How to Find and Replace in OneNote (The Easy Way)

Microsoft OneNote is a fantastic tool for organizing notes, but it has one glaring omission that frustrates many users: there is no built-in "Find and Replace" function. The universal Ctrl + H shortcut simply doesn't work. So, how do you efficiently update text across your notes?

This guide will show you the official (and rather clunky) manual workaround, and then reveal a much faster method using a free online tool.

The Official Method: A Manual "Search and Paste"

Microsoft's suggested method isn't a true find and replace, but rather a manual process of finding each instance and pasting over it. It gets the job done for a few changes, but it's not efficient for bulk edits.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Copy Your Replacement Text: First, type your new text (e.g., "New Project Name") somewhere on the page, select it, and copy it to your clipboard with Ctrl + C.
2. Search for the Old Text: Press Ctrl + F to open the search bar. Type the text you want to find (e.g., "Old Project Name"). OneNote will highlight all occurrences on the page.
3. Navigate and Paste: Use the arrows next to the search bar to jump to each highlighted instance.
4. Replace Manually: Double-click the highlighted text and press Ctrl + V to paste your new text over it.
5. Repeat: Continue this process for every single occurrence.

As you can see, this is a tedious process, especially if you have dozens of replacements to make or need to change multiple different words.

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The Smarter, Faster Way: Using an Online Find and Replace Tool

What if you could perform all your replacements—even multiple different ones—in a single click? That's where a dedicated online tool becomes essential for OneNote users.

Our free tool at findandreplace.online was built to solve this exact problem. It acts as a powerful "workbench" for your OneNote text.

How It Works:

1. Copy from OneNote: Select the entire block of text from your OneNote page (Ctrl + A, then Ctrl + C).
2. Paste into the Tool: Paste the text into the "Input Data" box on our site.
3. Set Up All Replacements: Add as many find-and-replace pairs as you need. For example, you can replace "Project X" with "Project Y" and "Q3" with "Q4" at the same time.
4. Process & Copy Back: Click the "Find & Replace" button, copy the corrected text from the "Output Data" box, and paste it back into your OneNote page.

This method transforms a repetitive, multi-minute task into a quick, 10-second operation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there a plugin for OneNote find and replace?

Yes, there are third-party add-ins like "Onetastic" that add more functionality to OneNote, including a proper find and replace. However, these often require installation and may not be an option on work or school computers. An online tool requires no installation.

Can I search for a whole sentence in OneNote?

Yes. To search for an exact phrase or sentence, enclose it in double quotation marks (e.g., "the quick brown fox") in the `Ctrl + F` search bar.

Why doesn't OneNote have Ctrl+H?

That's the big question! Microsoft has not provided a clear reason, but it's a long-standing feature request from the user community. For now, workarounds like the ones described here are the best solutions.