How do I turn off automatic formatting in Microsoft Word?

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If you are changing the program defaults (which change "Normal.dot" and these changes are lost every time you shut down, it is probably because you are on a work computer where you do not have "administrator privileges". You need to request this change in status from your network administrator. If you do not have this, you will not be able to make and save changes. However, can import a copy of "Normal.dot" from another computer (even from an older copy of Word, in my case) and replace this file from OUTSIDE Word.
On my XP system, this is located at: C:\Documents and Settings\MY_LOGON-NAME\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates -- but you must replace "MY_LOGON-NAME" above with your unique logon identity, since this will be different for everyone. This workaround method is a pain-in-the-butt, so you are much better getting admin privileges so you can make changes when needed, as there is a huge amount of other annoying stuff to fix also. Then, once you learn your way around you can create add additional buttons to make tasks easier, add menus to keep needed files handy, add keyboard Macros, and lot of other stuff. There is a huge hidden erector set if you want to take the time to learn to use it. For example, creating a macro mapped to Alt-V to do a “Paste, Special, Unformatted” operation with copied text means you can insert text from anywhere and have it take on the destination format. I have Alt-Z switch between the last 2 Word documents. Ctrl-+ capitalizes words, Ctrl-[ converts to lower case, and Ctrl-] converts to upper case, and several other keystrokes adjust vertical microspacing. This is all quite useful.

I neglected to add that you can copy *everything* from a problem document and insert it into a new document using “Edit, Paste Special, Unformatted Text” -- this will insert ONLY the text, without formatting. It will take on the formatting of the spot where you insert it, and you can then format it as you like. I use this constantly to avoid messing myself up with other peoples odd formatting habits, as there can be multiple layers of hidden formatting from multiple users which can really make a mess of things. I formerly had to take contributions from many people, each of whom would have their own odd formatting style, and this trick is a life-saver. By mapping it to Alt-V as a macro (as noted above), I have a fast way of inserting pure text, instead of the normal Ctrl-V (Edit, Paste)insert, which carries all the foreign formatting with it. But you can still use it without the macro from the Edit menu, or by using Alt-E, S, and clicking on "Unformatted Text" and OK.

How do I stop Word from capitalizing the intial "c" in "cc:" on the carbon copy to line?

I can't stop word from auto formatting items that I bold or center. I want to bold one line and the whole document ends up bold. This problem started in Office 2003, never had it in Office 2000. I have tried all the formatting toggles suggested above but it still does it. I have to undo the automatic style change to get what I want.

I have turned off all Auto Format and it is still all unchecked, which is fine, yet it still *bolds* my items when I put *stars* around them. Currently this only happens in Outlook, not Word docs, but it's the same thing - both run off Word. The Microsoft website tells you if this keeps happening, to check "prompt for style updates" which I have done, and it still bolds anything with stars around it. No idea what else to do, no one seems to know. Like I say, actual Word docs are fine now, but Outlook still formats.

I was having the same problem of the styles automatically changing through the whole document whenever I made a change and have found the answer – it’s simpler than Dan Georges method.

So how do you stop styles from automatically changing the whole document?

From the format menu follow this process;

format>auto format…>options> Then at the bottom of the auto-format tab you will see ‘Preserve’ check the box next to styles, click ok.

That’s it word should no longer auto format your styles. Hope it works for you Nikki x

In Microsoft Word, when I change the font style or paragraph style of a particular text string or paragraph, the entire document changes. I press Control Z to undo the global change, and only the desired change remains. I turned off all auto format options, but this still happens. How can I stop those global changes for occurring?

Everytime I try to insert a text box in my word document it puts in the strange characters how can I get rid of this because it also prints in my documents,

I had the same problem on OSX using Office 2004.

The problem happened suddenly where if I reformatted one line (not individual words), the whole doc went to that format until I pressed Ctrl-Z. The problem in my case was in the Styles.

Choose MENU: Format/Style..., Pick the Normal style and Press Modify. At the bottom of the dialogue box is a check box for "Automatically Update". Switch this off. This check box should actually be labelled. "Autmotically Wreck Your Document".

To make sure that you change your Template document Switch ON 'Add to Template'

Then OK your way out.

Note this happens from time to time because I use Entourage which is the Mac version of Outlook. This program is an abomination. I regularly have to repair my database and whenever I do, I lose all of my preference in every office program and it seems to default to the most annoying set of choices imaginable. Good luck.

This is great for automatic formatting, but I want to get rid of the automatic date. When I want to type the full date (which is always) I press Enter to go to the next line, but of course that sets the automatic date in motion, and I get a second date - short version - next to the one I typed in. I can't find any way of stopping this process, and the Help tells you how to do it, but not how to turn it off.

Re formatting being applied to a whole doc, yes, I too have that case where I apply a format to one word but the whole doc formats, then I have to undo, which leaves the change on the correct word. I live with it ;-)

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