Office Settings & Configuration

How to Add Colors or Icons to OneNote Section Groups

Muhammad Talha Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users want to visually emphasize OneNote section groups using custom colors or icons so that department-specific groups are easier to identify when collapsed.

How to Add Colors or Icons to OneNote Section Groups

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing complex notebooks with multiple section groups that need clear visual distinctions.
Observed behavior: OneNote allows users to color-code individual sections, but lacks native support for applying colors or custom icons to section groups.

Before you start

Ensure your OneNote application is updated to the latest version. While native section group customization is unsupported across all versions, having the latest build ensures full support for text-based icon workarounds like system emojis.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Emojis and Naming Conventions (Workaround)

Since native coloring is unsupported, using emojis in your section group names acts as an excellent visual substitute for icons.

Microsoft OneNote does not natively support assigning colors or custom icons to section groups. However, you can achieve a very similar visual result by incorporating system emojis directly into the section group's title. This helps you quickly identify collapsed groups at a glance.

Select the section group

Right-click the section group tab you want to customize and select 'Rename' from the context menu.

Open the emoji picker

Press the 'Windows key + .' (period) shortcut on Windows, or 'Cmd + Ctrl + Space' on a Mac to bring up the system emoji keyboard.

Insert an icon

Select an emoji that represents the group's content (e.g., a briefcase for work, a book for school) to serve as your custom icon.

Apply a consistent naming scheme

Type your standard text name after the emoji and press 'Enter' to save your newly customized section group name.

Use Emojis and Naming Conventions (Workaround)

Visual Organization: Using a consistent prefix scheme alongside emojis drastically improves the visibility of your section groups without relying on native color features.

Solution 2

Submit Feature Request Feedback to Microsoft

Let Microsoft know that colors and icons for section groups are important to your workflow to encourage future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I color-code individual sections in OneNote?

Yes. While section groups cannot be colored, you can easily color individual sections. Simply right-click the section tab, select 'Section Color', and choose a shade from the provided color palette.

Are there any third-party add-ins to colorize OneNote section groups?

Currently, even popular third-party add-ins do not have the capability to alter the core UI limitation regarding section group colors or icons in Microsoft OneNote.

How do I create a new section group in OneNote?

Right-click in the empty space next to your existing section tabs at the top (or in the notebook navigation pane), and select 'New Section Group'. You can then drag and drop existing individual sections directly into the new group.

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