Messed-up Typing

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 17, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


If you are a new Word user, you may have noticed that there are many ways you can mess up your document using Word. This comment isn't meant to be flippant or disparaging. The truth of the matter is that Word provides quite a bit of editing power. Along with that power goes the ability to mess up a document if the powerful tools are not used correctly.

A very simple example may be in order. Let's say you are typing along, and you look at your document. You notice that some text you previously entered is gone, and each character you type seems to also delete a character. What is going on?

If this happens to you, stop for just a moment. Take a look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word document window. If you see the letters OVR in bold type on the status bar, the problem is that you have inadvertently hit the Insert key as you were typing. When you do, Word enters a special editing mode known as "overtype mode" (that's what the OVR characters stand for). While in overtype mode, everything you type replaces something else in your document. For instance, when you type a letter, it replaces the letter to the right of the insertion point. When overtype mode is not active, your text is inserted where the insertion point is located.

To undo your messed-up document, first turn off overtype mode by pressing the Insert key again. (The OVR characters on the status bar should no longer be bold.) Then, press Ctrl+Z to undo your last edit. You can continue to press Ctrl+Z until all the characters you inadvertently overtyped are again within your document. Now you can go ahead and continue typing without overtyping your original text.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (537) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Setting a Transparent Color for an Image

Want to "see through" an image you place on a worksheet? You can do so by using the steps in this tip.

Discover More

Determining Your Version of Excel

Want to find out exactly what version of Excel you are using? Here's how to get to the info.

Discover More

Saving a Workbook Using Passwords

If you want to protect your workbook so that others cannot open or change the information it contains, an easy way to ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (menu)

Replacing the Last Comma

When you need to perform certain editing tasks over and over again, you start to look for ways to make your work faster ...

Discover More

Moving Text Using the Mouse

Many people use the keyboard to do their primary editing tasks. Word doesn't limit you to the keyboard, however. You can ...

Discover More

Arranging Paragraphs

Need to move a few paragraphs around in your document? Word provides a couple of handy shortcuts that make it very easy ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight minus 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.