A few questions

Features
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As a new user having abandoned Evernote (since version 6 showed the red banner warning of an impending forced migration to - gulp - version 10), I have a lot to learn rather fast. I hope people don't mind me asking a few questions here, as the forum database is huge and the longer it takes me to learn, the further my Evernote and Joplin accounts will diverge.

Thanks anybody who helps!

1: The Android app has biometric protection, which is great. But is it possible to use a simple pincode instead?

2: I have a work Microsoft account so would like to use onedrive to sync - BUT, I log in to Microsoft so often from so my different computers that it logs me out somewhere almost every day. This means I have to use f2p authenticator frustratingly often already. If I sync to onedrive (properly within the Joplin app on PC and Android), will Microsoft see this as yet MORE login instances, giving me even more authenticator calls? If so, I'll probably pay for Joplin cloud instead.

3: I don't know markdown and would happily not learn it just yet. But I do like Evernote's pop-out editor on PC (hiding your library whilst you edit a single note). If I use an external editor on Windows for this purpose (as well as continuing to use the Windows simple editor at different times), am I likely to run into problems with e.g. having inadvertently edited markup code? Wordpad seems like the obvious option, as it's preinstalled and I'm familiar with the layout from using Word, but will some formatting either be lost or corrupt the note?

4: What happens if I'm editing a note in Android, then switch to a different app and forget about the note? Let's say I then power down the phone without returning to the note. Are changes lost? Is this true if I do return to the note, but remain in editing view and power down?

5: Very happy with the whole database being encrypted, but is there a way to encrypt specific text segments, notes or notebooks? The reason is so that I can safely search my database with someone else at my desk, to find one note, without content from a sensitive note showing.

6: Is there a way to get quick GUI access to the highlighting tool on Android?

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-> 1 no, just turn it off, the app's security then depends on the system's pin or pattern
-> 2 given the number of users who have complaint about compatibility with onedrive, I would recommend a free nextcloud account (or else)
-> 3 I would try to use the built-in Rich Text editor as much as possible, and see if it works for you
-> 4 it is uploaded to the sync target, unless you explicitely disabled background data for the Joplin app (Android provided system setting)
-> 5 no
->6 you need to explain better

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1: Yes, you can use a simple pincode instead of biometric protection. To do this, open the Joplin app on your Android device and go to Settings > Security > App Lock. Under Lock Type, select PIN.
2: Yes, Microsoft will see the Joplin app as additional login instances if you sync to OneDrive. This may result in more authenticator calls. If you are concerned about this, you may want to consider using Joplin Cloud instead.
3: If you use an external editor to edit your Joplin notes, be careful not to edit the markup code. Wordpad should work fine for this purpose, but it is always a good idea to test it out with a few non-sensitive notes first.
4: If you are editing a note in Joplin on Android and switch to a different app, the changes will be saved automatically. If you then power down the phone without returning to the note, the changes will still be saved.
5: There is no built-in way to encrypt specific text segments, notes, or notebooks in Joplin. However, you can use a third-party tool, such as Encrypted Note, to encrypt sensitive content before adding it to Joplin.
6: Yes, there is a way to get quick GUI access to the highlighting tool on Android. To do this, open the Joplin app and go to Settings > Appearance > Toolbar. Under Toolbar Buttons, enable the Highlight button. This will add a highlight button to the Joplin toolbar, which you can use to quickly highlight text in your notes.
Hope this will be helpful for you @crtkugrrvjy :ok_hand:

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I don't think this is true, strictly speaking. I believe changes are indeed saved periodically but not necessarily when you switch away from Joplin.

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Thanks Allanmax!

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ok so sounds like I'll be relatively safe at least

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Some reflection on these, in case another new user wants this info in future:

1: My phone doesn't have a built in app lock, but XLock by InShot seems to do well.

3: I don't actually need an external editor. I've found that the buttons added by the "Note list and sidebar toggle buttons" plugin (else, F10+F11), combined with resizing the window, is essentially equivalent to Evernote's pop-out editor, if only one note is needed open. Then for multiple notes, either the history or quickview features of the "Joplin DDDot" plugin are close enough to having two notes open side by side.

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From my experience that's just one single authenticator call - when setting up sync through OneDrive Personal API.

Works rock solid in my case, and some problems related to OneDrive reported on this forum might have to do with OneDrive for Business which has a different API.

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Why not specify an external editor? When I want to open multiple notes, I use VS Code as my external editor. Of course there are dozens to choose from. Before VS Code, I was using Typora.

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Thanks, I'll definitely look at VS Code first if I find I need an external editor and Wordpad doesn't do the job.

To me, the main arguments for using Joplin and only Joplin to edit notes are that there's no risk of using features incompatible with Joplin (obviously) and that there's no need to install/get familiar with the look/feel/hotkeys etc of another piece of software. Obvious downside is the extra mouse clicks and inability to truly open two notes side by side.

I wonder how easy it would be though to turn a second instance/window of the main program into a pop-out editor, by stripping out the sidebars and sidebar-like plugins.

Probably worth mentioning that my usage is pretty basic. I take notes of meetings/discussions, to-do lists, class notes and lab notes including photos, but that's about it.