Microsoft Loop doesn’t exactly position itself as a note-taking app, which is probably why many overlook it. But that’s also where its strength is; it’s mainly built around small flexible components rather than documents. So instead of creating notes and then organizing them later, you build them out of blocks that are reusable, movable, and collaborative.

There seems to be mixed opinions on Loop - some like it, and others deem it lackluster. This is why I’ve pretty much switched to MS Loop as my primary note-taker. It’s “lackluster” in the sense that it’s super minimal and frictionless, which is exactly what I look for in a notes app.

It’s browser-based

Zero setup required

Microsoft does have a desktop app, but I never use it. I actually prefer browser-based apps across the board, including for note-taking, graphics editing, project management, and so on. This is one of the primary reasons why I love MS Loop, because it works seamlessly in my browser, and the web version is by no means watered-down.

If you live in your browser like I do, then Loop will fit right in your flow. I take notes as I’m doing my research, and then easily flip to Loop to store the content (and then also NotebookLM to study). I simply keep Loop pinned, but a split view also works well if your browser supports it.

I’m not a fan of having to spend more time loading and maintaining an app than actually using it for my work. Having a zero-setup and zero-maintenance note-taker circumvents all of that extra overhead.

Simple organization

The page structure is simple but effective

While I can appreciate extensive organizational features such as nesting and backlinking, it can be a lot to manage. That’s why I love the way Loop handles page organization. It follows a very simple hierarchical structure.

You’ve got your main workspace (and you can create as many as you want) in which all of your pages live on the left panel. These pages can expand into subpages, which is a very simple way to keep your work organized by topics and subtopics.

You also get some basic organization features, such as moving your pages and subpages around in the panel, so you can sort them alphabetically, by date, and so on (use the Rearrange button to do this). Speaking of organization…

Components let you interconnect your notes

Loop’s main selling point

Loop gives you more to work with than basic pages. It also has something called Components, and this is the feature that most of Loop is built around. Components are the main element that makes Loop so collaborative, and also why it integrates so well with the rest of the 365 suite.

They're basically live, editable, and shareable blocks of content. You can turn anything into a component, including your notes and lists, and then add them to as many other pages as you want, share them with others, or share them across other Microsoft apps.

So while Loop doesn’t have databases or advanced backlinking, you don’t need that - components are how you build an interconnected knowledge and resource hub. This is how I build information pages for my novel, and then I drop those components straight into my chapter drafts. Components also make Loop a great project management app.

It understands Markdown

Loop automatically converts it to rich text

MS Loop primarily uses rich text, but it does also read Markdown input. While I don’t type in Markdown syntax in Loop directly, I do have a lot of .md documents from other programs and in my plain text stack. And Loop automatically reads and converts Markdown into readable text once I copy it over.

Not every note-taker reads Markdown properly, so this makes it easy to bring your Markdown work into a new workspace, and the formatting is clean and accurate. Unfortunately, Loop doesn’t let you export your files in Markdown, only PDF.

Great formatting options

Give your notes real structure

Microsoft Loop’s formatting options is what makes it a proper note-taking app, in my opinion. Everything is built around the slash / command, which you’re probably already used to if you come from apps like Notion.

The command pulls up a menu with loads of formatting options. You’ve got your regulars like headers and lists, and it also has collapsible headers, tables, calendars, quotes, code blocks, images, math equations, dividers, and more.

So you can build out an entire page without touching a toolbar and looking for the features you need. It’s great for research-heavy work, long drafts, as well as giving messy notes structure; these features keep the text more readable. And everything stays lightweight and responsive.

Using Loop as a note-taker is an upgrade

MS Loop is a browser-friendly, Markdown-compatible, and highly structured workspace. For anyone who spends a lot of time in their browser, juggles multiple note sources, and wants a clean and swift way to manage their research and ideas, Loop hits all the right notes.