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The Windows 10 May 2019 Update is systematically rolling out a new version of the OS to PCs everywhere, adding new features and improved applications. While Windows 10 Version 1903 adds many notable enhancements, it also adds improvements and functionality to several smaller apps, including Sticky Notes.
The Sticky Notes app has been part of Windows 10 for years now, and for some users, it is the app of choice for creating notes, to-do lists, and appointment reminders. New Sticky Notes features include the ability to sync your notes across devices and the ability to export notes directly into Outlook.com. These improvements may make the Sticky Notes app more useful than ever.
This tutorial shows you how to change settings for the Version 1903 Sticky Notes app so that notes created on one device will synchronize across all your Windows 10 devices.
SEE: Windows 10 May 2019 Update: 10 notable new features (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
How to sync super Sticky Notes across Windows 10 devices
For the synchronization of notes to work, all your devices must be associated with an active Microsoft account. So, the first step is to log in to your Windows 10 PC with the appropriate credentials.
Next, you will start the Sticky Notes app (Figure A). You can load the app using the Start Menu, or you can type “sticky” into the search box on the desktop and click the appropriate result. If you plan to be a frequent user of the app, it may be a good idea to add the Sticky Notes icon to your desktop Taskbar.
Figure A
To get to the sync settings, click the gear icon and open the Settings menu. Scroll down the list until you find the Sync button (Figure B) and click it to activate. From this point on, notes will synchronize across all your Windows 10 devices, as long as you are using a Microsoft account.
Figure B
Note that once Sticky Notes syncing is turned on, there is no clear way to turn it off, so act accordingly.
Another item to note is that the syncing of Sticky Notes also includes the Outlook.com email box associated with your Microsoft account. As you can see in Figure C, logging into Outlook.com will reveal a section in your inbox for Sticky Notes.
Figure C
Warning
Over the years, paper sticky notes have earned a notorious reputation as a tool for insecurely storing system passwords; the digital version presents a similar security problem, only with the additional risk of syncing those passwords across all your devices (Figure D). This may sound convenient from a user’s perspective, but it sounds dangerous to anyone tasked with protecting systems and sensitive data.
Figure D
Please, for the sake of your IT department and cybersecurity professionals everywhere, do not put your passwords on sticky notes, paper or digital.
