Open the drawing toolbar to access pen colors

When you're writing or drawing in OneNote on your iPhone, the pen color options sit in a toolbar that appears above your keyboard. To see it, tap the drawing tool (it looks like a pen tip) in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. This switches OneNote from typing mode to drawing mode.

Once you're in drawing mode, look at the toolbar that appears directly above the keyboard. You'll see a row of colored circles — these are your pen color choices. The currently selected color has a checkmark or outline around it. This toolbar stays visible as long as you remain in drawing mode, so you can switch colors as many times as you need while working on a single note.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap the pen icon in the bottom toolbar to enter drawing mode, which reveals the color options above the keyboard.
  • The color palette appears as a row of circles, with the active color marked by a checkmark or outline.
  • Tap any colored circle to switch to that color before you start writing or drawing.
  • You can change colors mid-stroke by tapping a new color, then continuing to write without stopping.
  • If you don't see all the colors you want, swipe left on the color row to reveal additional options like orange, purple, and gray.

Tap a color circle before you write

The simplest way to change pen color is to select your color before you start writing. Look at the row of colored circles above the keyboard. Tap whichever color you want — red, blue, black, green, yellow, or others depending on what OneNote shows you. That color becomes active when ready, and you'll see it highlighted or marked in the palette.

Start writing or drawing right after you tap the color. Everything you write from that point will be in the color you selected. If you want to switch colors partway through a note, stop writing, tap a new color, and continue. The transition happens when ready, so there's no delay between selecting a new color and using it.

Swipe left to see more color options

OneNote shows you a default set of colors in the toolbar, but there are more available if you need them. If you don't see the color you want in the initial row, swipe left on the color row itself. This scrolls the palette to reveal additional colors like orange, purple, pink, gray, and other shades.

Keep swiping until you find the shade you're looking for. Once you've found a color you like, tap it to make it active. The palette will stay scrolled to that position, so you can easily return to those colors later in the same note without having to swipe again.

Change colors while you're already writing

You don't have to finish one color before switching to another. While you're in the middle of writing, you can tap a different color circle and keep going. The new color takes effect when ready on your next stroke, so you can create multi-colored text or drawings without interrupting your work.

This is useful if you want to highlight a word, underline something in a different color, create a multi-colored diagram, or organize your notes by color-coding different sections. Just tap the new color and continue writing as normal. Each stroke you make will be in whatever color you selected most recently.

Return to typing mode when you're done drawing

Once you've finished writing or drawing in color, tap the keyboard icon (or the pen icon again) in the bottom toolbar to exit drawing mode and return to regular typing. The color toolbar disappears, and you're back to the standard keyboard for typing text.

Your colored writing stays in the note exactly as you drew it. You can switch back to drawing mode anytime to add more colored text or drawings to the same page. The colors you used remain visible and unchanged, even after you've switched back to typing mode.

Troubleshooting: Colors not showing or toolbar missing

If you don't see the color toolbar when you tap the pen icon, make sure you're actually in drawing mode. The pen icon should appear highlighted or active in the bottom toolbar. If it doesn't look active, tap it again to fully enter drawing mode.

If the color circles still don't appear, try closing OneNote completely and reopening it. Sometimes the toolbar needs to refresh. Make sure your iPhone has the latest version of OneNote installed from the App Store — older versions occasionally have display issues with the drawing toolbar. You can check for updates in the App Store by searching for OneNote and looking for an "Update" button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a custom pen color in OneNote on iPhone?

No, OneNote on iPhone only offers the preset colors in the toolbar. You cannot create or mix custom colors. If you need a specific shade, check if swiping left reveals a color close to what you want.

Does the pen color choice save for my next note?

OneNote remembers the last color you used within the same note, but when you open a different note or close and reopen the app, it typically defaults back to black or the first color in the palette.

What if I want to change the color of text I already wrote?

OneNote on iPhone does not have a way to select and recolor existing handwritten text. You would need to erase the text and rewrite it in the new color, or use the desktop version of OneNote for more editing options.

Is there a difference between pen colors and highlighter colors?

Yes. The pen tool writes solid lines in the colors you see. OneNote also has a separate highlighter tool (usually marked with a highlighter icon) that uses transparent, semi-opaque colors. Both tools have their own color palettes.

Why does my colored writing look faded or different on other devices?

The colors you draw on iPhone may appear slightly different when you view the note on a computer or tablet, depending on screen brightness and color settings. The actual color data is preserved — it's just a display difference between devices.