How to Disable AutoCorrect in Microsoft Word

AutoCorrect is a useful feature of Microsoft Word that checks your spelling and corrects it automatically. However, it is not available in all languages, which can be a problem when writing in a language not supported by this feature. This can cause AutoCorrect to change the correct words or make corrections when they are not needed or wanted.

Luckily, you can turn off the autocorrect feature on different versions of MS Word. Read on to learn more about turning off this handy feature and answers to common questions like changing your autocorrect language preference and adding words to the feature.

How to Disable AutoCorrect on Microsoft Word on Windows PC

Here, we will focus more on the different versions of Microsoft Word rather than the different Windows operating systems. The steps may vary slightly between Windows versions, but the main idea remains the same.

Microsoft Word 2003 and earlier versions

1. Open Microsoft Word.
   
2. Select "Auto Format" from the Format menu.
   
3. Go to the “Options” tab.
   
4. Scroll down and select the "Autocorrect" option from the drop-down menu.
   
5. Check the radio buttons to enable/disable different autocorrect features or disable them altogether.
   

You can also add additional AutoCorrects for words you misspell frequently or remove words you don't want to autocorrect.

Microsoft Word 2007

1. Open Microsoft Word.
   
2. In the upper left corner, click on the "Desktop" button.
   
3. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click the "Verification" option in the "Word Options" box.
   
5. Go to "AutoCorrect Options" in the drop-down menu.
   
6. Select the features you want to enable/disable or disable the feature.
   

Here you can also add additional corrections or delete words you don't want to correct.

Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013

1. Open Microsoft Word.
   
2. Select "File" from the drop-down menu.
   
3. In the left menu window, click on “Options”.
   
4. Click the "Verification" option in the Options area of ​​Word.
   
5. Select "AutoCorrect Options" from the drop-down menu.
   
6. Customize the feature or turn it off completely.
   

Microsoft Word 2016 and later versions

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Click on the "File" tab.
   
3. At the bottom left, select “Options”.
   
4. Click the "Verification" option in the Options area of ​​Word.
   
5. Select "AutoCorrect Options".
   
6. Disable autocorrect or turn off a specific feature you don't like.
   

As with the older version of Word, you can add additional AutoCorrects or delete words you don't want corrected.

How to Disable AutoCorrect in Microsoft Word on a Mac

The steps to turn off AutoCorrect on Microsoft Word on a Mac are similar to Windows, but slightly different depending on your version of Word.

Microsoft Word 2003 and earlier versions

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Then, from the "Format" option, choose "Auto Format".
3. Select the "Options" tab from the drop-down menu.
4. Go to the “Autocorrect” tab.
5. You can turn off features you don't like or turn off the feature completely. If the box is checked, the feature is enabled. If the box is unchecked, the feature is disabled.

You can also add more AutoCorrects for words you often misspell or remove those you don't want autocorrected. In the latter case, AutoCorrect will not check for words deleted from its dictionary.

Microsoft Word 2007

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Click the "Desktop" button in the upper left corner.
3. From the drop-down menu, choose “Options”.
4. In the "Word Options" window, select the "Verification" option.
5. From the drop-down menu, choose "AutoCorrect Options".
6. Select the features you want to disable or disable the entire feature.

You can also add other tweaks or remove words you don't want corrected in this menu.

Microsoft Word 2010 and 2013

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. From the drop-down menu, choose "File".
3. Click on "Options" in the left menu.
4. In the Word Options tab, click on the "Verification" option.
5. Choose "AutoCorrect Options".
6. Select the features you want to disable or disable autocorrect entirely.

Microsoft Word 2016 and later versions

1. Launch Microsoft Word.
2. Select the "File" tab.
3. Select "Options" in the lower left corner of the left pane.
4. In the Word Options window, select "Verification".
5. Choose "AutoCorrect Options".
6. Disable autocorrect or turn off a feature you don't like.

As with previous versions, you can add more autocorrect or remove words you don't want to autocorrect.

Additional FAQ

Can I use autocorrect with languages ​​other than English?

Yes! Many different languages ​​are supported by autocorrect. However, keep in mind that you may encounter more bugs with certain languages. To choose another language, do the following:

1. Go to “Review” and click on “Language” then “Language Preferences”.

2. Go to "Office authoring and proofing languages" and choose the desired language.

3. Click “OK”.

How do I add or remove AutoCorrect entries?

As mentioned earlier, you can add or remove words that you don't want to auto-correct.

To add AutoCorrects, see these steps:

1. Click on the AutoCorrect tab.

2. Enter a word or phrase that you often misspell in the "Replace" box.

3. Enter the correct spelling of the word in the "With" box.

4. Click on “Add”.

To delete corrections, the steps are as follows:

1. Click on the AutoCorrect tab.

2. Enter the word you want to remove from the list in the “Replace” box.

3. Choose the entry from the list.

4. Press the "Delete" button.

The last word

Most people use AutoCorrect features to help them when writing or reviewing large files. However, for some people it can be more of a distraction.

While tools like autocorrect are meant to improve a user's experience, they are not without flaws. The feature may have trouble choosing to correct spelling or replace words, resulting in errors that need to be corrected manually. Luckily, you can tweak the options in the AutoCorrect settings to fix common errors without disabling the feature completely.

Do you use autocorrect when writing? Have you ever used other tools similar to AutoCorrect? Let us know in the comment section below!