Office Settings & Configuration

How to Create New OneNote Pages at the Top of the List

Emma Brown Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to change the default behavior in Microsoft OneNote so that new pages and subpages are automatically added to the top of the page list rather than the bottom.

How to Create New OneNote Pages at the Top of the List

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Windows 10 / Desktop
Scenario: Organizing notes and adding new pages to an existing notebook section without manually dragging them up from the bottom.
Observed behavior: By default, new pages are appended to the bottom of the page list. While a setting exists in OneNote for Windows 10, desktop versions require manual workarounds.

Before you start

Check which version of OneNote you are currently using, as the settings interface and available features differ significantly between the OneNote for Windows 10 app and the standard OneNote desktop application (like OneNote 2016 or Microsoft 365).

Solution 1Recommended

Change Settings in OneNote for Windows 10

Use this solution if you are running the built-in OneNote for Windows 10 application, which includes a dedicated toggle for default page placement.

OneNote for Windows 10 natively supports changing the default placement of newly created pages through its settings menu.

Open Settings and More

Launch OneNote for Windows 10 and click the 'Settings and More' icon (three dots) located in the top right corner of the application window.

Navigate to Options

From the dropdown menu, select 'Settings' and then click on 'Options' to open the configuration pane.

Toggle the Page Placement Setting

Scroll down to find the 'Create new page' section. Toggle the switch to place new pages at the top of the list instead of the bottom.

Change Settings in OneNote for Windows 10

Setting Applied Successfully: Once toggled, any new page or subpage you create in this version of OneNote will automatically appear at the top of your section list.

Solution 2

Manual Workaround for OneNote Desktop

Use this method if you are using OneNote 2016 or the current OneNote desktop app, which lacks the automatic placement setting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my OneNote desktop app have the option to place pages at the top?

Microsoft originally included the automatic page placement toggle exclusively in the 'OneNote for Windows 10' UWP application. The standard OneNote desktop app (formerly OneNote 2016) uses a different codebase and currently requires users to manually insert pages at the top using the on-hover insertion icon.

How can I submit feedback if Microsoft's feedback tools are blocked by my enterprise IT?

If you are in an enterprise environment where IT administrators have disabled internal feedback tools, you can use a personal device to visit the web-based Microsoft Feedback Portal. Log in with a Microsoft account to submit or upvote feature requests for the OneNote desktop application.

Does this setting also apply to subpages in OneNote?

Yes, in OneNote for Windows 10, toggling the 'Create new page' setting ensures that both new main pages and new subpages are placed at the top of their respective levels. In the desktop version, subpages must be manually created below the desired parent page.

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