Change default version of OneNote

When you launch a OneNote note, Windows 10 will detect two versions of OneNote apps and therefore prompt you to choose the version that you would want to use as the default app for opening future notebooks. You will then be required to make a selection. If you wish to change the default anytime in the future, you can do so as follows. Open the Start Menu and then choose Settings. Select System, choose ‘Default apps’ and then scroll to the bottom of the list to find ‘Set defaults by app’ entry.

Click on this link and in the list under ‘Set your default programs’, find the version of OneNote that you’d like Windows to use as the default app, and select ‘Set this program as default’. For instance, choose OneNote (desktop) if you want to always open notebooks in OneNote 2016. Click OK to save your changes. Hereafter, if you would like to alter these settings at any given time, repeat the steps in the preceding list and select the different option. Alternatively, you can also open OneNote link in Windows 10 with Internet Explorer or use OneNote Online and make it open the OneNote app or set it as the default version. For setting the version of OneNote that opens from the web, open Settings, choose System > Default apps, scroll to the bottom of the list, and choose ‘Choose default apps by protocol‘. Here, scroll down to locate the OneNote protocols and click the ONENOTE URL: OneNote Protocol icon.

Once done, choose OneNote 2016 (the desktop app) from ‘Choose an app’ dialog box and click the ONENOTEDESKTOP URL: OneNote Protocol icon and in the Choose an app dialog box that appears, choose OneNote 2016 (the desktop app). Close the ‘Choose default apps by protocol’ window. Now, when you open a link in Windows 10 with Internet Explorer or open OneNote from OneNote Online, you will see OneNote 2016 open.