Learn the differences between Microsoft OneNote and Google Workspace and get best practices for collaboration at work or school.
On this page
Google Workspace apps on your mobile devices.
Note: The instructions in this guide are primarily web only. Get switching information for mobile devices.
Comparison at a glance
In OneNote... | In Google Workspace...* |
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Create a note or list |
Create notes or lists in Tasks or Docs
Open TasksYou can add tasks to the side panel in some Google Workspace apps.
Tip: In Gmail spaces, you can create, assign, edit, complete, and delete group tasks. Create detailed notes or lists in DocsYou can also: |
Organize or group notes in a notebook |
Organize or group notes in a shared drive
Step 1: Create a shared drive
For details, see Set up a shared drive.
Step 2: Add folders to a shared drive
Note: Any subfolders you create must have the same permission as the top-level folder. Step 3: Add notes to a folder in a shared driveRequires at least Contributor access Any files you add are owned by the team. If you leave the shared drive, your files remain.
*If you don't own the file but have Editor access in Drive, you can move it to a shared drive if your administrator has allowed this option. Note: To store and access files on your desktop, use Google Drive for desktop. For details, see What can you do with Drive for desktop. |
Share and collaborate on a notebook stored in OneDrive |
Share and collaborate on notes in Docs
Share notes in Docs
Add comments and assign action items in Docs
Note: If a file reaches the maximum number of comments, you can make a copy of the file without copying over any comments. |
Add drawings or images to a note |
Add drawings or images to notes in Docs
In Docs, from the Insert menu, select Image or Drawing. |
Convert handwriting to text in OneNote |
Convert handwriting to editable text
|
Create an Outlook task from OneNote |
Create a task from Docs
You can access tasks from Docs, Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, or Slides.
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Categorize notes with tags | |
Search OneNote |
Search Drive
Search for Docs notes in Drive
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Related topics
To set up Sites, or get troubleshooting help, try these guides instead:
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