Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change the Default Email Address Used by OneNote

Huda Qurayshi Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to change the default email address that OneNote uses when sending meeting minutes or distributing notes.

How to Change the Default Email Address Used by OneNote

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sending meeting-minute distributions or exporting content via email directly from the OneNote interface.
Observed behavior: OneNote is using an outdated email address to send emails, despite Outlook being set as the default mail program and appearing to use the correct address.

Before you start

Ensure that Microsoft Outlook is installed on your device and that you have the login credentials for the correct email account you wish to use as the default sender.

Solution 1Recommended

Set the Correct Default Account in Outlook

Because OneNote routes emails through Outlook, ensuring the correct account is set as the primary sender in Outlook will resolve the issue.

OneNote relies on the default sending account configured in your primary email client. Even if Outlook is your default app, an old account might still be marked as the primary sending address inside Outlook's internal settings.

Open Outlook Account Settings

Launch Microsoft Outlook. Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, select 'Info', then click on 'Account Settings' and choose 'Account Settings...' from the dropdown menu.

Select the Correct Email Address

In the 'Email' tab of the new window, look at the list of accounts. Locate the specific email address you want OneNote to use for sending emails and click to highlight it.

Set as Default

Click the 'Set as Default' button located on the menu bar above the account list. A checkmark icon will appear next to the selected address. Close the window and restart OneNote to apply the changes.

Set the Correct Default Account in Outlook

Restart Required: You must completely close and reopen both OneNote and Outlook for the new default sending address to be recognized.

Solution 2

Verify Windows Default Email Application

If changing Outlook settings doesn't work, ensure your Windows operating system is properly routing mail requests to Outlook.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneNote keep using my old email address?

OneNote pulls its sending address from the default account configured inside your email client (usually Outlook). Even if Outlook is set as your default mail app in Windows, your old email address might still be marked as the default sender within Outlook's Account Settings.

Can I send emails from OneNote without using Outlook?

Yes, you can use other email clients like the built-in Windows Mail app. To do this, you must change the default email application in your Windows 'Default apps' settings to your preferred email client instead of Outlook.

How do I share OneNote notebooks directly without emailing pages?

You can share an entire notebook directly by clicking the 'Share' button in the top right corner of the OneNote window. From there, you can type the email addresses of the recipients to send them a direct cloud link rather than an emailed copy of the page.

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