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Does OneNote Support Find and Replace All? Workarounds & Tips

Partner Editor Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if there is a way to automatically find and replace all instances of a specific text string across their OneNote notebooks.

Does OneNote Support Find and Replace All?

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Trying to mass edit or replace specific words or phrases within OneNote pages or notebooks.
Observed behavior: OneNote allows users to search for text across notebooks, but lacks a native Replace or Replace All command to automatically update multiple text instances.

Before you start

Please note that Microsoft OneNote currently does not have a built-in 'Replace' or 'Replace All' feature. Any bulk text replacement directly within the app requires manual editing.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Search Function to Manually Replace Text

Since there is no automated Replace All command, the most straightforward native workaround is to use the Find feature to locate the text and type the replacement manually.

While this method can be tedious for large notebooks, it is the only native way to ensure all instances of a specific word are located and updated without using third-party plugins.

Open the Search Bar

Press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) to open the Search bar in your OneNote application.

Find the Target Text

Type the word or phrase you want to find into the search field to highlight all occurrences on the page.

Replace Manually

Navigate through the highlighted results, select each target word manually with your cursor, and type or paste the new replacement text over it.

Use the Search Function to Manually Replace Text

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request via the Feedback Portal

If you frequently need a bulk Find and Replace tool, you can request this feature directly from the Microsoft OneNote development team to help prioritize future updates.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Need Advanced Text Editing? Try WPS Office

If you regularly need to perform bulk text editing tasks like Find and Replace All, consider using a dedicated word processor like WPS Writer. WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office, offering powerful editing tools and a familiar user interface.

1. Copy Text from OneNote: Highlight and copy the extensive notes from OneNote that require bulk text replacement.
2. Paste into WPS Writer: Open a new document in WPS Writer and paste your copied notes.
3. Use Find and Replace All: Press Ctrl + H to open the Replace dialog, enter your find and replace terms, click 'Replace All', and then paste the updated text back into OneNote.

Built-in advanced Find and Replace All functionality for efficient bulk text editing.Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats including DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX.Lightweight installation and completely free to use.Familiar tabbed interface for seamless migration from other office suites.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't OneNote have a Replace All feature?

OneNote is designed primarily as a free-form digital note-taking application rather than a full-fledged word processor. Because its focus is on gathering unformatted notes, images, and drawings, it lacks some of the advanced bulk text editing features found in dedicated word processors like Microsoft Word.

Are there any third-party add-ins that add Find and Replace to OneNote?

Yes, there are third-party add-ins such as Onetastic that offer macro capabilities. You can download specific macros for Onetastic that add a 'Search and Replace' functionality to the desktop version of OneNote, though these are not officially supported by Microsoft.

Can I copy OneNote text to another program to replace text quickly?

Absolutely. A common workaround for large amounts of text is to copy your notes from OneNote, paste them into a word processor like WPS Writer or Microsoft Word, use the built-in Replace All command (Ctrl + H), and then paste the updated text back into your OneNote page.

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