How to Turn Off Autocorrect in Word: A Comprehensive Guide
Autocorrect, a feature designed to automatically detect and correct spelling and grammatical errors, can be a lifesaver for many. However, it can also be a source of frustration, especially when it changes words you intentionally typed or makes unwanted corrections in specific contexts. Whether you’re writing code snippets, using specialized jargon, or simply prefer to have more control over your writing, knowing how to turn off autocorrect in Word is essential.
This comprehensive guide provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to disable autocorrect in various versions of Microsoft Word, along with tips and tricks to customize the feature to suit your specific needs.
## Why Turn Off Autocorrect?
Before diving into the instructions, let’s understand why you might want to disable autocorrect in the first place:
* **Incorrect Corrections:** Autocorrect sometimes makes incorrect suggestions, especially when dealing with technical terms, foreign words, or proper nouns.
* **Interference with Creative Writing:** For creative writers, autocorrect can stifle the flow of writing by constantly interrupting with unwanted suggestions.
* **Code Snippets and Programming:** When writing code within Word, autocorrect can wreak havoc by altering syntax and keywords.
* **Personal Preference:** Some users simply prefer to have complete control over their writing and rely on their own proofreading skills.
## Turning Off Autocorrect in Different Versions of Word
The steps to disable autocorrect may vary slightly depending on the version of Microsoft Word you are using. Below are instructions for commonly used versions:
### Microsoft Word for Windows
**Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365:**
1. **Open Microsoft Word:** Launch the Word application on your computer.
2. **Access the Options Menu:** Click on the “File” tab located in the top-left corner of the Word window. This will open the backstage view.
3. **Navigate to Options:** In the backstage view, select “Options” from the left-hand menu. This will open the Word Options dialog box.
4. **Select Proofing:** In the Word Options dialog box, click on “Proofing” in the left-hand menu.
5. **Autocorrect Options:** Under the “Autocorrect options” section, click on the “Autocorrect Options…” button. This will open the Autocorrect dialog box.
6. **Disable Autocorrect:** In the Autocorrect dialog box, you’ll find several tabs. The most important tabs for disabling autocorrect are:
* **Autocorrect Tab:**
* Uncheck the box labeled “Correct TWO INitial CApitals.” This prevents Word from automatically correcting words that start with two capital letters.
* Uncheck the box labeled “Capitalize first letter of sentences.” This prevents Word from automatically capitalizing the first letter of each sentence.
* Uncheck the box labeled “Capitalize first letter of table cells.” This prevents Word from automatically capitalizing the first letter in table cells.
* Uncheck the box labeled “Replace text as you type.” This is the most important setting for completely disabling autocorrect. Unchecking this box will stop Word from automatically replacing words or phrases as you type based on the rules defined in the autocorrect list.
* **AutoFormat As You Type Tab:**
* Under the “Apply as you type” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic bulleted lists.” This prevents Word from automatically creating bulleted lists when you start a line with an asterisk (*) or a hyphen (-).
* Under the “Apply as you type” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic numbered lists.” This prevents Word from automatically creating numbered lists when you start a line with a number followed by a period.
* Under the “Replace as you type” section, uncheck the box labeled “‘Straight quotes’ with ‘smart quotes’.” This prevents Word from automatically converting straight quotes to curly quotes.
* **AutoFormat Tab:**
* Under the “Apply” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic bulleted lists.” This mirrors the setting in the “AutoFormat As You Type” tab but applies to formatting after you’ve finished typing a paragraph.
* Under the “Apply” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic numbered lists.” Similar to the bulleted lists, this controls numbered list formatting after you’ve typed a paragraph.
* Under the “Replace” section, uncheck the box labeled “‘Straight quotes’ with ‘smart quotes’.”
7. **Confirm Changes:** After unchecking the desired boxes, click “OK” to close the Autocorrect dialog box.
8. **Apply Changes:** Click “OK” again to close the Word Options dialog box. The autocorrect settings will now be disabled according to your selections.
### Microsoft Word for Mac
**Word 2011, 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365:**
1. **Open Microsoft Word:** Launch the Word application on your Mac.
2. **Access Preferences:** Click on the “Word” menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select “Preferences…” (or press Command + ,).
3. **Select Autocorrect:** In the Word Preferences window, click on “Autocorrect.” This will open the Autocorrect settings dialog box.
4. **Disable Autocorrect:** The Autocorrect dialog box has similar tabs to the Windows version:
* **Autocorrect Tab:**
* Uncheck the box labeled “Correct TWO INitial CApitals.” This prevents Word from automatically correcting words that start with two capital letters.
* Uncheck the box labeled “Capitalize first letter of sentences.” This prevents Word from automatically capitalizing the first letter of each sentence.
* Uncheck the box labeled “Capitalize first letter of table cells.” This prevents Word from automatically capitalizing the first letter in table cells.
* Uncheck the box labeled “Replace text as you type.” This is the core setting for disabling automatic replacements. Deselecting this stops Word from changing text based on the autocorrect list.
* **AutoFormat As You Type Tab:**
* Under the “Apply as you type” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic bulleted lists.” Disables automatic bulleted list creation.
* Under the “Apply as you type” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic numbered lists.” Disables automatic numbered list creation.
* Under the “Replace as you type” section, uncheck the box labeled “‘Straight quotes’ with ‘smart quotes’.” Prevents automatic conversion of straight quotes to curly quotes.
* **AutoFormat Tab:**
* Under the “Apply” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic bulleted lists.” Affects bulleted list formatting after typing.
* Under the “Apply” section, uncheck the box labeled “Automatic numbered lists.” Affects numbered list formatting after typing.
* Under the “Replace” section, uncheck the box labeled “‘Straight quotes’ with ‘smart quotes’.”
5. **Confirm Changes:** After unchecking the desired boxes, click “OK” to close the Autocorrect dialog box. The changes will be applied immediately.
## Customizing Autocorrect Instead of Disabling It Completely
If you don’t want to completely disable autocorrect, you can customize it to better suit your needs. Here’s how:
* **Add Exceptions:** In the Autocorrect dialog box (accessed as described above), go to the “Exceptions…” button. Here, you can add exceptions for specific words or phrases that you don’t want autocorrected. This is particularly useful for technical terms or names that Word consistently miscorrects.
* **First Letter Tab:** Add words that should *always* be capitalized in this list.
* **INitial CAps Tab:** Add words you *never* want to be corrected if they start with two capital letters.
* **Other Corrections Tab:** This tab allows you to add exceptions to general corrections made by autocorrect. You can specify the incorrect word and its desired correction, essentially telling Word to *not* correct specific instances.
* **Edit the Autocorrect List:** The main Autocorrect tab contains a list of words and their corresponding corrections. You can edit or delete entries in this list to remove unwanted corrections. Be cautious when deleting entries, as you might remove useful corrections as well.
* **Disable Specific Corrections:** Instead of disabling the entire feature, you can selectively disable specific types of corrections. For example, you might disable the capitalization of the first letter of sentences while keeping the other corrections enabled.
## Dealing with Persistent Autocorrect Issues
Sometimes, even after disabling or customizing autocorrect, you might still encounter issues. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
* **Check Language Settings:** Ensure that the language settings in Word are correct. If the language is set incorrectly, autocorrect might apply rules that are not appropriate for the language you are writing in. To check the language settings, go to the “Review” tab and click on “Language” in the “Language” group.
* **Review Proofing Options:** Double-check the proofing options in the Word Options or Preferences dialog box. Make sure that other proofing tools, such as grammar checking, are not interfering with your writing.
* **Restart Word:** Sometimes, simply restarting Word can resolve unexpected behavior. Close Word completely and then relaunch it.
* **Restart Your Computer:** In rare cases, a more thorough restart of your computer might be necessary to resolve persistent issues.
* **Check for Add-ins:** Some Word add-ins can interfere with autocorrect settings. Try disabling add-ins one by one to see if any of them are causing the problem. To manage add-ins, go to “File” -> “Options” -> “Add-Ins” (Windows) or “Tools” -> “Word Add-ins” (Mac).
## Autocorrect on Mobile Devices (Word App)
While this article primarily focuses on the desktop versions of Word, it’s worth briefly mentioning autocorrect on the Word app for mobile devices (Android and iOS).
Generally, autocorrect on mobile devices is controlled by the operating system’s keyboard settings, not within the Word app itself. To disable autocorrect on your phone or tablet:
* **Android:**
* Go to “Settings” -> “General Management” -> “Samsung Keyboard settings” (or the settings for your specific keyboard app) -> “Smart typing” -> “Auto correction.” Toggle the switch to turn it off.
* **iOS (iPhone/iPad):**
* Go to “Settings” -> “General” -> “Keyboard.” Toggle the “Auto-Correction” switch to turn it off.
## Conclusion
Autocorrect can be a helpful feature, but it’s not always desirable. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily turn off or customize autocorrect in Microsoft Word to better suit your writing style and needs. Whether you’re writing technical documents, creative fiction, or code snippets, having control over autocorrect will enhance your writing experience and ensure that your words are precisely as you intended them to be. Remember to regularly review your autocorrect settings and adjust them as needed to maintain optimal writing efficiency and accuracy. By mastering these settings, you’ll be able to harness the power of Word without being hindered by unwanted automatic corrections.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of managing autocorrect in Word. Explore the settings further and experiment to find the configuration that works best for you. Happy writing!