Internet, Networking, & Security > Browsers

How to Use Web Notes in Microsoft Edge

Turn a web page into a doodling board

By

Scott Orgera

Updated on April 20, 2022

Browsers

What to Know

Go to the web page > select Make a Web Note icon in the upper right corner of Edge browser.
Select Pen icon to draw on page with a mouse, stylus, or your finger.
Use Options to change color and size. Select Highlighter to highlight text. Choose Typed Note tool to add text.

This article explains how to use Web Notes in Microsoft Edge versions prior to the update released in April 2020.

How to Use Web Notes

The Microsoft Edge web browser is secure, easily updated, and works well with other products in the Microsoft ecosystem. One popular feature of Edge is Web Notes. Use Web Notes to scribble notes on a web page the same way you would write your thoughts on a magazine or essay.

To use Web Notes, open the Edge browser and navigate to the web page you want to annotate.

Select the Make a Web Note icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. (It looks like a broken square with a pen in the middle of it or a pen scribbling a wavy line).
A new toolbar appears at the top of the page.
Select the Pen tool to draw on the selected web page. Change the color and size in the Options box.

The Pen tool turns your mouse pointer, finger, or stylus into a customizable pen. While enabled, you can draw or write anywhere on the current web page.
Select the Highlighter tool to highlight words, sentences, paragraphs, and other portions of the active page.

Modify the highlighter's color and size through its Options box.
Use a mouse to annotate the page. Use a finger or pen if you're using a touchscreen device.
To add a longer text comment, select the Typed Note tool to open a text box, and type your notes there.

These notes are numbered by the order of creation and can be deleted by clicking the accompanying trash can icon.
Use the Erase tool to remove markings made with the pen or highlighter by clicking the markings.

Erase everything in one fell swoop by clicking the lower-right corner of the Erase button and selecting Clear all ink from the drop-down menu.
When you're done with your edits, select Save to save the annotated file.

Save the active page to OneNote, the Edge Favorites, or the Edge Reading List from a pop-out menu.
Select Share to send the file by email, text, Facebook, and more options.
Select Exit on the upper-right of the Web Notes toolbar to close the Web Notes interface and return to a normal browsing session.

Uses for Web Notes

The Web Notes tool is great for highlighting facts and statistics, making it an excellent tool for students. Business users might work with Web Notes to collaborate on projects and comment on research. Personal users might draw a circle around an item they want as a gift and send it to a loved one as a hint.

Save Web Notes to OneNote, select the Share tool to email or text the note, or share it to social sites.

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