Find and Find/Replace no longer work in Microsoft Word for iPad - help!

Question

Today, while trying to work on a novel I am writing, the Find function is no longer working – either Cmd-F or the magnifying glass. I need to be able to use this function to continue working efficiently! In an attempt to answer any questions up front:

-              When did you first notice that Command-F stopped working? This morning (10/09). There was an update last night that changed the functionality of Word. Yes, the Find function works in other apps, including web browsers, emails, and Notes.

-              Which version of Word are you using on the iPad? My iPadOS is version 26.0.1 and the Word version is 2.102. I updated iPadOS to 26.0.1 to today to make sure it was the latest version, and still doesn’t work.

-              Are you working in a document saved locally or in OneDrive? Both – the search function does not work regardless of where the file is located

-              Is the issue happening in all Word documents or just specific ones? Every Word document I have tried

-              Are you using a physical keyboard or the on-screen keyboard? I have a physical keyboard, but it fails to work with the on-screen keyboard as well.

-              Check Keyboard Functionality: Kindly test Command-F in another app (e.g., Safari or Notes) – the Search command works in multiple web browsers, email, and Notes

-              Use on-screen Find tool – the on-scren Find tool (the little magnifying glass) does not work either. I type in a phrase – one I am looking at on screen, so I know it is in the document – and it closes without showing any actions

-              Restart your iPad – I’ve restarted my iPad, three times

-              Update Word and iPadOS (if they are not up to date) – as stated, I updated everything this morning. The problem started when I updated Word – automatically – last night

-              Reinstall Microsoft Word – this is painful. I did this, not realizing ALL of my saved documents were in a Word File that would be deleted. I lost multiple chapters of a book I am writing, a cookbook I am writing of my favorite recipes, a journal, and multiple other highly important documents to me … because I deleted and reinstalled Word. I am NOT HAPPY with Word currently.

-              Make sure your documents are backed up to OneDrive or iCloud first – yeah, should have double checked this, but it doesn’t change the fact that I never would have lost them if MICROSOFT hadn’t released a BONEHEADED update for Bug Fixes … and destroyed one of the main features of ANY word processor.

 

Please find a way to re-activate the Find or Find/Replace option – it’s stupid that it is nonfunctional.

Answer 1

I thought I was going crazy. I just used the Find function yesterday on my iPad and today it’s gone. I have updated the iPad, restarted my iPad, deleted and reinstalled Word. I tried the magnifying glass, the Command F on my keyboard, but find won’t work on word. Find functions on other apps just not word. Please fix many of us depend on iPad to be able to get our work done. I can use the find on my iPhone but the screen is too small to try to complete my project. Microsoft this is serious, we don’t pay a subscription to lose functionality. I remember when I had disks, if it didn't work you just take back to the store but everything being digital we are at your mercy. Please temporarily reinstall the last version until you correct this problem so we your customers do not suffer!

Answer 2

I’ve been running an instance of cloud.word.microsoft alongside Word for iPad in order to do Finds/Find&Replace. It’s not a great solution.

Answer 3

Same problem for me, Iam using Word on daily basis & I pay for it, & this problem was there before, then solved, then again happened? I do not know why Microsoft does not learn from its previous mistakes? Please solve this issue rapidly.

Answer 4

I agree. I have just signed up for another one year for MS 365. However, if, during my new year the search function does not work on Word, then I will revert to using ‘Pages’ whose search function does work, and Pages does work on Windows, and increase my storage with Apple with the money I would otherwise save on MS 365 and transfer what I have stored on their cloud drive to Apple’s. I hassle I could do without over Word losing it’s search function. I got Microsoft 365 as it used to be a product that worked fully across Apple and Windows seamlessly. However with the removal of the search function this is no longer the case.

They have last night, it’s now 14th October 2025 my iPad just updated Excel, Microsoft’s spreadsheet product, and the search function on this update does work, so I am hoping it’s a bug on Word and they are working to bring it back. However, they are failing to give us any update on this thread which is poor as I am sure, that by now, they know it exists on their forum.

Answer 5

PLEASE fix this ASAP. I have the same and it makes Word next to useless