This is a tutorial on how to password protect OneNote on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Microsoft OneNote is one of the most popular note taking software apps and is available across multiple platforms. There is also a web version. We can use it to take notes by typing or handwriting, record audio notes, capture web pages and do other cool stuff. It can be used for almost everything from personal journals to work projects, some of which we may want to keep private. We are in an era where digital privacy and security matters. As a result, it's important to know how to password protect OneNote app, section and notebook. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Cisdem AppCrypt for Mac is a powerful, reliable software app that can lock apps on Mac. You can use it to lock any app on your Mac so that other people can’t access it at all. If anyone tries to access the locked apps on your Mac without knowing the correct password, the attempt will fail, and this app locker for Mac will also generate a report with specific time, date and captured photos of the suspicious activities. In addition to using this tool to password protect OneNote app, you can also use it to block websites on Mac, which is a good way to block unwanted, inappropriate, distracting or any other websites. Here’s how it works.
Step 1. Download, install and launch Cisdem AppCrypt on your Mac.
Step 2. Set a password which will be used to unlock the locked app and adjust settings. It’s recommended to use an easy-to-remember password since the password will not be retrieved once you forget it.
Step 3. Click OK. In the main window, click the App Lock tab. Click the big plus icon to add the OneNote app. If you don’t want to password protect your OneNote app anymore, just select it and press the delete key on your keyboard.
OneNote allows you to lock any section in your OneNote notebooks with a password. If a section is locked, all the pages in it will be locked.
Step 1. Perform a control click on the tab of the section you want to lock. Click the Password Protection option and a Password Protection window will appear.
Step 2. Click Set Password, and enter the password you want to use. Confirm the password by entering it again. Password are case-sensitive. Please be cautious when you add passwords. If you forget your passwords, you are note able to unlock the protected sections anymore.
For the sake of security, OneNote will automatically lock every password protected section after a while of inactivity. You can also manually lock all protected sections at once with a single click. You just need to control click the tab of any password locked section and then click Lock All Protected Sections.
To unlock protected section, control click the tab of a locked section and then remove password.
Tip: While many users have been requesting the ability to password protect an entire OneNote notebook, such a feature is not available yet. The only solution now is to first separately password protect every single section in a certain notebook and then lock them all at once. It’s not a good idea when it comes to notebooks with lots of sections. Hopefully this feature will come out soon.
If you are a Windows user and want to protect your OneNote app with a password, this part will help you out. You can use Free App Lock. This tool can lock the software apps on your Windows PC to prevent other people from using them. Once you use it to lock OneNote app, other people will have no access to your OneNote pages and sections.
Step 1. Download Free App Lock and install it on your Windows PC. Click Select and then select OneNote. Make sure that you are selecting the app itself rather than its shortcut.
Step 2. Enter your password. Make sure that you don’t use something others may guess easily. At the same time, it should be easy to remember.
Step 3. You can Encrypt or Decrypt to lock and unlock OneNote app. You can find the buttons at the bottom of the interface.
When it comes password protecting OneNote sections on Windows PC, the steps are almost the same as on Mac.
Step 1. Find the section you want to lock, right click its name, and choose Password Protect This Section.
Step 2. Click Set Password. Type the password you want to apply in the password box and they retype it to confirm.
The locking-all-protected-sections feature is also available on Windows. To lock all sections or an entire notebook, please go to the Mac part of this article. It works the same way.
Restrictions, a.k.a. Parental Controls, allows you manage and restrict apps, websites, etc. on your iOS devices such as iPhone. It can do a good job of protecting your apps with password. The steps below will show you how to turn on Restrictions and to use it to password protect your OneNote app on iOS.
Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions.
Step 2. Tap on Enable Restrictions and enter a passcode which is needed when you want to adjust settings and disable restrictions. If unfortunately you forget the passcode, you have to erase your device and set it up as a new one to remove the passcode.
Step 3. Under the allow section, turn off OneNote so that others will have no access to it without your permission. You can disable Restrictions anytime.
OneNote’s built-in password protection feature is also available on mobile devices. Follow the steps below and find out how.
Step 1. Go to the notebook that contains the section you want to lock with a password.
Step 2. Tap on Edit which can be found in the upper right corner. Tap the circle to the left of the section that you need to lock, and the circle will be filled with colored shading and a check mark.
Step 3. At the bottom of the interface, you will find a lock icon. Tap it. Choose the Protect This Section option. Enter the password you want to apply and reenter it to verify it.
Step 4. Tap on Down. It will take a while for the password to be applied. After it finishes, the protected section and its pages will be locked, and other people won’t be able to view the locked contents at all.
Android users can use Smart App Protector to lock OneNote with a password. This lightweight Android tool is easy to use and can password protect any app so as to prevent your privacy from being accessed by others.
Step 1. Download Smart App Protector from Google Play Store and get it installed on your device.
Step 2. The app will ask you to install a Smart App Protector helper to make sure that the major app service will not be killed by third party apps.
Step 3. The original password is 7777, and you can change it in Settings.
Step 4. Go to the Running section. Tap ADD to add OneNote app to the list. Tap ADD again. In addition to use password as a lock type, you are also allowed to use pattern lock and PIN lock.
Just like on other OS, you can also password protect section on Android.
Step 1. Press and hold on the section that you’d like to lock long enough and a menu appears.
Step 2. Tap the Protection option which is at the bottom of the menu. And a Protection section window will pop up.
Step 3. Enter a password and verify it by reentering. Tap OK. If a section is password protected, you can find a lock icon displayed. To lock all protected notes, just press and hold on a protected section and tap the Lock All option.
Many OneNote users use it on a daily basis to take notes about almost everything. Some of the contents such as bank details and websites passwords are private, and you definitely don’t want others to view them. Luckily with the built-in password protection and app locker software, we can password protect OneNote. You can lock sections, notebooks and even the app itself with utmost security. If you are very cautious, it’s highly recommended to lock OneNote app with the help of Cisdem AppCrypt for Mac or other software alike. Do you find this tutorial useful? Welcome to leave a comment below.
Rosa has worked in Mac software industry for more than eight years. She believes that the purpose of software is to make life better and work more productively. In addition to writing, Rosa is also an avid runner.