If you’re experiencing an issue in Microsoft Word where typing a letter replaces an existing letter, then you aren’t alone. This is caused by something called “overtype.” Use these steps ot stop deleting letters when you type in Word.
- Open your document in Microsoft Word.
- Press the Ins or Insert key on your keyboard.
- Type as normal to confirm that overtype is turned off.
This is behavior that is not exclusive to Microsoft Word. This will also happen in other programs with document editors like Microsoft Excel or Powerpoint.
This is especially problematic on keyboards where it’s easy to accidentally press the Insert key. In many cases it is located right next to the Backspace key, which is one of the more commonly used keys on the keyboard.
You can use a lot of the tools in the Word application to format your content or add symbols that aren’t on your keyboard, but when you need to change something about the way the application behaves then you often need to go into the Word Options menu.
Microsoft Word also has a setting in its Options menu that lets you disable Overtype mode entirely. You can use these steps to prevent accidentally enabling Overtype in the future.
Step 1: Click the File tab at the top-left.
Step 2: Select Options at the bottom-left.
Step 3: Choose the Advanced tab at the left side of the Word Options window.
Step 4: Scroll down and uncheck the boxes to the left of Use the insert key to control overtype mode and Use overtype mode.
Step 5: Click the OK button at the bottom of the window.
See also
- How to insert a check mark in Microsoft Word
- How to do small caps in Microsoft Word
- How to center text in Microsoft Word
- How to merge cells in Microsoft Word tables
- How to insert a square root symbol in Microsoft Word
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
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