Unlike other Microsoft Office tools, OneNote does not have a built-in “find and replace” feature, which can make it challenging to locate and modify specific information across multiple notes. Luckily, there are workarounds that you can use to achieve similar results.
In this easy guide, we will explore an effective way to find and replace text in OneNote, so you can save time and streamline your note-taking process.
Using Find and Replace in OneNote
In OneNote, while there isn’t a built-in Find and Replace feature like in Microsoft Word, you can still perform this task using a few simple steps. We will walk through the process step by step, covering the keyboard shortcuts and instructions you need on both Windows and Mac.
1. Open OneNote and go to the page containing the text you wish to find and replace. If you will reuse the same replacement, type it on a spare page and copy it with Ctrl + C on Windows or Command + C on Mac.
2. To search for a specific word or phrase on the current page, use these keyboard shortcuts:
Windows: Press Ctrl + F
Mac: Press Command + F
3. A search box will appear; enter the word or phrase you want to locate. The screenshot shows an older Windows layout. The search box position can differ on Mac and newer layouts, but choose the page search to follow these steps.
4. OneNote will highlight matching text on the current page. Select the actual word or phrase in the note before replacing it; a search highlight alone is not a text selection.
5. To navigate between instances while searching the current page in OneNote for Windows desktop, use these keyboard shortcuts:
Windows: Press F3 or Enter to move forward, or Shift + F3 to move backwards.
6. Once you’ve found and selected the text you want to replace, edit it manually as required. Paste your copied replacement with Ctrl + V on Windows or Command + V on Mac. Check the spacing around the pasted text, then repeat for the other occurrences.
For several pages, use Ctrl + E on Windows or Command + Option + F on Mac to search all open notebooks. On Windows, choose Pin Search Results or press Alt + O after searching to keep the results pane available. Select each matching page and replace its occurrences manually. These shortcuts refer to the desktop apps; browser shortcuts may act on the browser in OneNote for the web.
For many replacements within one page, you can copy its text into Word, use Word’s Find and Replace, and paste the edited text back. Keep the original page until you have checked the returned text and formatting. This workaround handles the text you copied; it does not run a Replace All command across your OneNote notebooks.
While OneNote doesn’t have a native Find and Replace feature, following these steps will help you achieve similar results. Using this approach, you can efficiently edit and update your notes throughout OneNote.
Conclusion
The manual find-and-replace approach is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to streamline their note-taking process and increase productivity. Search shortcuts help you track down a word across your open notebooks, while each occurrence still needs to be selected and replaced.
Whether you’re correcting a mistake or updating information across multiple notes, OneNote’s search and manual replacement workflow helps you get the job done. By following the simple steps outlined in this guide, you can start using this handy approach today and take your note-taking to the next level.
