Word auto-highlighting, how to make it STOP!

Anonymous
2014-01-17T18:00:43+00:00

How do you disable this STUPID feature?

I'm trying to highlight a single word or some part of a word for cut&paste operations and Word auto-highlights the whole line and sometimes the whole paragraph or page.

I can be using a mouse, I can be using the shift+arrow keys, it doesn't matter. The auto-highlight takes over.

it seems to be worse on any kind of bullets and numbering or any header/footer fields.

=======

auto-indent is another evil feature. cut and paste from a notepad  and the indent is changed on your bullets and numbering. pretty much control-v means indent text right ->

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

62 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-03-25T23:06:27+00:00

    The insert key key does not solve the problem and the document is locked so one can't access the toolbars.

    It is a bug in Word.

    Was this answer helpful?

    4 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Stefan Blom 352.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-03-25T22:58:15+00:00

    If you are saying that you turned off OverType mode, that could certainly affect the way text gets selected.

    Note that in recent versions of Word, OverType isn't controlled by the Insert key by default. The option is called "Use the Insert key to control overtype mode" and it is found under "Editing options" at File | Options | Advanced.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-03-24T22:28:59+00:00

    I had problems with this a long time ago and forgot how to stop it. Just figured it out! Very surprised that know one knows the answer... But here it is.... Are you ready?

    Ok, press the insert key ffs.

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Stefan Blom 352.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-02-17T18:37:50+00:00

    I am having the highlighting problem in Word 2016 that I just paid a fortune for.

    This thread actually discusses several aspects of selecting (for example, selecting text in a form field, selecting text in the main body of a document). Could you expand on what you are trying to do and what you see instead?

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-02-17T17:09:08+00:00

    I am having the highlighting problem in Word 2016 that I just paid a fortune for.

    This highlight issue is ridiculous. I will probably go back to Open Office document  writer. It is considerably better -  more user friendly and it's free. 

    I simply don't have time to make Word work - It should be a load and use program without making it be a second career.

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments