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Key Takeaways

  • Microsoft is ending support for the translation feature in the old OneNote app for Windows 10 by November 2023.
  • Users won't lose any data but won't be able to use the translation capability on any text.
  • Microsoft recommends getting the newer OneNote app from the Microsoft Store, which is regularly updated through Microsoft 365.

OneNote on Windows is a bit of an odd duckling. Depending upon your desktop configuration and use, you may have access to two OneNote apps. The first is the OneNote for Windows 10 - which is based on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) - and has been delisted from the Microsoft Store. The second is the newer unified version based on the classic OneNote desktop app that comes with Microsoft 365. Now, the Redmond tech firm has announced that it is ending support for translation capabilities in the old OneNote app.

In a Microsoft support document initially spotted by WinBuzzer, the company has announced the deprecation of the translation feature in the OneNote for Windows 10 app. This end of support will officially come into play in November 2023, after which customers who attempt to utilize translation will be greeted with error messages. It is important to note that the app itself is supported until October 2025, even if Microsoft itself doesn't update it or distribute it through its storefronts anymore.

Microsoft has assured customers that they won't lose any data once translation is deprecated, they just won't be able to leverage this particular capability on any piece of text. Users who wish to continue utilizing translation have been recommended to get the newer OneNote app from the Microsoft Store. This app is updated on a monthly basis through Microsoft 365 and is Microsoft's preferred OneNote variant. Alternatively, you can also pay for any of the following subscriptions, since they come with the unified version of OneNote:

  • Microsoft 365 Family
  • Microsoft 365 Personal
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium
  • Microsoft 365 Apps for business
  • Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise

With the deprecation of translation in OneNote for Windows 10, it's clear that Microsoft is gradually phasing out support for the app in view of the October 2025 retirement in a bid to get more users to migrate to the new OneNote. You can download it from the Microsoft Store or through the dedicated Microsoft portal here.