OneNote lags when typing on Windows 11/10

Some users are reporting that OneNote lags when typing on Windows 11/10. This makes users annoyed and frustrated. In this article, we will show you how you can resolve the issue.

OneNote is a note-taking application that you can use to create your notes. OneNote makes it easy for you to maintain your notes. You can print your notes and share them. All your notes are stored online once you sign in with your Microsoft account, so you can easily get them on any of your devices by signing in to the same Microsoft account.

OneNote lags when typing on Windows 11/10

Use the following fixes if your OneNote lags when typing on Windows 11/10.

Update OneNote to the latest version
Update Graphics card drivers
Repair OneNote
Change graphics card settings for OneNote
Did you install the Grammarly desktop app?
Disable Automatic Sync
Run OneNote as an administrator
Check for Disk Fragmentation
Is your text collapsed in OneNote?

Note: To avoid data loss, please ensure all your notes are synced successfully.

Before proceeding, restart your computer and see if it helps. If this works, you need not use the fixes explained below. If restarting the computer does not help, follow the suggestions explained below.

1] Update OneNote to the latest version

Make sure that you are using the latest version of Microsoft OneNote. Microsoft releases updates to fix the bugs reported by users. Hence, it is mandatory to keep your Office apps up to date. You can check for Office updates manually. If updates are available, install them and see if the problem persists.

2] Update Graphics card driver

In some cases, this type of problem may occur due to the outdated or corrupted graphics card driver. Therefore, we suggest you update your graphics card driver to the latest version. There are different ways by which you can update your graphics card driver.

Optional Updates: When a driver update is released from the manufacturer, it becomes available on the Optional Updates page in Windows 11/10. Open the Optional Updates page in your Windows 11/10 Settings and see if the graphics card driver update is available. If yes, install the update from there.
Install the graphics card driver manually: Download the latest version of the graphics card driver from the manufacturer’s website. Now, install the DDU utility and use it to remove your graphics card driver. After doing that, run the installer file to install the graphics card driver manually.
Use the dedicated software: You can also use the dedicated software (depending on the make of your computer) to keep your computer up to date. For example, HP Support Assistant, Dell SupportAssist, Lenovo System Update, Intel Driver & Support Assistant, etc.

3] Repair OneNote

Repairing OneNote can fix many corrupted files that may be causing issues with OneNote. Follow the below-written steps to repair OneNote.

Open the Windows Settings.
Click on the Apps and go to the Installed apps. Based on your Windows 11/10 version, you may also see Apps & features in place of Installed apps.
Scroll down and search the OneNote.
Select Modify option by clicking the three dots upper right corner.
Click on Yes and you will get two options
- Quick Repair
- Online Repair

You can try both and check which option works for you. There is no need for an internet connection for Quick repair. If you’re trying the Online repair option then you need to connect your internet first. Online repair is more effective than Quick Repair.

Once it’s finished, restart your computer and then try to open your OneNote app.

4] Change graphics card settings for OneNote

Changing graphics card settings can improve OneNote performance. This is especially helpful if you’re experiencing a lag issue or slow typing issue in OneNote. The steps written below will help you to change the graphics card setting for OneNote.

Type the Graphics settings on the start menu.
Select the Graphics settings.
Select the Desktop app and click on the Browse button to add OneNote.
After adding OneNote, click on the Options button.
The pop-up will appear and it will show you these three options:
- Let Windows decide
- Power saving
- High performance

OneNote is located at the following location on your C drive;

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

The Office16 in the above path may be different for you depending on the version of Microsoft Office installed on your system.

First, select the High Performance option first and click on Save. If this option does not work for you, then try the other two options to change the graphics card settings for OneNote.

5] Did you install the Grammarly desktop app?

Grammarly is a popular grammar-checking software. It is available as a browser extension and desktop app for Windows computers. If you have installed its desktop app, it may be causing lagging issues in OneNote. You can try to terminate Grammarly in the Task Manager and then check if the issue is fixed or not.

6] Disable Automatic Sync

Automatic Sync can sometimes cause lagging issues in OneNote. If your Automatic Sync is enabled, disable it and see if it works.

Remember OneNote automatically syncs the notebooks to the cloud and keeps them up to date. If you disable Automatic sync, your data will not be saved to OneDrive. Hence, when you are done, you can enable this feature again.

7] Run OneNote as an administrator

Some users reported running OneNote as an administrator and the lag disappeared. You should also try this. Follow the steps provided below to run OneNote as an administrator.

Type the OneNote on the start menu.
Right-click on OneNote.
Click on Run as administrator.

8] Check for Disk Fragmentation

With time disk gets fragmented. Disk Fragmentation affects the performance of a computer. To fix this issue, we have to defragment the fragmented disks. Check for disk fragmentation and do disk defragmentation (if applicable). You can use free disk defragmentation software for Windows.

9] Is your text collapsed in OneNote?

In OneNote, we can collapse text to make it easier to read. This action hides the bullet points and creates a Plus icon. You can click on this Plus icon to expand the collapsed text. If you have used this feature, expand the entire text in your OneNote notebook. This fix has worked for many users. Maybe it will work for you too.

The shortcut keys used to expand and collapse text in OneNote are Alt + Shift + 0 and Alt + Shift + 1 respectively.

Read: How to use Copilot in OneNote.

Does Windows 11 support OneNote for Windows 10?

OneNote for Windows 11/10 is available in Microsoft Store. You can install it on your Windows 11 computer from there. Open Microsoft Store, search for OneNote and install OneNote on your system.

Why is my OneNote typing so slow?

There can be many reasons why your OneNote typing is slow or laggy, like outdated graphics card driver, an outdated version of OneNote, Automatic Syncing feature, background applications, etc. Background apps consume RAM that affects the performance of other apps( if you have less RAM ). Hence, first, close all background apps and see if it helps.