Can I create OneNote links that open in the desktop app instead of the web app?

Question

I'm trying to create hyperlinks to my most frequently used OneNote notebooks and notes. It's easy to create the links (right-click a notebook/note and click "Copy Link to Notebook/Note"). But when I open the links, they start in the OneNote web app instead of the OneNote desktop app. Is there any way to create OneNote hyperlinks that open in the desktop app?

Note that my notebooks are stored on SkyDrive in case that makes a difference.

Answer 1

Links copied from OneNote look like this.
(Not a working link; much of the id has been removed)

https://skydrive.live.com/edit.aspx/OneNote/@Home?cid=125154654&id=documents?&wd=target%28General.one%111-9848-4DEE-95E4%2fVerizon%20Bill%20Figures%7c34DE9-00-4B84-90B6-CE0C9%2f%29 onenote:https://d.docs.live.net/dc516d79ac0/OneNote/@Home/General.one#Verizon%20Bill%20Figures&section-id={4DEE-95E4}&page-id={003E-4B84}&object-id={0DCF-1D9C}&15

Copy the text starting at and including onenote: and everything after. Use it to create a link from any other application and the OneNote app will launch.

Answer 2

Updated answer for OneNote for Windows 10 as of build 1806 and later:

First, get the pair of links to the workbooks:

1. Open your workbook (in the app)
2. In the notebooks list, right click on the desired workbook
3. In the context menu, select 'copy link to notebook'

(as noted in related articles, copying this link actually puts 2 flavors of link on the clipboard)

Next, paste the links into a text editor (e.g, Notepad.exe). Note that there are 2 lines pasted, and the path in the second isn't quite the same as the ID in the first.

1. https://__redact1__.sharepoint.com/personal/__redact2__/_layouts/OneNote.aspx?id=__redact3__
2. onenote:https://__redact1__.sharepoint.com/personal/__redact2__/Documents/__redact4__/

And finally, paste the onenote:http://... line into a new desktop shortcut.

It will open in OneNote app. You don't need to make the shortcut invoke the onenote .exe, it's already magically bound to the onenote: protocol.

Answer 3

You need to use the /hyperlink option in the command line. You can open any page. I find it very convenient to open a sticky docked note on the side of the screen (very convenient for to do lists, etc.), by using the /docked option. Here's how.

Create a shortcut in the Taskbar, with a link to the page. Syntax: full_path_to_onenote.exe /docked /hyperlink hyperlink_to_the_page

• To create the full command of the shortcut, use Notepad, Wordpad or any other note taking app.

• Copy-paste the full path to OneNote.exe (e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\ONENOTE.EXE"). Either from the icon on the taskbar (Pin OneNote to taskbar first if not pinned yet (right-click the icon then right-click again on the program to display the properties), or from the program folder.

• In OneNote, right-click the page you want to open and select "Copy Link To Page". Paste to the NotePad and copy the hyperlink (the first link, the second looks like onenote:https://...&end).

• Paste the hyperlink after the path to OneNote.exe

• Insert /hyperlink or /docked /hyperlink between the two.

• Create the shortcut by right-clicking on the desktop and pasting the full path created above.

• Drag-drop the shorcut to the TaskBar.

Alternative: Create a jump-list item.

• Create a shortcut with the hyperlink, as if you wanted a desktop shortcut to open the web app at the selected page (right-click/new shortcut/
• Drag-drop the shortcut icon to the OneNote icon on the taskbar. This creates a pinned jump list item. This method is easier and faster, but it won't allow you to create a docked page.

Useful reference for command switches: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Command-line-switches-in-Microsoft-Office-OneNote-2007-29468957-1fcc-48b8-8821-00fe5518493a?CorrelationId=ff012b7b-e41c-4a4e-b105-62eff78b5a47&ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US>

Answer 4

Right click in a OneNote page >> choose copy link to paragraph go to where you want to add your link and paste the link

It will paste a link with the text of the paragraph line, and a webap link.

The link with the paragraph line will open in your descktop app.

Answer 5

If you want to use an InternetShortcut you must use the "onenote:https:/..." part of the link as stated in the answer by GollyJer but you also have to have "IDList=" - at least that worked for me. Otherwise you might open the wrong page in OneNote.

You can create a Link by a text editor or your preferred coding language by:

1. Create a File with extension url: GoToOneNote.url

2. Add the following lines:

   [InternetShortcut]
   URL=onenote:https://pathtonotebook/Notebookname.one#Page&section-id={XXX}&page-id={XXX}&end
   IDLIST=
   

Answer 6

New process to open a page in OneNote for Windows 10:

• Open the page in OneNote for Windows 10
• Right-click on the page in the Section sidebar
• Select Copy Link to Page

The clipboard now contains a link to the page for OneNote Web.

Now the important bit:

• Paste the link into a OneNote for Windows 10 desktop page
• Right-click the link
• Select Link | Copy Link

Now the clipboard contains a link to the desktop version OneNote for Windows 10

Answer 7

Very simple thing is to use

onenote:yourUrlToBeInserted

Don't use onenote:// as it will behave as another thing.

Answer 8

Remove the "http:" part. Apps often get confused by the multiple protocol handlers (Slack is common example), and just look at the "http:" part which means the OneNote web app opens.

For example, change the link from: onenote:http://intranet/Notebooks/Our%20Products/Product%20Development.one#Methodology

To: onenote://intranet/Notebooks/Our%20Products/Product%20Development.one#Methodology

Then the desktop app will be used (which is the onenote: protocol handler).