Microsoft solves major OneNote annoyance on Windows

OneNote is a fairly popular note-taking app that features cloud capabilities that can further boost productivity. It is available across various platforms and is also bundled in Microsoft 365, making it the go-to utility for those invested heavily in Redmond's ecosystem. Microsoft regularly updates OneNote in response to user feedback, and while these changes are seemingly quite minor sometimes, they solve major grievances for some customers. Now, Microsoft is implementing one such modification in OneNote.

Right now, if you utilize the Horizontal Tabs layout in OneNote on Windows with the page list featured on the right, you may have noticed a rather annoying behavior in the integrated search bar. When you use it, the drop-down for the search bar expands and covers a significant portion of the page canvas, potentially breaking your flow.

Now, Microsoft has modified the UX such that the drop down area opens to the right, minimizing the overlap with the page canvas. Although this now means that your page list is now covered by the drop-down, it is perhaps better than your main canvas being obscured. You can see the "before and after" of this UX change below:

This UX change for search in OneNote on Windows is available right now for Insiders running Version 2511 (Build 19426.20042) or later. The feature is slated for general availability next month, as the company will likely be gauging feedback on the modification before pulling the trigger on expanded rollout.

That said, it's highly unlikely that it will change or be removed prior to general rollout as Microsoft has highlighted that the current redesign was already built based on user feedback about content obstruction in the Horizontal Tabs layout. If you have more suggestions for Microsoft, you can provide them directly to the firm through the Help > Feedback menu in OneNote on Windows.

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Posted Sunday 16 November 2025 at 4:53 am AEST (my time).

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