How to Change the Default Font in OneNote (2026)
OneNote uses Calibri 11 by default, but you can change the font, size, and color that every new note starts with. The setting lives in Options on Windows; Mac and the web don’t expose a global default, so there you set a font and it sticks for the session.
1. Change the Default Font (Windows)
- File > Options.
- Select General.
- Under Default font, pick a Font, Size, and Font Color.
- Click OK.
New typing uses these settings. Existing notes keep their current formatting.
2. Reformat Existing Notes
Changing the default won’t restyle old notes. To update them:
- Select the text (or Ctrl+A to grab a page).
- On the Home tab, set the font and size you want.
3. OneNote on Mac
Mac OneNote has no default-font preference. Set the font on the Home tab and OneNote remembers it for new notes during the session. For a consistent look, save a formatted page and reuse it as a master.
4. OneNote on the Web
The web app at onenote.com/notebooks also lacks a global default. Choose your font on the Home tab; it carries to the next lines you type. New blank pages revert to the standard default.
5. Troubleshooting
My new pages still use the old font
On Mac and web, the default isn’t persistent across new blank pages. Use the Windows app to set a true default, or reuse a formatted master page.
The default changed but pasted text ignores it
Pasted text keeps its source formatting. Paste with Keep Text Only (right-click paste options) to adopt your default.
Font color won’t change for new notes
Set Font Color specifically under Options > General > Default font on Windows — the Home-tab color only affects selected text.
Related OneNote guides: How to use templates · How to turn on dark mode · How to insert a table · How to use tags · How to add a checkbox
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