diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/control_panel_model_extension.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/control_panel_model_extension.js
index ef443fbb70a..2b12ca90802 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/control_panel_model_extension.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/control_panel_model_extension.js
@@ -916,9 +916,6 @@ odoo.define("web/static/src/js/control_panel/control_panel_model_extension.js",
                         filter.defaultRank = -10;
                         filter.defaultAutocompleteValue = attrs.defaultAutocompleteValue;
                     }
-                    if (attrs.widget) {
-                        filter.widget = attrs.widget;
-                    }
                     break;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/search_bar.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/search_bar.js
index 22f6ee6a60b..0dc8599c4ab 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/search_bar.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/control_panel/search_bar.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ odoo.define('web.SearchBar', function (require) {
          */
         _createSource(filter) {
             const field = this.props.fields[filter.fieldName];
-            const type = filter.widget || field.type;
+            const type = field.type === "reference" ? "char" : field.type;
             const source = {
                 active: true,
                 description: filter.description,
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/control_panel/search_bar_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/control_panel/search_bar_tests.js
index b7f5fc8956d..655464cac1f 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/control_panel/search_bar_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/control_panel/search_bar_tests.js
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ odoo.define('web.search_bar_tests', function (require) {
             actionManager.destroy();
         });
 
-        QUnit.test("widgets are supported in search view", async function (assert) {
+        QUnit.test("reference fields are supported in search view", async function (assert) {
             assert.expect(7);
 
             this.data.partner.fields.ref = { type: 'reference', string: "Reference" };
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ odoo.define('web.search_bar_tests', function (require) {
             const archs = Object.assign({}, this.archs, {
                 'partner,false,search': `
                     <search>
-                        <field name="ref" widget="char"/>
+                        <field name="ref"/>
                     </search>`,
             });
             const actionManager = await createActionManager({
diff --git a/doc/reference/views.rst b/doc/reference/views.rst
index dfb01447cf9..09091451e9e 100644
--- a/doc/reference/views.rst
+++ b/doc/reference/views.rst
@@ -1856,10 +1856,6 @@ Possible children elements of the search view are:
                   ``filter_domain="[]"``
     ``groups``
         make the field only available to specific users
-    ``widget``
-        use specific search widget for the field (the only use case in
-        standard Odoo 8.0 is a ``selection`` widget for
-        :class:`~odoo.fields.Many2one` fields)
     ``domain``
         if the field can provide an auto-completion
         (e.g. :class:`~odoo.fields.Many2one`), filters the possible