diff --git a/applets/notes/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/applets/notes/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/applets/notes/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/applets/notes/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -232,22 +232,30 @@
             bottomMargin: verticalMargins
         }
 
-        readonly property int requiredWidth: toggleFormatBarButton.width + formatButtonsRow.width + settingsButton.width + 3 * spacing
+        readonly property int requiredWidth: formatButtonsRow.width + spacing + settingsButton.width
         readonly property bool showFormatButtons: width > requiredWidth
 
-        PlasmaComponents.ToolButton {
-            id: toggleFormatBarButton
-            tooltip: i18n("Toggle text format options")
-            iconSource: "draw-text"
-            checkable: true
-            Accessible.name: tooltip
-            visible: fontButtons.showFormatButtons
-        }
-
         Row {
             id: formatButtonsRow
             spacing: units.smallSpacing
-            opacity: fontButtons.showFormatButtons && toggleFormatBarButton.checked ? 1 : 0
+            // show format buttons if TextField or any of the buttons have focus
+            opacity: {
+                if (!fontButtons.showFormatButtons) {
+                    return 0;
+                }
+
+                if (mainTextArea.activeFocus || settingsButton.activeFocus) {
+                    return 1;
+                }
+
+                for (var i = 0; i < children.length; ++i) {
+                    if (children[i].activeFocus) {
+                        return 1;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                return 0;
+            }
             Behavior on opacity { NumberAnimation { duration: units.longDuration } }
             enabled: opacity > 0
             visible: fontButtons.showFormatButtons