Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change the OneNote Navigation Pane Font Size

Nimra Malik Sep 30, 2026 870 views

Question details

Users want to adjust the font size of the left navigation pane in OneNote to improve the readability of their notebook and section titles.

How to Change the OneNote Navigation Pane Font Size

Product: OneNote for Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing the workspace interface for better visibility and accessibility during daily note-taking.
Observed behavior: OneNote does not offer a built-in option to change the font size specifically for the navigation pane, leaving users restricted to the default interface scale.

Before you start

Because OneNote lacks a dedicated setting for this feature, you will need to adjust your system-wide display settings or submit feedback to Microsoft for future updates.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust System-Wide Display Scaling

Since OneNote doesn't have a native setting, increasing your computer's overall display scale will enlarge the OneNote navigation pane along with other apps.

This is the most effective workaround for making the OneNote navigation pane readable if the default text size is too small.

Open Windows Settings

Click the Start button, then click the Settings (gear) icon, or press the Windows key + I on your keyboard.

Navigate to Display Settings

Select 'System' from the main menu, then choose 'Display' from the left sidebar.

Change the Scale and Layout

Look for the 'Scale and layout' section. Click the dropdown menu under 'Change the size of text, apps, and other items' and increase the percentage (e.g., from 100% to 125% or 150%).

Restart OneNote

Close and reopen OneNote for Microsoft 365 to see the updated navigation pane text size.

System Impact: Changing this setting will increase the size of text, applications, and icons across your entire Windows operating system, not just within OneNote.

Solution 2

Submit Feature Feedback to Microsoft

Request the navigation pane font size adjustment feature directly from Microsoft so developers can prioritize it in future application updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the font size of my actual OneNote pages?

Yes. While the navigation pane cannot be changed natively, you can easily change the font size of your page content. Simply highlight the text on your page, go to the 'Home' tab, and select your preferred size from the Font dropdown menu.

Does OneNote for Windows 10 have a navigation pane font setting?

No. Both OneNote for Windows 10 and the desktop version of OneNote for Microsoft 365 lack a specific setting to change the navigation pane font size independently of the operating system's overall scaling.

Is there a third-party add-in to change the OneNote interface font?

Currently, popular OneNote add-ins (like Onetastic) provide macro capabilities for automating tasks within your page content, but they do not have the ability to modify the core user interface or navigation pane font sizes.

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