Word android app Draw not working since update last week. WTF?

Question

Word android app Draw not working since update last week. WTF?

Don McNeil 10

Since the update last week, I can't write/draw on Word documents. The Ink Editor pops up and deletes what I wrote. Words I am writing are misinterpreted as gestures so the information I am writing isn't logged. This is creating a legal compliance issue as I use these notes for documentation purposes. Now it is not working. How do I re-vert back to the older version? Or turn off the gestures?

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Answer 1

Hi @Don McNeil,
Good day! Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum and sharing the detail, I’m really sorry to hear about the trouble you're experiencing with the Ink Editor in Word following the recent update. I completely understand how critical handwritten notes are for your documentation and compliance workflows, and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention.

Since the recent update to Word for Android, the inking experience has changed significantly with the introduction of Ink Editor, which includes gesture-based interactions like strikethrough to delete, circle to select, and more. Unfortunately, this can sometimes result in handwriting being misinterpreted or deleted unintentionally, as you've described.

At this time:

There is no supported method to roll back to a previous version of Word via the Play Store, as Microsoft does not provide older APKs for security and compatibility reasons.
There is also no current setting to disable Ink Editor gestures globally within the app.

I understand how limiting this can be, especially in business-critical scenarios. While the product team is actively reviewing feedback related to this change, I’d like to offer a workaround that may help in the meantime:

1/ If handwriting is essential to your workflow, I recommend trying OneNote for Android, which still supports freeform inking without gesture recognition. You can insert Word documents as printouts and annotate directly on them. Kindly refer Take handwritten notes in OneNote for Android – Microsoft Support

I also strongly encourage submitting in-app feedback so your experience is formally logged with the engineering team:

Open any Microsoft 365 app.
Tap icon in the top left > Settings > Help and Feedback.
Select Send Feedback.

Sharing your experience through this channel is the most impactful way to advocate for a change that would benefit you and other users.

I know this isn’t the experience you expected, and I truly appreciate your patience while the team works toward improvements. While I can't change the product's design, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions about its current functionality.

Thank you again for your patience and for bringing this to our attention.

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