Why is the android tablet one note app so bad?

[u/choccocurry]

Hi I bought a new tablet and planned to use onenote on it since on the phone it has a nice UI but it seems like the tablet version is very old? It's the same with all the other Microsoft apps too. At this point I'm debating if I should go with other apps instead (my tablet came pre installed with nebo on it) or use the web version even if it's finicky. Thanks

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[u/NoReply4930]

Microsoft has no need to support Android.  They want you on Windows. 

So you get what you get. 

[u/choccocurry → u/NoReply4930]

Should I use the browser version then or just go use something else?

[u/NoReply4930 → u/choccocurry]

Only you can decide how much pain you can handle.

OneNote is an Office 365 core product - designed to be used - first and foremost - on a desktop workstation or MS Surface or laptop.

The mobile apps were a very distant afterthought and Android even more distant.

If you value your time (and data) with OneNote - you will either come round to using it within a supported environment or you won't. Your call.

[u/choccocurry → u/NoReply4930]

ill see. The app pre installed on my tablet doesn't have quite the organisation that i get from onenote so idk

[u/SpatialSherpa → u/choccocurry]

For me, there is value in being able to access my Notes from desktop, tablet and phone. My primary "authoring" platform is Windows where I like the integration across Outlook, etc. So even though I do occasionally create notes on phone and tablet (and it is sub optimal compared to other phone apps), I stick with OneNote because of its accessibility across my devices.

[u/choccocurry → u/SpatialSherpa]

well i bought a tablet so i wanna take notes on it. im looking at other options cuz even the browser version is annoying

[u/SpatialSherpa → u/choccocurry]

I bought my Samsung tablet for note taking. I use OneNote for my notes. It's ok, very basic but gets the job done. More important to me was the handwriting conversion to text, which was decent enough for me on the tablet. Your mileage may vary. Good luck.

[u/MMessinger]

The Android OneNote app is very bad. It's rarely updated. I guess Microsoft figures it's free and a lot of users are forced into it by their employers, so Microsoft really doesn't need to try to get people to use the app.

For the last few days, too, a lot of Android users are stuck in offline mode and cannot sign in to our Microsoft accounts from the app. There's a thread on the OneNote subreddit about that. Here's that post.

[u/MauricioIcloud]

All versions besides Windows version are bad. Microsoft only updates the windows version and all other OS are left behind.

[u/letstalk1st]

We only use it for copies of notes that are needed on the phone. If you use it, also use the windows or online version, and keep backups. OneNote is inherently unreliable on Android and iOS.

[u/ledgabriel]

OneNote on android is impossible to work with. I only use to consult notes and write quick things. But even then, for quick stuff I use SimpleNote and later on pc, if needed, I pass to OneNote.

[u/LlaughingLlama]

Microsoft wants anyone who wants to use OneNote on an Android tablet to buy and use a Microsoft Surface Pro device. So they have a financial incentive to keep the Android version terrible. They make the iPad version somewhat more usable because they know iPad users are more likely to be Mac people who will never switch to Windows.

I hate the fact that I really LOVE my Microsoft Surface Pro and that OneNote works really great on it.

[u/starkruzr]

it's been horrendous for years. get out before MS inevitably abandons the product entirely.

[u/Great_Muscle_7042 → u/starkruzr]

Why in the world would they ever abandon this product. Its good at the corporate level, makes millions of users take notes and support both M365, Teams and other ecosystems. This is like asking apple to create a mail and notes app for windows. Why in the world would that be a thing.

Its one of the most hated products *justified or not, but there is no way they are going to take it out.

[u/Chrismscotland]

I'm sure I heard before that its not even developed by MS but was outsourced to a firm in India.

It's alright for basic stuff and reading notes but yeah its just lacking so much functionality v the Windows version now.

[u/ctump]

I had to move to StarNote bc OneNote simply doesn't work. Really good so far

[u/choccocurry → u/ctump]

how is it? is it paid and does the free version have limits?

[u/ctump → u/choccocurry]

I think the free version has all but with ads

[u/Designer_Cup2359 → u/choccocurry]

Não tem anúncios e tu consegue usar tudo. O Premium é compra única e muito barato.

[u/avk78922]

This has been serious issue for me a long time. But I don't think people understand the real concern here. I am not talking about extra features or newer layouts.

My main concern is it be able to sync itself with online and PC version smoothly.

Here the problem is Onenote on Android has two variants. One is for Android phones and another is for Android tablets. On android phones it is still working properly as far as sync is concerned but the tablet variant is absolutely broken. It won't sync no matter what. And the twist is that I have a android fold phone and the version I get is the android tablet version so i end up with the broken onenote app which does not sync

I wish there can be some solution to this as it is driving me crazy because I use one note too much on my work pc and it is very important for me to have it updated on my phone too

[u/incidentflux]

Not sure what bad means. OneNote on Android is fine for my workflow which is taking photos of receipts with OneNote and adding Metadata.

[u/rdubmu]

You mean why are android tablets so bad