Office Settings & Configuration

How to Disable the Cross-Out-to-Delete Gesture in Microsoft OneNote

Guest Writer Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to stop OneNote from deleting handwritten content and diagrams when drawing overlapping strokes with a stylus.

How to Disable the Cross-Out-to-Delete Gesture in Microsoft OneNote

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Drawing graphs, diagrams, or writing notes using a stylus like the Surface Slim Pen 2.
Observed behavior: OneNote misinterprets overlapping strokes or drawn lines as the scratch-out deletion gesture, accidentally erasing the drawn content.

Before you start

Ensure you are using the desktop version of Microsoft OneNote, as gesture settings may vary or be restricted in the OneNote for Windows 10 app or web versions.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the Scratch-Out Gesture in OneNote Options

Turn off the specific pen gesture setting in OneNote's advanced options to stop accidental ink deletions.

The scratch-out gesture is designed to quickly erase mistakes, but it can interfere with cross-hatching or drawing graphs. Disabling this specific ink setting will force OneNote to treat all your pen strokes as standard ink, requiring you to manually select the eraser tool when you actually want to delete something.

Open OneNote Options

Launch Microsoft OneNote on your computer. Click on the 'File' tab located in the top-left corner of the ribbon, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the left-hand menu.

Navigate to Advanced Settings

In the OneNote Options dialog box that appears, click on 'Advanced' from the left-hand navigation pane.

Disable the Ink Gesture

Scroll down through the settings until you find the 'Pen' or 'Ink' section. Locate the setting that says 'Enable the scratch-out gesture' or allows crossing out to delete ink, and uncheck the box to disable it. Click 'OK' to save your changes.

Disable the Scratch-Out Gesture in OneNote Options

Version Limitations: If you cannot find this setting, your specific version of OneNote may not support independently disabling the scratch-out gesture. In this case, Microsoft recommends submitting a feature request through the OneNote Feedback Portal.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneNote keep deleting my handwriting when I cross something out?

OneNote has a built-in 'scratch-out' gesture designed to quickly delete ink without switching to the eraser tool. When you draw overlapping lines or quickly cross out a word, OneNote interprets this action as a deletion command.

Can I disable the scratch-out gesture in OneNote for Windows 10?

The OneNote for Windows 10 app has fewer customization options compared to the desktop version (OneNote 2016/2021). If the pen and ink gesture settings are missing from the app's settings menu, the feature cannot be independently disabled in that specific app.

What should I do if the gesture setting is completely missing?

If the option to disable the scratch-out gesture is unavailable in your version, you cannot turn it off locally. Microsoft recommends submitting feedback through the OneNote Feedback Portal to request the feature. In the meantime, try drawing lines slower or using a different pen style to avoid triggering the gesture.

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