Occasionsaly Word will take out my earlier writing when I go back.

[Guest]

Frequently, when writing in Word, when I go back to make a correction or
addition the process will enter what I write but it will take out - letter
for letter - something that I have already typed in the text. It does this
on it's own, without input from me, and I don't know how to stop it and I
don't know how it got started.

 

[AmandaH]

Check to see if you have hit the "Insert" button on your keyboard, it
should be right above the "Delete" key. You will see "OVR" in black
letters at the bottom left hand side of your Word Document, on the same
line as: Page Sec 1/1 etc.

To turn this off all you have to do is hit the "Insert" key again. The
OVR will turn to light grey and Word should type normally.

Hope this helps

~Amanda~

 

[Jay Freedman]

You've accidentally gotten into Overtype mode, probably by pressing the
Insert key when you werre reaching for another key. When this happens, look
at the bottom bar (the status bar). If the letters OVR are black instead of
gray, you're in Overtype mode. Press the Insert key again to turn it off.
(Double-clicking the letters in the status bar works, too.)

If you rarely or never want to use Overtype mode, you can stop it from
coming on.* Go to Tools > Customize and click the Keyboard button. In the
next dialog, click "All Commands" on the left and then click Overtype on the
right. In the "Current keys" box, select the word Insert and then click the
Remove button. OK both dialogs.

After that, if you do want to use Overtype once in a while, double-click the
OVR in the status bar, or go to Tools > Options > Edit and check the
"Overtype mode" box.

*There is an option in Tools > Options > Edit for "Use the INS key for
paste". This would stop accidental Overtype mode, but it seems to me it
would be just as much a pain if the contents of the clipboard randomly got
pasted into the document. I don't advise it.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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