Microsoft has a new way to use AI in OneNote — but a "dumb" feature excites me more

Microsoft announced a pair of new features for OneNote this week: Copilot Notebooks and Dynamic DPI support. The former is a larger addition that brings the power of AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot to Notebooks, but the latter has me more excited.

Copilot Notebooks in OneNote

Copilot Notebooks in OneNote let you gather together information from Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Copilot chats into a single space. You can get insights for your project by asking Copilot questions based on content in a specific Copilot Notebook.

Microsoft's Gokul Subramaniam announced Copilot Notebooks in OneNote this week.

OneNote can also generate audio summaries of a notebook for easy listening, as well as summaries, action items, and drafts.

To use Copilot Notebooks in OneNote for Windows, you need to be a commercial customer and have OneNote updated to version 2504 (Build 18827.20128) or later. You also need to have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and have an active SharePoint or OneDrive license.

Copilot Notebooks look like a useful way to have AI assist you at work. I am admittedly not their target audience, so I'm more excited about a feature that will fly under the radar for many.

Dynamic DPI support

OneNote will no longer appear blurry when switching between monitors with different resolutions. An update to the app adds Dynamic DPI support to OneNote in Windows.

"Gone are the days of blurry screens or fiddling with display settings," shared Khadija Qader in a Microsoft 365 blog post. "Now, OneNote automatically adjusts to your monitor’s resolution on the fly, so everything stays sharp, polished, and easy on the eyes."

Other Microsoft apps, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, already have Dynamic DPI support. To be honest, I was surprised to see that OneNote did not already support the feature.

Qader outlined three situations in which Dynamic DPI improves the OneNote experience:

1. Working with multiple monitors of different resolutions? Simply move your OneNote window from one screen to another. OneNote will instantly adjust to match the monitor’s resolution – giving you a clear, sharp display.  
2. Docking your laptop to an external monitor? Keep OneNote open while you dock your laptop. Once connected, it will automatically adjust to the new screen’s resolution – no blur, no need to restart the app. 
3. Using Copilot Notebooks? Eligible Copilot users can now experience the AI-powered Copilot Notebooks in OneNote with crisp, seamless visuals. Want to learn more? Go to Copilot Notebooks available in OneNote on Windows. 

Dynamic DPI support is available to those in the Current Channel. Make sure that OneNote has been updated to version 2504 (Build 18827.20042) or later to use the feature.