In OneNote the Search bar has moved, How do I put it back to where it was?

Anonymous
2025-05-22T20:51:54+00:00

Version 2504 Build 16.0.18730.20122 on Windows 11.

I have been using OneNote for years, all of a sudden when I opened it up today, the Search bar has moved from its correct place on top of the pages list on the side, to now being in the upper right corner of the actual notes main page.

When I type in a search, the list of pages where the search term shows up now covers up half of the notes field, meaning you can't read half of the page to see if the search result is actually what you are looking for or not, making the entire search function pretty much useless.

How can I move the search box, and more importantly, the list of pages that contain the search result, so that it no longer covers up the actual notes page that I need to read?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | Other | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

114 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Anonymous
    2025-06-26T18:43:54+00:00

    There is a "Search" option that can be selected from the ribbon. however it is normally in a tab that is not the VIEW tab. HOWEVER, the Search icon when clicked, does nothing but expand the search box, which is the same thing as just clicking in the search box, so it is pointless to add it to the ribbon in the customization. AND there is no other sub menu options to move the search box.

    So really the original comment from Fordy B. was not only just wrong, but it was wrong about the wrong thing that it was being wrong about. And two wrongs don't make a right, it makes you wrong twice.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2025-06-26T18:15:33+00:00

    NO "Search" group in View tab in Windows 11!!

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2025-06-26T18:07:57+00:00

    NO "Search" group on Windows 11

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2025-06-26T16:54:10+00:00

    Thank you for the reminder to provide feedback through OneNote as well! Done.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2025-06-25T17:53:35+00:00

    If you press CTRL+E when in any page in One Note the search box appears in the top right corner of the page. You can search all notebooks from there and it will jump to the page which finds the text match from there! Just click anywhere in the page to collapse the search results. Simple!

    My work computer has the old OneNote, and my personal computer has the updated (annoying) version. This might be a case of Windows 10 vs Windows 11 OneNote. Regardless, the search results aren't the issue, it's the search box covering the upper right corner of the actual page that can't be (re)moved.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments