OneNote not able to search handwriting 2

Anonymous
2020-03-12T02:45:54+00:00

OneNote could be great - if it was working

I am using an Ipad with ipad pen for handwritten notes

when I search for handwritten words in the search function it only searches my first 2 pages -

No handwritten notes are searched after the first 2 pages of my note book - it does search typed text beyond the first 2 pages - INFACT all the pages search for typed text

It works perfectly on the first 2 pages for handwritten text - it finds every word - even those that are quite poorly written in terms of legibility and identification of each letter

It searches nothing at all handwritten on the pages after the first 2 - no matter how perfectly written or easily identifiable the word or numbers are

PLEASE NOTE EDIT - it turns out it actually won't search any handwritten notes that have been made since the first day I stated using the App and the first 2 pages - if I erase something written in page 1 or 2 and re write it - much neater as perfectly as my hand writting will manage - that word no longer searches - when it did before the re write - the words are synced through Ipad, PC on Onedrive online - but wont search ?

NEW EDIT - If I open a new note book with a new section and a new page that new page is searching handwritten text - but only on the first page 

Is there any solution to this ?

Can hand written text only be searched on the first page of any given notebook ?

I really like the App but if it doesnt work I cant see how I can keep using it

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-03-24T05:13:27+00:00

    So sad that this is still a problem in March 2021,  i have a new ipad air 4 and handwriting search in one note doesnt work, obiously looks like the engineering team did not implement it well, its a shame to see such quality issues.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-07-07T16:19:14+00:00

    Same issue. New handwriting is not searchable. Only those from old notebooks are searchable. Studying for a big exam, and was anticipating using onenote to manage my notes. Thoroughly disappointed. Only reason I bought into the Surface line.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-04-13T09:56:39+00:00

    I am having the exact same issue. All my handwritten notes from last month is searchable but my new notes never appear in search.

    I tried switching to OneNote 2016, circle my handwritting and right click-treat as handwritting, and that selected text is then searchable. But once I switch back to OneNote for Windows 10 it stops working again.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-06-25T18:37:55+00:00

    At this point Microsoft is openly lying on their Microsoft Store page for OneNote, where they say this:

    > GET ORGANIZED

    > • Search and find anything in your notes, including handwritten ink and the text in pictures

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/p/onenote-for-windows-10/9wzdncrfhvjl#activetab=pivot:overviewtab

    , but ink search has been broken for months now, rendering megs upon megs of handwritten notes unusable. 

    I tried to submit a request via the Feedback app - it is an absolutely useless app and all feedback is simply ignored. 

    I tried twice to reach out to Office Support and they turned out to be just a bunch of people who do not even have Microsoft Office installed on their computers. All they do is that they Google things as you chat with them and try to suggest same things you can find yourself.

    This issue is an absolute product failure for Microsoft. I find it disappointing, as Microsoft started doing so well in other areas and it just raises eyebrows that the flagship product like Office is so poorly managed.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-04-20T17:19:23+00:00

    Hello,

    this is plus one for me! How handwritten notes on iPad become searchable is a pure mistery to me, some are searchable some are not and it's impossible to identify a pattern.

    It looks like I'm not the only one confused on this issue since I found another thread dated two years ago with the same issues and (sigh!) the same answers!

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