Using AutoCorrect in Word will stop embarrassing typos and spelling errors from appearing in your documents. AutoCorrect replaces commonly misspelled words with the correct version as you type. That way, you don’t have to stop and manually fix each mistake. AutoCorrect can also automatically replace abbreviations with their corresponding full forms, which saves time and effort when typing. You can add your own words, phrases, and abbreviations to AutoCorrect and edit or delete existing ones as well.
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Enabling and Disabling AutoCorrect
If you find that misspelled words and typos are not being automatically corrected as you are typing a document, it might be that AutoCorrect is not enabled. Here’s how to enable it:
Commands used:
File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
Follow these steps:
- Click the File tab.
- Select Options from the left navigation pane.
- In the Word Options dialog box, select Proofing from the left pane.
- Click the AutoCorrect Options button on the right.
- In the AutoCorrect Options dialog box, make sure the Replace text as you type box is checked.
- Click OK.
To disable AutoCorrect, follow steps 1-4 above and make sure the “Replace text as you type” box is not checked.
Typing With AutoCorrect
With AutoCorrect enabled, you can now start typing without worrying about your spelling or grammar. As you type, you may see certain words or phrases automatically corrected.
AutoCorrect has a built-in word list containing thousands of common misspellings and typos along with the correct versions. When you make a typing mistake, AutoCorrect replaces the typo or misspelled word with the correct version.
If you see a word in your document underlined with a red, squiggly line, it means that either AutoCorrect is not enabled, or the word was not found in AutoCorrect’s word list.
First, check to see if AutoCorrect is enabled by following steps 1-5 above. If it is enabled, follow the steps below and add both the common misspelling as well as the correct spelling of the word in AutoCorrect’s word list, so that future mistakes will be automatically corrected.
Adding a New Entry in AutoCorrect
If you have AutoCorrect enabled, and it’s not correcting a particular word or phrase that you frequently type incorrectly, you can add the word or phrase to the AutoCorrect list. This will ensure that future mistakes will be automatically corrected as you type.
Commands used:
File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
Follow these steps:
- Click the File tab.
- Select Options from the left navigation pane.
- In the Word Options dialog box, click Proofing in the left navigation pane.
- Click the AutoCorrect Options button on the right.
- In the AutoCorrect Options dialog box, with the AutoCorrect tab selected, type the incorrect spelling of a word that you regularly misspell in the Replace text box and the correct spelling of the word in the With text box. You can add multiple entries that point to the same “With” text. Just add a separate entry for each one.
- Click Add to save your new AutoCorrect entry.
- Click OK to close the AutoCorrect dialog box and save your changes.
Now, any time you make a mistake typing the word, AutoCorrect will replace the mistake with the version you have set up in its word list.
Deleting an Entry in AutoCorrect
Commands used:
File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
Follow these steps:
- Click the File tab.
- Select Options from the left navigation pane.
- In the Word Options dialog box, click Proofing in the left navigation pane.
- Click the AutoCorrect Options button on the right.
- In the AutoCorrect Options dialog box, start typing the word you want to delete in the Replace field until you see it appear in the word list below. As you type each letter, words that begin with the same letters appear in the list.
- When you find the word, click on it to select it.
- Click Delete.
- Click OK to close the AutoCorrect dialog box and save your changes.
Editing an AutoCorrect Entry
To edit an existing AutoCorrect entry, locate the entry in the AutoCorrect word list and select it (steps 1-6 above). You can then make changes to the “Replace” or “With” fields as needed. Once you have made your changes, click “OK” to save them.
Disabling Specific Options in AutoCorrect
You can disable any of AutoCorrect’s options by removing the checkmark from the corresponding box. Enable the option by checking the box. By default, the options are enabled. For example, you may want to disable the “Replace text as you type” option if you prefer to manually fix typing errors. This would effectively turn off AutoCorrect.
Commands used:
File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
Summary
Using AutoCorrect in Microsoft Word can significantly improve your writing efficiency and accuracy. By following the simple steps outlined in this tutorial, you can enable and disable AutoCorrect, add new AutoCorrect entries, delete entries, edit existing entries, and customize AutoCorrect options. Using AutoCorrect, you can avoid typos, spelling errors, and time-consuming manual corrections, allowing you to focus on the content of your documents.