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

Douglas Stoker 85

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.

Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-10T04:12:42.6266667+00:00

I have this problem too and I am working on a novel. I have checked that I have fulfilled all of the comments above. Thankfully I have got my documents on One Drive backup, so, while I haven’t lost them, I am having to spend ages finding where I got to with my proof reading without the search function as sometimes the ‘go to last position’ flag that comes up on first open of the document doesn’t come up for me, so I paste a paragraph of where I was at the top of my novel so I can find my place with the find option, which if it isn’t working, am unable to do. I am not pleased as I do subscribe yearly to Microsoft 365, so I am actually paying for Word to be fully working, which, in the UK if a product doesn’t work, we can return it for a full refund. Also, when I highlight a section of text, and the options come up on the ribbon ‘it now says ‘Paste, (gap) Select All, insert’ it used to have ‘copy’ where there is now a gap. If I use the arrow at the right to bring up the menu, there is ‘copy’ in there, so some major screw ups must have happened on this update. On a side note, as a sufferer from Autism, I am reliant on icons remaining the same or my brain doesn’t easily find them, as it works on physical recognition, and removing the W from the icon changing it to three blue stripes meant it took me ages to find it. Learning the new icon is going to take me a very long time due to short term memory loss. Please. Change the icon back to the old icon. I hope that you release an immediate fix for the ‘find’ option on iPad iOS MS Word, or at least return the previous version to the App Store so we can all ‘downgrade’ until a fix for this is found, as a removal of an important feature like ‘find’ isn’t an update at all, it’s a backward’s step.
Daniela 5 Reputation points

2025-10-10T19:02:23.2+00:00

I’m having exactly the same problem and I’m really scared because I need to make some corrections to Academia Journal articles
AHill 40 Reputation points

2025-10-10T20:20:26.88+00:00

Dear Microsoft,

I’ve noticed a variety of changes to the search function over the past few months and it’s really irritating having to adjust to them. Search is an integral function many of us use constantly all day long. When it disappears altogether it is literally paralyzingly many of us from working at all!

The search function at one point recently was remembering the last word searched… that was fabulous. Microsoft: please bring that back and stop making changes to it?
Ella Pett 5 Reputation points

2025-10-12T09:59:00.1966667+00:00

Omg I’m having the exact same issue and it’s insanely annoying Microsoft please fix this asap
Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-12T21:14:04.11+00:00

This isn’t an answer, Microsoft really does need to fix the now broken ‘find’ feature of MS Word. However, this is a poor ‘work around’ for iPad users.

“Pages” This is Apple’s word processor freely available on their devices that will allow you to load (and save) MS Word documents (to and) from your ‘OneDrive’ Cloud Drive, and it’s ’Find’ feature is working. It has a spell check, it underlines incorrectly spelt words with a jagged red line. However, there is no grammar check on ‘Pages.’ Also, if, like me, you like the ‘dark’ mode, then it’s background is ‘white’ with no straight forward option to change it to ‘dark’ so you’re working on a white page with black text. However, if you can live without the grammar check until Microsoft fixes Word’s Find feature, then it’s a good enough work around for me as a (hopefully not too) temporary solution. Also, the Store on Microsoft Windows I believe has got a ‘Pages’ version for Windows, but I haven’t had chance to look at it.

Here is hoping Microsoft actually returns our ‘Find’ feature.
David Schaeffer 0 Reputation points

2025-10-13T22:46:53.7933333+00:00

The failure surfaced for me on October 12. I think that's when the icon for word changed, presumably from an update. I was also unable to enter this comment on the ipad when viewing this page on Chrome. It looks like version 2.102.1 was installed since then but that did not fix this failure. I was allowed to update again from the app store but the version did not change and the problem remains.
user01 0 Reputation points

2025-10-14T11:50:48.44+00:00

I have the exact same problem using iPad Pro on the latest iOS. When I enter a search term the thingy keeps spinning in the search box but nothing happens! I've just come back after months to redacting a huge document and OBVIOUSLY, this element in Word is kind of pivotal?
Hannah Thompson 120 Reputation points

2025-10-15T02:29:38.1+00:00

Also a novelist, having the exact same problem as well as a bunch of others. The find tool is so important for writers.

Every time Microsoft office updates these problems pop up and they take ages to fix them. Missing key strokes, pages skipping around, is so frustrating when you’re trying to work. It drives me crazy. I keep having to go to google docs to search my document. Plus they barely respond to these complaints which is a joke considering we pay subscriptions.
Brian Jude Piatkowski 0 Reputation points

2025-10-19T00:08:15.46+00:00

I needed the function for a document today. Had to copy and paste everything into a Google Doc, paste it back into Word, then redo the formatting.

Pathetic workaround. Come on, MS, fix this!!!
Beth 0 Reputation points

2025-10-19T05:01:03.48+00:00

I am having the exact same issue on my iPad Pro M4! It is beginning to impact my ability to do my job using my iPad.
Hannah Thompson 120 Reputation points

2025-10-19T19:55:55.0766667+00:00

Word on my iPad only works if I disconnect from the internet and use it without trying to upload to my onedrive. Super annoying and risky but I have to work so it’s all I can do right now. Find function is still broken.
Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-27T10:41:35.62+00:00

Tried MS Word today, 27th October 2025 on my iPad. ‘Cmd F’ once again brought up the search box at the bottom, and it’s letting me search for long paragraphs of text and replace text as it did before! Seems like Microsoft have fixed it. I have auto updates on, for my apps, so if yours still isn’t working, try looking for an update. Seems Microsoft listened to us. Hope you all get yours working again soon. X.
Galina 0 Reputation points

2025-10-27T16:04:15.5566667+00:00

Tried mine too today. It works! Both ‚cmd F’ and also via the ‚find’-box in the top right corner. Thanks MS for fixing!!

13 answers

María Mercedes Ruiz 15 Reputation points

2025-10-10T20:05:41.38+00:00

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!
Was this answer helpful?

3 people found this answer helpful.
AHill 40 Reputation points

2025-10-10T20:16:15.5433333+00:00

“Microsoft this is serious, we don’t pay a subscription to lose functionality… we are at your mercy. Please temporarily reinstall the last version until you correct this problem so we your customers do not suffer!”

Well said. It’s wildly disruptive and has happened to me a few times in the past few months. Microsoft, please stop messing with the search function, it is imperative to your loyal customers’ work life.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
khaled Elgohary 10 Reputation points

2025-10-15T10:36:37.5533333+00:00

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.
Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
David Powsner 10 Reputation points

2025-10-13T17:52:44.8566667+00:00

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.
Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
Dominic Donnelly 0 Reputation points

2025-10-13T20:09:41.87+00:00

Spent 40 minutes waiting for help in their chat system. Was told they couldn't help and gave me another link. If the problem persists will have to cancel subscription. It’s basically useless without a search function.

Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-14T07:13:11.2366667+00:00

Tried copying and pasting the “cloud.word.microsoft“ link you posted, and my web browser doesn’t know what this is, Google search can’t find it either, and as I don’t know what you are referring to, this is not helpful.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Danny de Fouw 10 Reputation points

2025-10-14T09:42:06.0166667+00:00

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

1 person found this answer helpful.
Stefan Blom 341.3K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-14T09:48:03+00:00

Danny, did you report it to Microsoft? The product developers do not read the Q&A forums. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-365-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11#platform=office_for_ios .

Douglas Stoker 85 Reputation points

2025-10-14T16:00:55.4366667+00:00

Stefan - yes, I did - same day I posted this question

Robert Fedorak 0 Reputation points

2025-11-03T12:18:48.5666667+00:00

I'm having the same problem with the Find function. I've gotten all the updates, and unfortunately one of the October updates has completely stopped the Find function. As an author, this function is a must, so please fix it asap.

Also, is it possible for Microsoft to not keep ruining features as you try to fix others. Read aloud is having issues as well.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.
Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-14T07:09:41.5933333+00:00

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.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
Graham Jarman 0 Reputation points

2025-10-14T09:31:16.75+00:00

I’m having the same issue with Word but also with the search function in Excel. This is totally unacceptable and should be addressed immediately. I’ve restarted my IPad and updated the Word App, but it has had no difference.

Stefan Blom 341.3K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-10-14T09:40:09.5533333+00:00

Victoria, Graham,

Report the issue using the feedback facility in Word (and Excel) for iPad, if you haven't already done so. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-365-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11#platform=office_for_ios .

Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-16T05:51:19.6533333+00:00

Thank you Stefan Blom for your advice. I have now found out that my iPad has the ability to report problems such as this, and have reported it to Microsoft. 👍

Victoria Seager 30 Reputation points

2025-10-16T05:55:41.47+00:00

@Stefan Blom Thank you for your suggestion of using my iPad Word to report this to Microsoft which I have now done.
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.

Share via

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

13 answers

Your answer