advantage of using Sticky Notes with a browser is that I can add my thoughts about any web page, which I might forget later. I can save them right next to the screenshot, which helps with remembering later when I see my note again. This brings us to a closely related next point.
7. Automatic Source Recollection
When browsing multiple web pages or working in an app window, we often forget why we visited that page or window. With the new Sticky Notes app, that’s not a problem anymore. It shows you the exact reason you returned to a page or window.
Supposing you visit a job search site and plan to apply by a due date. When you revisit the site, the note appears as a reminder. While we could always view the notes separately, having them integrated with everyday browsing is pretty amazing.
My only complaint is that the feature depends on how well the app captures the source. There can be delays, and not all web pages or app windows show a reminder, even if you took a note properly.
8. Copy-Paste Notes With One Touch
In the past, to copy-paste a note, you had to select all the text or scroll through the note if it was detailed. This was time-consuming. Now, the new Sticky Notes app makes it easy to copy an entire note. Just go to the three-dot menu and click Copy. You can then paste it into another note easily.
I find this solution very effective when working with Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The entire text, including images and screenshots, is copy-pasted effortlessly. This boosts your productivity as you can easily transfer your browsing activities to your Office apps without any hassle.
9. Important Notes Belong on Top
Scrolling through multiple notes to find the one you need used to be a hassle with the old Sticky Notes app. But the new one is designed better. It shows relevant notes for each app, browser window, or web page at the right time.
The algorithm change plays a big role in this. Since the source is saved automatically with each note, you just need to revisit the same browser page or app window. Besides the relevant notes, you also get other notes in descending order. This helps you focus on what you need.
My pet peeve is that despite many smart note capture features, the Windows Sticky Notes app still can’t arrange notes by the latest date. They should add a feature to sort notes by date
10. Using Sticky Notes in a Side by Side Mode
Even though it’s very useful, I’m not a big fan of this feature, but many people like it. In the OneNote window, you can use the Dock to Desktop feature from the Sticky Notes three-dot menu. This lets you view all the sticky notes side by side on the right in every browser window.
It’s a good feature because you can browse multiple notes, pop them out, and add screenshots as you go. My main issue is that it takes up a lot of screen space. Thankfully, you can undock it from the desktop when you’re done.
Windows Sticky Notes have a variety of productive uses. You can leverage them to make your work and computing activities more organized. If you need a few note-taking alternatives to Evernote, check them out here. Notion, for example, integrates with Slack, Trello, Google Calendar, Microsoft Teams, and more. If you’re transitioning from Evernote to Notion, follow these practical tips for a smoother transition.
All images and screenshots by Sayak Boral.
