Microsoft
MicrosoftHi everyone -- the latest update based on your feedback is coming in version 2510. This update will align the search drop-down to the right edge of the OneNote screen so that more of your page will be visible when using the dropdown.
Tony He can I ask why we are making little "improvements" here or there and hoping that will make people happy, instead of just giving everyone what the massive majority are asking for - an option to revert the search box back to it's old location? Especially considering that old location still exists when using horizontal tabs (meaning - as has been stated many times - no screen space is saved). I appreciate you following the thread and responding but the responses seem to just be little bits and pieces, and the core issue remains unaddressed. When (again, as has been pointed out many times on this thread), we are not benefiting in any way, shape or form from the current location of the search box, as it does not save the space that the original article claims it saves.
Add to this the fact that Ctrl+E and Ctrl+F shortcuts have never worked correctly ever since this change was made, and OneNote search, which used to be one of its strongest features, is now a disaster.
Combined with what I just read from another comment of what we can expect in 2602 (AI-powered search that can't be turned off, quotes around terms no longer return exact matches only, etc.), which I'm not even running yet - this is starting to become a pretty significant issue. MS is severely limiting one of OneNote's most useful features that had been a staple of it for years.
New features should be an opt-in experience until something is confirmed acceptable by a large portion of the user base (not just deployed in beta/insider). Telemetry would make it easy for MS to see whether users prefer the new location. New features should not be opt-out and certainly should not be required with no opt-out available. That is a terrible user experience.
Concur entirely. I wish they would get rid of this darn floating search button. I will NEVER see it as a value added proposition.
It's software, not a mechanic product that would need retooling to correct. The old code exists and can be put back into service.
Hear, hear! Just so totally sums it up! Terrible user experience.
The latest OneNote update (2601) is definitely better in terms of having the search box cover the canvas. When the search box is not in use, it shrinks to a small box.
I can live with this. Maybe it's a good compromise.
Tony, thanks for listening to us and making a change.
What exactly changed? I'm on 2512 currently (Monthly Enterprise Channel), and I have to say, I see no difference with the search from how it's been recently. I just looked through all settings pages and didn't see anything relating to changing search behavior. The search box is still in the content area, and the dropdown still overlaps the page list. Is it just that the dropdown with results now aligns with the right edge of OneNote? If so, that does not fix the issue that everyone was mad about. The search box itself still blocks long titles and overlaps content.
In the version that I'm using (2601), the search box now shrinks to a tiny square icon when you're not searching. That's definitely an improvement!
See this screen shot:
Wait until you get version 2602, they break it again!
Edit, to clarify they didn't change the search window, but the search function itself is now "AI Powered" whether you want it to be or not. Because all searches are now Close Matches included, even if you search in quotes.
Search for the word RUN, you will also get RUNNING and RAN.
Search for the number string in quotes of "1448" and you will now get 21448, or 144800003.
No matter what, there is no setting to turn it off, and using quotes around the search doesn't limit the results to only exact matches like it used to, and should.
Wow , that sucks. I use quotes all the time in search terms to help find exact matches so that's going to screw stuff up for me. One of the main reasons I like OneNote is/was it's search capabilities but they are breaking those now , one feature at a time.
Also, Ctrl+E and Ctrl+F basically never work now for what they're supposed to (Ctrl+F to switch to "find on page" when searching across sections/notebooks, and Ctrl+E to change search scope if already searching on page). They broke those back when this initial new flaky search bar was implemented last year.
The Search Notebooks box needs to move to the same space as Add Page. It does not work in the canvas space PERIOD.
I'm wondering if we can just go back to the way things were before this change since MAY 2025 or to be given the option to hide this search box.
Why is Microsoft so obsessed with this terrible UI design choice?
The search is now in the middle of the screen, covering my titles and other information:
This is a poor UI decision. I respect wanting to utilize space, but now we have spaces that are overlapping and fighting for space.
Hi Tony, I'm now on version 2510 (Build 19328.20158) and the OneNote search is still in the same place.
Nothing appeared to change with this update.
Please can we have an option to move the search back to where it was?
Hi Tony, that is great to hear, thank you! I am curious, when you say "align to the right edge of OneNote", does this mean moving back to its original position or somewhere else? For those of us that have page list pinned on the right with horizontal tabs - it's hard to imagine it being anywhere other than its original position that wouldn't cause additional issues.
Also, if I might make a suggestion - the option to use the old location or new location would add a lot of flexibility. Instead of forcing people to have it one way or the other - let them choose. Not sure how much of an additional lift this would be from the Dev side but I think it would add to the user experience a lot.
I do really appreciate you keeping us updated throughout this process!
Question: Does that mean that "based on your feedback" means you actually just rolled it back to the exact same way it was working a year and a half ago BEFORE you broke it, which is what everyone has been asking for? OR did you find some other new way of having it still not work and still get in peoples way? because if it is the later, might as well not even bother with the update until you actually plan on just rolling it back to the way it was before, like EVERYONE has ACTUALLY been asking for. If it is the second one, just be prepared for everyone to yell at you again, just like the last time you didn't actually roll it back, or the time before that when you didn't roll it back either (I hope you are stating to notice a pattern here). Just to be clear, NOBODY ever asked for the search box to be moved, it was a bad idea to move it, and the CORRECT fix is to roll back to the way it was about a year and a half ago, before it was ever moved.
Awesome news!
Thank You Mr. He for following up and keeping us posted.
