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How to Use Sticky Notes for Windows 10

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Everything that’s old can become new again. With Microsoft’s Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the stylus has come back in epic form. The company is finally treating the digital pen as a first-rate way to interact with tablets and 2-in-1 PCs that can transform into tablets. Suddenly Sticky Notes, an app that hadn’t seen major upgrades in years, got a fresh coat of paint and new options.

Sticky Notes for Windows 10 does the same thing that the older version did, but better. With the app, you can leave reminders and tips on your device’s Desktop. There they’ll keep you on task and on schedule, since they’re almost always visible. Microsoft refreshed Sticky Notes because it planned to feature it in the Ink Workspace, a dedicated area for sketching, writing and drawing. Every PC gets access to Ink WorkSpace, even if touch isn’t included. This also means that everyone gets access to Sticky Notes for Windows 10.

WIndows 10 Annivarsary Update (15)

Read: Windows 10 Anniversary Update Review – Everything Necessary

Finding Sticky Notes for Windows 10

Finding Sticky Notes is pretty easy. The initial Windows 10 upgrade made it possible for apps downloaded from the Windows Store to run alongside programs. Look for Sticky Notes in the list of installed apps on your notebook, desktop, tablet or 2-in-1 running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. If you don’t see the Sticky Notes app in your Start menu or Start Screen, it’s because the Anniversary Update hasn’t been installed yet. Manually check for pending updates in the Settings app under Update & Recovery.

Sticky Notes for WIndows 10 (1)

Read: 17 Anniversary Windows 10 Update Features

Tablet and 2-in-1 users have a second way to quickly access Sticky Notes. Look for a pen icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen. Devices with a touchscreen and compatible digital pen have a link to Ink WorkSpace put there automatically. If you right-click in the area you can add the button manually to your PC.

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Using Sticky Notes for Windows 10

The first thing you’ll see when you open Sticky Notes for Windows 10 is a bare note. If you click on the Sticky Note with your mouse you can begin typing your note. The + button on the left edge of the note allows you to add more. The Trashcan button on the right deletes a note.

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By or tapping on the three dots at the top-edge of the Sticky Note, you can change the note’s color. Presumably, any new features that Microsoft adds to Stick Notes for Windows 10 will surface here.

Sticky Notes for WIndows 10 (6)

You don’t have to type your messages and reminders into Sticky Notes. The app was designed with inking in mind. You can use your Surface Pen, Lenovo Pen or stylus to write the notes by hand and skip using the keyboard altogether.

Read: Surface Pen Tips for Surface Pro 4 and Surface 3

If you hover your mouse pointer at the edges of the notes, you’re able to resize them to your liking.

Regardless of whether you type or write your notes, you may find that some text turns blue. When this happens it’s because Windows 10 wants to let you quickly create a related calendar reminder for later or link you to more information. Microsoft calls this feature Insights. You can turn it off from the app’s settings.

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As long as the Sticky Notes app is open, you’ll see your notes pasted to your Desktop. By closing or minimizing all of your apps and programs, you’re able to get to it. Click on the Sticky Notes app icon in the Taskbar. All of your notes will surface over whatever app or program you are using.

Sticky Notes for Windows 10 Tips & Tricks

  • If you’re busy and don’t need the distraction on your screen, you can close all your Sticky Notes, without deleting them. Right-click on the app icon in the Taskbar and select Close Window.
  • Multiple monitor setups are perfect for Sticky Notes for Windows 10. Open the app on whichever monitor you’d like to keep your notes displayed. Now you have a digital reminder board.
  • If a note you’re about to leave is on a sore subject, remember that everyone can see it. It might be a better idea to turn it into a reminder through the Cortana personal assistant instead. Likewise, if you plan on presenting, remember to close the Sticky Notes app before you connect to the projector or external monitor.
  • Try using different colors for different subjects This gives you a way to quickly gage your priorities for the work day.
  • Unfortunately, Sticky Notes for Windows 10 doesn’t sync between multiple Windows 10 PCs. Be sure to write down any important notes that you may have before restoring or resetting your Windows 10 PC.

Read: 20 Windows 10 Tips & Tricks from a Fanatic

Good luck with Sticky Notes for Windows 10. Here’s to hoping it keeps your work organized, tasks on schedule and head clear.

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. kaplandani

    08/31/2016 at 12:25 am

    how do I change the size of the note and the font ? it’s too big….

  2. Karen P

    08/31/2016 at 9:21 am

    I agree, the default note size is too large & cannot be made smaller like it could in previous versions. Is there any way to make them smaller?

  3. No

    08/31/2016 at 8:17 pm

    I prefer my info stay private

  4. Cad

    09/03/2016 at 3:07 am

    I’m trying desperately to get the font size smaller but to no avail. Copying from wordpad or word with a different font size of 8 won’t work as before neither. Why did stickynotes work so neatly before windows 10 ? …also, it’s now impossible to have the same background wallpaper on multiple monitors. Will Windows 11 be worse than W10 ?

  5. Sara

    09/04/2016 at 8:53 am

    I really want the font size smaller, the notes now in size 14!!! that is not a normal size…Copying it to a word file making them smaller nor change the type if you put the words back to sticky notes…

    WHY on earth did somebody thought it would be handy that the font size and type must me in ‘Segoe UI Emoji’ size 14…

  6. Joseph Christie

    09/09/2016 at 9:37 am

    I think earlier version of Sticky Notes was better than this. This version is more annoying and can’t reduce the font size and cant really copy a url or link, it keeps asking me to open, which i dont want to.. Tile isn’t that good, atleast in the older version the tile looked compact and was more easier

  7. Pavan

    09/11/2016 at 12:42 pm

    The new StickyNote is very bad. no way to change the font or size of font. its useless

  8. Joe

    09/27/2016 at 3:02 pm

    You can use CTRL+SHIFT+ to increase or decrease the size

  9. Neil B

    10/07/2016 at 10:19 am

    My update came end of September, so this is the latest version?
    TAB no longer inserts a tab, it just goes to the menu bar. and where ARE the settings? Can’t find any way to change font, behaviour, input preference.
    Old notes don’t have big font, so that’s the only good thing, I can’t change any fonts and it disappeared from my taskbar and I had to go and find it.
    It’s shuit.

  10. Ken Haley

    10/10/2016 at 9:16 am

    Give me back the old version! This new version stinks! UNDO doesn’t always work; I can’t change fonts, size or do most other formatting. Even copy and paste sometimes fail. At one point I had somehow jumped to a different note and was typing there, corrupting it. I don’t know how that happened! I don’t use ink. I don’t care about Ink Workspace. This used to be a nice little tool, but now I need to find something to use instead.

    If MS wants to give us a new program, fine. But if it’s not 100% backward compatible, either (1) make it optional, allowing the user to try it out and decide whether they want it or (2) give it a new name and install it side-by-side with the old one. The same thing happened with the Calculator app back in Windows 8. The Windows 7 calculator was superior (it had the ability to edit and correct earlier entries), but we have to suffer with the inferior replacement..

  11. Alan Wind

    10/13/2016 at 8:00 am

    See this which works for Win10 https://www.door2windows.com/list-of-all-keyboard-shortcuts-for-sticky-notes-in-windows-7/ Also Ctrl+Scroll Wheel – Increase/Decrease text size
    Ctrl+1  – Single-space lines
    Ctrl+2  – Double-space lines
    Ctrl+5  – Set 1.5-line spacing

  12. Orchid Girl

    02/15/2017 at 2:12 pm

    Due to the latest upgrade (2/14/17):

    I’m no longer able to use the tab function, and the latest update threw all of my information out of whack, some of which I’m unable to fix!!!

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