Microsoft OneNote prepares to follow Google Keep’s lead with lockscreen notes on Android

Ben Schoon | Aug 22 2024 - 5:30 am PT

Android is making notetaking apps a more central part of the experience, and now Microsoft OneNote is preparing support for the new functionality.

First appearing in Android 14 and potentially making its true debut in Android 15, the “Notes” role in Android will allow apps to take advantage of new features. One of those is the ability for an app be used to take notes from the lockscreen without fully unlocking the device.

Google Keep has been working on support for this for some time, teasing that lockscreen support is “coming soon.”

Now, Microsoft OneNote is also stepping up to prepare support.

The folks over at Android Authority noticed in Microsoft OneNote v16.0.17928.20054 (currently in beta) that strings within the app suggest support for lockscreen notes and being Android’s default notetaking app.

The strings reference asking the user to set the app as the “Default Notes App” while mentioning that doing so will allow users to “quick jot down notes over Lock Screen.”

<string name=”feature_notes_role_description_when_permission_disabled”>Allow to make OneNote as “Default Notes App”</string>

<string name=”feature_notes_role_description_when_permission_enabled”>Add Lock Screen Note Taking shortcut from settings</string>

<string name=”feature_notes_role_enable_button”>Enable Lock Screen Notes</string>

<string name=”feature_notes_role_title”>Lock Screen Notes – Take notes over lock screen</string>

<string name=”permission_notes_role_disable_description”>Are you sure you want to remove OneNote as “Default Note Taking App” ?</string>

<string name=”permission_notes_role_enable_description”>We need permission to make OneNote as “Default Note Taking App” to enable this.</string>

<string name=”setting_notes_role_summary”>Turn this on to quickly jot down notes over Lock Screen.</string>

<string name=”setting_notes_role_title”>Lock Screen Sticky Notes</string>

There’s no word just yet as to when this functionality may arrive, but seeing as Google Keep hasn’t even finished up support, we’re not holding our breath on it. Android 15 itself also hasn’t been fully launched just yet either.