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

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This week, Microsoft unveiled two exciting new additions for OneNote: Copilot Notebooks and Dynamic DPI support. While both are intriguing, it’s the latter that truly piques my interest.

Copilot Notebooks leverages AI and the power of Microsoft 365 Copilot within your Notebooks, which is indeed a substantial enhancement. However, the Dynamic DPI support, with its ability to adapt to various screen resolutions, has me more eagerly anticipating these updates.

Copilot Notebooks in OneNote

In OneNote, you can consolidate data from Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Copilot conversations all in one place – Copilot Notebooks. By posing queries to Copilot about the contents of a particular Copilot Notebook, you can uncover valuable insights for your project.

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

I, too, have discovered that OneNote has an impressive feature where it generates audio summaries of entire notebooks, making them effortless to listen to. Additionally, it provides concise summaries, action points, and drafts, which makes managing information a breeze.

To employ Copilot Notebooks within your OneNote for Windows, you should be a commercial user, with your OneNote updated to version 2504 (Build 18827.20128) or newer. Additionally, you’ll require a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription and an active SharePoint or OneDrive license.

It appears that Copilot Notebooks could be beneficial in aiding you at work. While I may not fall within their primary demographic, there’s a hidden feature that piques my interest, which might go unnoticed by others.

Dynamic DPI support

With an update, OneNote will now adjust its clarity automatically when moving between screens with various resolutions, thanks to added Dynamic DPI support on Windows.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m thrilled to say goodbye to the old days of grainy screens and endless tweaking of display settings. Now, with OneNote, adjustments happen effortlessly as it intelligently adapts to your monitor’s resolution in real time. This means everything you see remains crisp, sleek, and gentle on the eyes!

It’s worth noting that other applications from Microsoft, like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, are equipped with Dynamic DPI (Dots Per Inch) support. Frankly, it caught me off guard to discover that OneNote didn’t previously offer this functionality.

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. 

In simpler terms, the Dynamic DPI support feature is accessible only for users in the latest update channel. To utilize this feature, ensure your OneNote application has been updated to version 2504 (Build 18827.20042) or a later version.

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2025-07-02 02:09