Notebook: How to Change the Tab Colors in Onenote 2013

This updated guide examines Notebook: How to Change the Tab Colors in Onenote 2013 and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Method 1

For a Notebook

1. Open the OneNote notebook switcher and hover over the name of the notebook you'd like to switch the color to. Although it matters whether a notebook is open or not on your device, for those notebooks already present on your device, as long as it's on the list, it's considered to be "open" and active and that's what you want!
2. Right click the OneNote notebook name you'd like to change and left-click "Properties".
3. Double-check the notebook name is the one you'd like to change the color of based on the name given in the "Display name" box.
4. Click the "Color" drop-down box just below "Display name". At first you'll see it's former color, but momentarily, you'll be able to make the change.
5. Click the new color choice out of the available options. For notebook colors, you're limited to those colors you'll see the sixteen available colors on the drop-down box. Try not to make the notebook color the same as any other notebooks in your notebook list.
   • Although not named on the list until you hover over each color, all sixteen notebook colors correspond to those colors used for notebook folders which include: blue, yellow, green, red, purple, cyan, orange, magenta, blue mist, purple mist, tan, lemon lime, apple, teal, red chalk and silver. However, there needs to be a color for the notebook, for the notebook to exist, and unlike the folders, you won't see a None selection choice here.
6. Click the "OK" button to save.
7. Confirm your notebook is now colored better in the list. Open the notebook's drop-down list and look at the said notebook's new color.

Method 2

For a Notebook's Section

1. Locate the OneNote notebook section you want to color-change. If the notebook is already open, great. If not or you need to switch to another notebook in your program, get to this folder.
2. Right-click the notebook section you'd like to re-color and click "Section color".
3. Click your new section color. With folders, you have sixteen color choices including: blue, yellow, green, red, purple, cyan, orange, magenta, blue mist, purple mist, tan, lemon lime, apple, teal, red chalk and silver. If you don't want a color to be applied to the section, there is a "None" selection, but it will look silver once applied to the section.
   • Try not to make this section's color the same as any other section on the list.
4. Verify this color is the color you'd like the section to be. You can always change it again.