By default, Microsoft Word replaces the selected text when you start typing. However, if you do not want to do that and instead want to block Word from removing selected text when typing, here is how you can do that. It is possible to enable or disable this setting using Word Options, Local Group Policy Editor, and Registry Editor.
Let’s say that you have selected a text and want to replace it with new words. For that, you do not need to press the Backspace or Delete button after selecting the text in order to remove it. Instead, you can start typing, and the selected text will be replaced automatically. However, if you do not want to do that for some reason, this guide will be handy for you.
How to stop Word from removing or deleting Selected Text as you type
You can make Microsoft Word stop deleting selected text by changing the ‘Typing replaces selected text‘ setting. To allow or block Word from removing selected text when typing, follow these steps:
- Open Microsoft Word on your computer.
- Click on the Options menu.
- Switch to the Advanced tab.
- Tick the Typing replaces selected text checkbox to allow.
- Remove the tick to block.
- Click the OK button.
To learn more about these steps, continue reading.
To get started, you need to open Microsoft Word first and click on the Options menu visible in the bottom-left corner.
After opening the Word Options panel, you need to switch to the Advanced tab. Here you can find a setting called Typing replaces selected text.
If you want to allow removing the selected text, tick this checkbox. However, if you do not want to remove the selected text, remove the tick from the corresponding checkbox.
Finally, click the OK button to save the change.
How to enable or disable removing selected text when typing in Word
To enable or disable removing selected text when typing in Word, follow these steps:
- Press Win+R to open the Run prompt.
- Type gpedit.msc and press the OK button.
- Navigate to Advanced in User Configuration.
- Double-click on the Typing replaces selected text setting.
- Choose the Enabled option to allow.
- Choose the Disabled option to block.
- Click the OK button.
Let’s check out these steps in detail.
First, you need to open the Local Group Policy Editor. To do that, press Win+R > type gpedit.msc > press the OK button. Then, navigate to this path:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Word 2016 > Word Options > Advanced
Here you can see a setting called Typing replaces selected text. You need to double-click on it and select the Enabled option to allow and the Disabled option to block removing the selected text while typing in Word.
Finally, click the OK button to save the change.
How to enable or disable removing selected text when typing in Word using Registry
To enable or disable removing selected text when typing in Word using the Registry, follow these steps:
- Search for regedit and click the search result.
- Click the Yes button.
- Navigate to Microsoft\office\16.0 in HKCU.
- Right-click on 0 > New > Key and name it as word.
- Right-click on word > New > Key and name it as options.
- Right-click on options > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name it as autotextdelete.
- Double-click on it to set the Value data.
- Set it as 1 to allow and 0 to block.
- Click the OK button and restart PC.
Let’s delve into these steps in detail.
For getting started, search for regedit in the Taskbar search box, click on the individual search result, and click the Yes button in the UAC prompt to open the Registry Editor on your computer.
Then, go to this path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0
Right-click on 16.0 > New > Key and set the name as word. Then, right-click on the word key, select New > Key, and name it as options.
Following that, right-click on the options key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it as autotextdelete.
By default, it comes with a Value data of 0. If you want to block this setting, keep that Value data. However, if you want to allow Word to remove the selected text, double-click on it and set the Value data as 1.
Finally, click the OK button and restart your computer to get the change.
That’s all! Hope this guide helped.
Read: How to disable Text Drag and Drop feature in Word and PowerPoint
How do you stop text from overwriting when typing?
To stop Word from overwriting when typing, you need to enable the Overtype mode. For that, open the Word Options and go to the Advanced tab. Then, find the Use overtype mode setting and tick the corresponding checkbox.
Why is my text deleted when I type?
If Word is deleting text when you type, you need to disable the overtype mode. As said earlier, you can find this setting in the Word Options panel. To turn it on or off, open the Word Options and go to the Advanced tab. Then, uncheck the Use overtype mode option and click the OK button.
Read: How to stop Word from selecting everything.
