Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Managing the AutoCorrect List.

Managing the AutoCorrect List

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 27, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Word's AutoCorrect feature can be either a big time-saver or a royal pain, depending on how you plan to use Word. In reality, the AutoCorrect feature uses a list of words that is shared by all applications in the Office suite, so changes you make to the AutoCorrect list in Word will also affect how you make changes in Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office tools.

So how do you manage the AutoCorrect list? The normal way is to choose Tools | AutoCorrect and then make changes in the various tabs accessible from the resulting dialog box. If you want to do a mass delete of all the AutoCorrect entries in your system, you can do so using a macro such as the following:

Sub DeleteAutoCorrectEntries()
    Dim acEntry As AutoCorrectEntry
    For Each acEntry In AutoCorrect.Entries
        acEntry.Delete
    Next acEntry
End Sub

Note that this macro is no respecter of AutoCorrect entries: it deletes them all. Because of this, you may want to back up your AutoCorrect entries, as described next.

When you make changes to the AutoCorrect list, those changes are saved in files that have the ACL filename extension. Some Word users simply refer to these as "ACL files." (Wonder where they got that name?) The exact filename and location of the files can vary depending on your particular operating system setup and the version of Word/Office you are using. In general, though, if you want to backup your AutoCorrect entries, just look for files with this extension. If you want to move your AutoCorrect entries from one system to another, just copy the ACL file. (Make sure you only do this with like versions of Word. Not paying attention to the program version can have unintended consequences.) Specific instructions can be found in the Microsoft Knowledge Base; just search for "ACL AutoCorrect."

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1717) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Managing the AutoCorrect List.

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

Determining Page Layout

Getting your document onto paper is the whole purpose of word processing. Here are some concepts that are important when ...

Discover More

Switching Editing Location

Excel allows you to edit the contents of a cell in two places—the cell itself or in the Formula bar. If you want to ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of "Comment" in Comments

When you add a comment to a document, Word presents that comment in a very specific way. If you want to change the way in ...

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Make AutoCorrect Pay Attention to Character Case

If you rely on AutoText (as most Word users do), you may have noticed that it doesn't always give the desired results ...

Discover More

Two Keys with the Press of One

Sometimes it could be helpful to have Word substitute two characters for the one that you type, for instance to replace a ...

Discover More

Backing Up Your AutoCorrect Entries

Develop a lot of AutoCorrect entries and you may start to wonder how you can back them up. You can easily protect all the ...

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 7 - 7?

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.