How to list all notes together in date order in OneNote

You can use Microsoft’s OneNote app if you need a space in Office 365 to add important notes in any length or detail. The application can add sections and pages to help organize your notes. However, users want to know how to list individual notes by date. So in this guide, I will provide the steps to achieve that.

To list your notes by date, you need to go into the OneNote app and open your document. Then you will be able to click on the small sorting icon. You can click on the “Sort by date” option to group notes by dates.

  • Firstly, open one of your OneNote documents.
  • Now click on the icon which says “Show Navigation.”
  • Choose one of your sections.
  • A small sorting icon will appear; click on it.
  • Click on “Date created” to complete the process.

OneNote will now group all the notes in that section based on the date they were created. Sometimes OneNote may fail to properly organize your content in date order as they have implemented a new sorting feature which, by default, may adjust the content within the section alphabetically. You can go into the sort section and adjust the preferences to ensure that the content is shown based on the date you created it.

If you want to show the content in order of when you last modified it, you can do so by clicking on the option for “Date modified.” If you choose the option for Date modified, it will show all the content in a list order of when you modified the note. Any new additions to this section or the latest modification will be at the top by default. Unfortunately, OneNote does not allow you to adjust whether the latest content shows at the top or the bottom.

An in-depth guide on how to list all notes together in date order in OneNote

I have provided an in-depth guide if you need help with the steps. I recommend that you go through the in-depth guide, so you have a clear understanding of what to do when you need to complete the process. The guide includes a list of resources, such as screenshots which many users find helpful.

  • Firstly, open one of your OneNote documents. 

Remember that this process will only work if you have the desktop version of OneNote downloaded. If you are using the browser version, you will need to switch to the desktop version and make the changes. Once you have made the changes on the browser version using the guide here, you will be able to upload them onto SharePoint and then access them on the web version. 

However, you cannot make these changes on the browser version of OneNote currently. You must also remember that this is a new update that Microsoft has included. If you find that the sort feature is not showing on the OneNote application you currently have downloaded, I suggest you update the program to the latest version.

  • Now click on the library icon that says “Show Navigation.” 

On the left side of the OneNote dashboard, there will be a small icon called Show navigation. When you click on the icon, it will show you the sections you need to access to continue the steps.

  • Choose one of your sections. 

Microsoft OneNote has sections that contain pages. You must click on a section in which your notes are kept. In this example, I chose a section called “test.” And within this section, I have a list of pages that need grouping in date order.

  • Click on the small sorting icon.

This icon will not be available if you have the browser version of OneNote open. The sort icon is a new addition to the Microsoft OneNote program, so if you find that it’s not showing on your version of Microsoft OneNote, you can update it with the latest program version to use this feature.

  • The sorting options:
    • None: If you have selected this option, it will not show the list of pages in any order; you will see the content within the section as a default original.
    • Alphabetical: If you choose to show the document alphabetically, OneNote will adjust all the content within this section to ensure that it shows A-Z. If you click on the option for alphabetical again, it will show the opposite. This will make it easier for you to locate content by an alphabetical search. 
    • Date Created: This is the option we need for the blog; selecting this option will show all the content by date order. Unfortunately, unlike the alphabetical option, if you click on the “Date created” tab again, it will not show you the earliest content you have created and the latest content at the bottom. 
    • Date Modified: Finally, if you click on this option, it will show you all the content from when you last modified them. The content you have last modified will show right at the top. So, for example, if you have found an old document and have made a recent change to it, it will show that document right at the top when you have selected “Date Modified.”
  • Click on “Date created” to complete the process. 

Implementing the sort feature on your document will not affect your ability to edit the content. You can continue to work on the document; however, the content in the section will show by date order rather than a default order. You can go into this section anytime and make adjustments if necessary. If you have decided that you do not want the content to show in date order; however, you want to show the content in alphabetical order, you can do so using this section.

Conclusion

In this blog, I have shown you how to adjust the notes in OneNote, so they are showing by date order. I have provided the steps on how you can achieve this as well as an in-depth guide if you require further assistance. I have also shown you what each option in the sort section will adjust. If you require assistance with the steps, drop a comment below, and we will address them.

Saajid Gangat

Saajid Gangat has been a researcher and content writer at Business Tech Planet since 2021. Saajid is a tech-savvy writer with expertise in web and graphic design and has extensive knowledge of Microsoft 365, Adobe, Shopify, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and more! You can connect with Saajid on Linkedin.

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