Office Settings & Configuration

How to Add Fill Color to a Rectangle in OneNote

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to add a fill color to a rectangle drawn in OneNote, but cannot find the option to do so.

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Drawing and formatting rectangular shapes within a OneNote notebook.
Observed behavior: OneNote's built-in Draw tools do not currently provide a Shape Fill option for created rectangles.

Before you start

Ensure you have another Office application installed, such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, to create and format the shape before bringing it into OneNote.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Word or PowerPoint to Create and Paste the Filled Rectangle

Since OneNote lacks a native shape fill tool, you can create the filled shape in another Office application and paste it directly into your notebook.

OneNote's drawing capabilities are optimized for inking and basic outlining. To utilize advanced shape formatting, such as adding a fill color, you can leverage the robust drawing tools available in Word or PowerPoint.

Open Word or PowerPoint

Launch Microsoft Word or PowerPoint and open a new blank document or slide.

Draw the Rectangle

Navigate to the 'Insert' tab on the ribbon, click on 'Shapes', and select the Rectangle tool to draw the shape on your canvas.

Apply Shape Fill

Select the rectangle you just drew. Go to the 'Shape Format' tab that appears, click on 'Shape Fill', and choose your desired color.

Copy the Formatted Shape

Right-click the filled rectangle and select 'Copy', or press Ctrl+C on your keyboard.

Paste into OneNote

Open your OneNote notebook, navigate to the target page, right-click, and select 'Paste' (or press Ctrl+V). You can paste it as a standard object or select 'Paste as Picture' for a static image.

Submit a Feature Request: If you would prefer a built-in solution in the future, you can submit a feature request directly to Microsoft through the OneNote feedback portal.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Powerful Shape Formatting with WPS Office

If you are frustrated by the limitations of basic tools like OneNote, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a comprehensive, free, and lightweight suite with fully-featured document editing, built-in shape formatting, and a highly familiar user interface.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your computer or mobile device.
2. Open a New Document: Launch WPS Writer or WPS Presentation to access fully-featured, unrestricted drawing and formatting tools.
3. Insert and Fill Shapes Directly: Navigate to the Insert tab, select Shapes, draw your rectangle, and apply any Shape Fill color directly without needing workarounds.

Free and lightweight Office suite for all your daily tasksFully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Advanced built-in shape drawing and color fill tools in Writer and PresentationFamiliar user interface makes migration and adoption effortless

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't OneNote have a Shape Fill option?

OneNote's drawing tools are primarily designed for freehand inking, highlighting, and basic note structuring. Microsoft has not yet implemented a dedicated 'Shape Fill' formatting tool for vector shapes within the app.

Can I edit the rectangle's fill color after pasting it into OneNote?

No. Once you paste the filled rectangle from Word or PowerPoint into OneNote, you cannot modify its fill color within OneNote. You will need to edit the color in the original application and copy it over again.

Is there a third-party add-in to fill shapes in OneNote?

Currently, there are no mainstream add-ins for OneNote that introduce native shape-fill functionalities. Relying on cross-app copy-pasting remains the most reliable and secure workaround.

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