OneDrive ios app - no headings in Word docs

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OneDrive ios app - no headings in Word docs

NA 0

For a long time when I used the OneDrive app on my ipad it had an easy way to find the headings in a Word document. The equivalent to the navigation pane in Word. This functionality seems to have vanished, though. Is there a way I can get it back. Note that bookmarks in pdf documents work just fine. But one of the chief appeals of OneDrive was as a quick, minimalist app I could read Word files specifically in. I know I can use the Word ios app, but it is much more cumbersome if all you're doing is reading.

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Xavier-D 12,595 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello NA

I understand why this is frustrating, especially when the heading navigation made OneDrive a convenient way to read longer Word documents.

Could you confirm your current OneDrive app version and iPadOS version, and whether the heading option is missing from every Word document or only certain files?

If the option is missing from all documents after updating the app, there does not appear to be a documented setting for restoring it in the OneDrive viewer. For now, opening the document in Word for iOS may be the only available workaround.

You can also report the missing functionality from OneDrive > Me > Help & feedback, which sends the feedback to the relevant product team.

Feel free reply back to this post, I look foward to your update.

NA 0 Reputation points

2026-08-24T15:29:39.4766667+00:00

OneDrive version 18.8.3

iPadOS version 26.6.

It appears to be all Word files in my OneDrive. And, yeah, the viewing options on the OneDrive for Word docs are just surprisingly anemic compared to pdfs now that I think about it. For pdfs I have both the bookmarks option and thumbnails -- I have neither for Word docs. My motivation for using the OneDrive app at all was that it played nicely with Word files. Something it used to do.

Thanks for the feedback suggestion. I'll do that today.
Xavier-D 12,595 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-24T23:36:38.1033333+00:00

Hi NA

Thank you for confirming the versions and that this affects all your Word documents.

I understand your disappointment. The heading navigation was clearly an important part of what made OneDrive useful as a lightweight document reader, particularly when the PDF viewer still provides bookmarks and thumbnails.

Since there does not appear to be a setting to restore the previous Word viewing options, submitting feedback is the best next step. When doing so, I suggest including the OneDrive and iPadOS versions and emphasizing that this functionality was previously available.

Thank you for taking the time to report it.

Have a nice day
NA 0 Reputation points

2026-08-25T14:39:52.1366667+00:00

Thanks. Feedback sent, not that I expect they will act on it. I am just frankly baffled at hamstringing the app's functionality, especially in this basic way. I will also talk to our IT people as the institutional license I am using is the real customer here for Microsoft.
Xavier-D 12,595 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-26T00:21:37.12+00:00

I completely understand why you are baffled by the change.

Heading navigation is not an advanced editing function; it is a basic accessibility and usability feature for reading longer documents.

Thank you for taking the time to submit the feedback, even though I appreciate why you are not optimistic about the outcome.