Is Microsoft Loop the End of OneNote?

Microsoft Loop was launched in November 2023 and lots of people have compared it to OneNote. But is Microsoft Loop really aimed at replacing OneNote or a different kind of app altogether?

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:59 How to Access Loop
02:55 Loop Workspaces vs Notebooks
04:36 Create New Workspace
05:13 Workspace Text Editor
06:33 Loop Checklists
07:14 Embed Videos
08:05 Loop Integration with ToDo
10:26 Loop Integration with Planner
11:12 Loop Components
12:10 Loop in Microsoft Teams
14:59 Loop in Microsoft Outlook
16:07 Sharing in Loop

[altonmckenzie]

Microsoft just has too many apps that do the same damn thing

[clarencemartin]

Unless I missed it, Microsoft Loop is missing the drawing capabilities of OneNote which many of our users utilize for quick freehand diagram generation.

[olivierlu]

Quite different : Loop is oriented to meeting organization while OneNote is excellent for self-learning organization

[Aarviisawesome]

Great video to illustrate the use of Loop. I am OneNote user since last 10 years and I am at opinion that Loop can not replace OneNote for me yet. Reasons

- OneNote has Notebooks, sections & page structure which is perfect for my use as we have programs of projects & sub sites. So we can create a Notebook for each Program, Section for each projects & pages for each site. I cant see this functionality in Loop
- Onenote has tagging feature. I have created a master template for each of my sites where i fill specific information's relevant to each sites. I also have tagged all information sub sections. So by find tags functionality I can narrow down to particular objects across each sites
- Lasso select or drawing functionality
- History / page versions
- New window / New docked windows - As i can be working across multiple projects simultaneously, i tend to open more than one window of OneNote in multiple screens. This also allows me to compare anything
- Screenshots or copy of articles with source
and many more.

Loop has some impressive features, but it does not excite me to switch

[olivierlu]

The best thing in OneNote for me is that the page is unlimited in width: I can compare different versions of text or images by juxtaposing them side by side without any constraint, or create a table with 15 columns for example. Loop can't do them, it's simply an application that stacks pages of Word, it's probably useful for preparing meetings, writing reports, but not effective for self-learning

[tchrapko]

Thanks for getting this onto my radar. I've been a big promoter of OneNote in my organization and will need to consider how Loop might be used instead. However, I find that where the rubber really meets the road in OneNote is in using tags (especially custom tags) along with the 'Find Tags' feature. Tagging notes in whatever section, page, or notebook where you happen to be, and then using the tag finder during a meeting to jump to each "Discuss with person X" tag is really powerful. Similarly, I've used tags and keyboard shortcuts to quickly mark notes when I need to 1) make a change in the test system, 2) make that change in production, and 3) document the change.

If Loop gets tagging feature that works similarly then I can go all in.

[jettison_m]

For my uses, I'm really liking Loop from a visual standpoint. Feels like where OneNote should have been a few years ago. I love the meeting agenda features as well. I will be copying over some of my OneNote items to try Loop out for a while. Thanks for putting this on my radar!

[ChrisCox]

This video really opened my eyes to the different collaborative features of Microsoft Loop. Thank you, Jonathan!

[DrakeStardragon]

There are things I have in some of my OneNote notebooks that I will never need to share so, for those, Loop is pointless. So, Loop will never replace OneNote for those types on notes. Loop is great for a collaborative environment, tho. Plus, a feature I like in OneNote, that Loop does not seem to have, is when you paste something from the web into OneNote it saves the original URL from where you copied it from.

[margeryreynolds]

This was very instructive. . Thanks! It saved me a lot of headache trying to choose! I use OneNote (for 8 years) for myself, so I'll stick with it per your conclusion

[davidneale]

They seem quite different, yet both able to provide solutions to similar use cases. Can you draw and sketch into Loop? Can you layout workspaces anyway you like or just vertically? It would probably make sense to be able to put Loop components into OneNote pages, and also share a OneNote page as a Loop component.

[JRashid]

I find the One note for Windows 10 works really well accross all 365 apps, as opposed to the OneNote app, I've not really used Loop that much but watching this I might try it.
Great Video!

[carloshe]

wow... MS is connecting their apps and made available across them... interesting... Tks Mr Jonathan! Regards From Monterrey Mx

[kenperry]

I appreciate your ability to quickly walk me through actions in these applications with real actions and clear applicable use suggestions

[Col_Crunch]

So basically loop appears to be Microsoft's answer to apps like Notion

[blackwaterjim]

Excellent video. I'm a rookie when it comes to Loop. Can you recommend any books or resources on learning Loop? Or is it more of a seat-of-your-pants application?

[perrinms]

Thanks for this. I started using OneNote in 2008 and I now see the power of the Loop components. They both will have their place IMHO.

[mohamadelhout]

OMG! At the 1:32 mark I couldn't take the "woosh" sound effect anymore.
I almost left the video but luckily I stuck around and the information is GOLD!

I share with you my 2 cents Jonathan as a fellow YTer, albeit I'm on the beginner side of things.

[tzniliq]

Let's hope it's actually an improvement as opposed to more applications forced upon the end user. Thanks for vid, I will check it out

[officekundig]

Why are components not available in a Teams post? And why can I not created a component of tasks (from the workspace) and copy the link to a MS-Team? Also why can I not insert an existing component into a Teams post? thnx Jan