Q139564: WD97: How to Disable Word AutoFormat Features

Article: Q139564
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbdta kbproof word97kbfaq
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SUMMARY
=======

The AutoFormat feature in Word works behind the scenes to produce an attractive,
easy-to-read document while you concentrate on the content. Word analyzes each
paragraph to see how it's used in the document (for example, as a heading or as
an item in a numbered list) and then applies an appropriate style for that item.
Word also automatically formats Internet, network, and e-mail addresses as
hyperlinks; applies bold or underline character formatting to text surrounded by
asterisks or underscores; replaces two hyphens with an em dash; and so on.

AutoFormat works in these ways:

- Word automatically formats headings, bulleted and numbered lists, borders,
  numbers, symbols, and so on as you're typing your document. You can control
  which automatic changes Word makes, or you can turn AutoFormat off
  completely.

- You can automatically format selected document text or the entire unformatted
  document, such as an e-mail message, in one pass with the AutoFormat command.
  You will be able to review, accept, or reject each change.

- Word automatically formats headings and lists in your plain text WordMail
  messages when you open them. You can easily distinguish the current message
  from the previous messages in the e-mail stream.

By default, AutoFormat is "on" the first time you start Word. You can turn off
the options that you don't want.

This article describes how to disable (turn off) the AutoFormat features in
Microsoft Word 97 for Windows.

For more information about the AutoFormat feature in Word, click Contents And
Index on the Help menu, click the Find tab in Microsoft Word Help, type the
following text

  AutoFormat changes Word makes

and then double-click the "Learn about AutoFormat changes Word makes" topic. If
you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

MORE INFORMATION
================

To disable (turn off) the AutoFormat features in Word, do one or both of the
following.

Disabling "AutoFormat As You Type" Options
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To disable certain automatic format features as you type your document, follow
these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect.

2. Click the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab.

3. Click to clear (remove the check mark from) the settings under the Apply As
  You Type, Replace As You Type, and Automatically As You Type sections. Clear
  the check boxes for those settings that you want to format manually.

4. Click OK.

Disabling AutoFormat Features
-----------------------------

To disable certain automatic format features when you click AutoFormat on the
Format menu, follow these steps:

1. On the Format menu, click AutoFormat.

2. Click Options.

3. On the AutoFormat tab, click to clear (remove the check mark from) all of the
  settings under the Apply, Replace, Preserve, and Always AutoFormat sections
  that you do not want Word to automatically format.

4. Click OK.

When you click OK in the AutoFormat dialog box to automatically format your
existing Word document, Word will use only the features that you have selected
to format your document.

For more information the AutoFormat feature in Word, click Contents And Index on
the Help menu, click the Index tab in Microsoft Word Help, type the following
text

  AutoFormat

and then double-click the selected text and go to the "Troubleshoot automatic
formatting changes" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need,
ask the Office Assistant.

Additional query words: auto format

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Keywords          : kbdta kbproof word97 kbfaq
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbhowto

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