OneNote: Can’t select more than one word at a time, or reorder notebooks., etc…

SJoy 105

Hi, I can’t drag the selection handle to select more than one word at a time in OneNote. At most, I can drag the handle another character or 2. If I select a full paragraph, I cannot unselect the parts I don’t want selected. I also cannot re-order notebooks, sections, or pages. These issues both started today.

This is happening on my iPad, whether I use a Pencil or my finger. This is not happening on my iPhone. I do all my work on my iPad and this inability to select more than one word is significantly slowing my work flow. My iPad is updated.

I have reset OneNote in Settings, deleted “all notebooks” and deleted “login credentials”, restarted my iPad, and re-downloaded the One Note app. None of this fixed the problems. There is no option in Settings to clear a cache.

Please advise.

Thanks.

SJoy 105 Reputation points

2026-02-03T00:03:10.5266667+00:00

I should have mentioned that OneNote is updated on my iPad.
Ben and Mandy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T07:00:17.9533333+00:00

I am also experiencing this today ... I have spent hours on this
donna rutherford 25 Reputation points

2026-02-03T11:12:23.6333333+00:00

I have tweeted about it this morning - it's definitely related to today's app update
Oliwia 10 Reputation points

2026-02-03T18:50:19.94+00:00

I have the exact same issue. I can’t do normal notes because of it and it’s driving me crazy.
Janean Sylvester 15 Reputation points

2026-02-03T22:06:43.2266667+00:00

Same problem started yesterday (2/2/26). Not happening on word, or safari, or Mac notes, or OneNote in a browser. Just OneNote app on the iPad.
Zimmerwoman 10 Reputation points

2026-02-03T23:43:34.4666667+00:00

Same here. Just started 2/3/2026
Alvilde Edvardsen Kanstad 5 Reputation points

2026-02-05T16:37:22.84+00:00

I also have this problem
John Sennett 5 Reputation points

2026-02-06T21:41:17.5766667+00:00

I have the same 2 issues - 1) can’t drag, and 2) can’t move position of ONENOTE books after reloading. . I also deleted ONENOTE from my iPad and reloaded it. I spent an hour on the phone with Apple, but after exhausting all options they think it’s MS /Onenote issue. These issues began with me in 2/2/26- following the iOS update.
donna rutherford 25 Reputation points

2026-02-07T10:29:09.9966667+00:00

Microsoft fobbed me off when I've raised this issue both on twitter (including DM-ing with them) and via Feedback from the app (I've also raised feedback in the app store now - trying to get Microsoft to take some notice of this issue in as many ways as I can think of). No help from the twitter thread. I pointed them to this thread and also to a reddit thread on the same issue. I just wish they'd acknowledge the iPad issue at least. Then roll out a fix.
Jennifer A. Turns 5 Reputation points

2026-02-08T18:04:52.7866667+00:00

Also experiencing this issue, and it started when I just updated iOS on my iPad.
Matt Walsh 5 Reputation points

2026-02-08T21:42:18.0166667+00:00

I have the same issue. Is there an iPad app update in progress that will fix the issue?
Janean Sylvester 15 Reputation points

2026-02-09T13:01:21.0966667+00:00

Some more detail to refine the description of the problem. I have another iPad running iOS 18, on this device there is no problem. The problem is only on an iPad running iOS 26. Just ran the 26.2.1 update and the problem is still present.

Cannot drag to select text, but can select one word at a time with double tap or a full paragraph with triple tap. Also, from one word selected, using Select All can select a full paragraph. From praragraph selected, using Select All can select all the text on the page.

Answer accepted by question author

Nathan 90

This has been fixed with today’s OneNote app update

SJoy 105 Reputation points

2026-02-09T23:13:22.09+00:00

Thank you for letting us know! I deleted the app, restarted my iPad, downloaded the app and now it works!
AnimlTrx11 0 Reputation points

2026-02-10T04:30:19.97+00:00

Same exact issue only on my iPad Air 11". Only I can't select more than a word - at all. After that, dragging a handle will select one character at a time. It's extremely frustrating. I'm using it for study purposes and want to highlight content I've already typed into notebooks in and I can't do that.

~~For all intents and purposes, it's been reduced down to a Read-Only app for my iPad, which really sucks~~.

I'm sorry - I posted that not realizing I was replying to your comment. I will try that and come back to report if it doesn't work. Thx!

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Liz Lee 0 Reputation points

2026-02-04T17:29:42.5233333+00:00

Has anyone found an answer? I have noticed the same issue also
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Zimmerwoman 10 Reputation points

2026-02-05T18:32:50.9866667+00:00

This only happens on iPad. My synced Notebook on iPhone is behaving normally. I can copy paragraphs from iPhone Notebook and paste them onto a synced iPad and can also reorder notebooks and files on iPhone which will eventually sync to iPad. It’s a pain but doable until it’s fixed ……hopefully soon too!

Zimmerwoman 10 Reputation points

2026-02-09T23:00:51.92+00:00

Thank you! Love OneNote
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KJ 0 Reputation points

2026-02-03T14:22:56.73+00:00

Same issue here!
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OneNote: Can’t select more than one word at a time, or reorder notebooks., etc…

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