When I first looked at Microsoft Loop, I admittedly wrote it off and thought it wasn’t going to be worth my time. Then I started using it as one of my primary note-takers, and it completely changed my opinion of the app. I keep it pinned in my browser for quick notes as I’m working, and I love the simplistic interface.

Naturally, since much of the work I do revolves around creating graphics, I started using Loop to keep track of all of it. While it’s not a graphics editor and doesn’t have any whiteboard or diagramming features, it’s still a great companion for any workflow that involves media files. Here’s how I’ve been using it to stay on top of my design work…

Why even use Loop for graphics work?

And does it have any graphics features?

Microsoft Loop is primarily a collaborative note-taking app, mostly known for its unique approach to sharing blocks of content across the app, and other 365 tools, with a feature called Components. A single table, list, chunk of text, or even a whole page can exist anywhere in Loop and other Microsoft apps as a component, and they sync wherever they’re updated.

However, Loop itself doesn’t really have any features that lets you edit graphics. So how exactly am I using it for graphics work? Well, you can embed media files in your Loop pages - you can even drag images and graphic assets straight from your browser or file manager onto a page. It embeds the media inline rather than just linking to the source (although I often include the link, too).

Combining these embedded visuals with all the note-taking and project management features makes Loop the perfect tool for managing my graphics work. Here’s how I do it.

Using Loop for design notes

Research and notes are the foundation of design

I use Loop first and foremost as a place to store my design research and working notes. This includes ideas, project briefs, constraints, color palettes, dimensions, and any other small decisions that usually get lost between my note folders. Loop offers plenty of formatting options, but I keep it simple for these notes and mainly stick to headers and lists.

What I like the most about this process is that Loop uses a hierarchical folder structure. So I can organize everything under one workspace, split projects or tools into their own pages, and use subpages to break down specifics without cluttering the main view. This setup gives me a clear, contained, and easily-accessible reference point when designing.

Working with visual assets in Loop

Utilizing the embedded media function

This is where Loop actually earns a spot in my graphics setup - I mainly use it to store, organize, and explore reference visual assets that support my design work, not to edit them. This includes exported drafts, screenshots, inspiration images, UI references, and comparison shots from different stages of my projects. So instead of repeatedly navigating through folders and browser tabs, I embed these visual assets directly into my relevant Loop pages.

Every image can live next to the notes and decisions it relates to. But since embeds are inline, some of my subpages are only for visual assets where I simply scroll to get a clear overview of a project’s overall aesthetic. I can move these around the pages in any order, as well as organize them in tables, since Loop is block-based and every embed is an editable, movable block. I also like using the Increase/Decrease Indent feature to align them to the side or the middle of a page.

This method makes it very easy for me to keep track of all my design inspiration and the references I got with briefs. It’s also a great way to compare iterations and spot inconsistencies, especially since they live right next to their notes. Loop supports embeds for SVG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, HEIF, BMP, ICO, and WebP files under 10MB.

The limitations of using Loop for graphics work

What it can’t do (and why it still works for me)

While Loop is great for storing and managing my visual assets, it’s not an editor. The only tweaks you can make are repositioning and resizing graphics on the page. So all the actual editing work still happens in another app like Penpot or Affinity. Another downside is that once images are on a Loop page, you can’t drag them back out - the only way to get them out of the app is if you export the whole page as a PDF file. This is actually reasonable for presentations, but not for creating copies of your asset library.

These limitations mean Loop is more of a reference hub than an editing workspace for me. That said, it still speeds up my design process by keeping everything contained, organized, and in context.

Loop keeps my design projects on track

Even with its limitations, Loop has become a core part of how I approach my graphics processes. It can’t replace editing tools, but it keeps my research, notes, references, and visual assets in one place that’s easy to navigate and manage.