Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Adding Tabs at the Beginning of a Line.
One of the annoying features of Word is that the program assumes that if you press the Tab key at the beginning of a line, you want to indent the line. The program then proceeds to adjust the left margin by the distance of a normal tab stop. While this can be helpful in some circumstances, I can think of many times when I really want the tab character inserted in the document instead of adjusting margin information.
If you want to make sure that Word inserts a tab character, simply press Ctrl+Tab. This will work any time in Word but is of the most use at the beginning of lines. As an alternative, you can turn off the indent feature completely by following these steps:
Figure 1. The AutoFormat As You Type tab of the AutoCorrect dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8721) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Adding Tabs at the Beginning of a Line.
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2017-03-28 14:39:28
Peter Kirkpatrick
@Elaine, I think you've misunderstood. "Tab character" and "tab" are in practice the same thing. When you insert a tab in a document, Word understands that as a character just like other characters in your document. The only difference is the purpose: the Tab character is for formatting, not displayed text. The point of this Tip is to handle the keystroke. When I hit Tab, do I want a tab inserted, or do I want the margin reset?
2016-06-20 06:47:49
Elaine Hurst
I love your Word tips, they are really helpful.
However, I have wracked my brains but I cannot think of any instance when I would want a tab character (at the beginning of a line or anywhere else) in a document, without a tab. You say that you can "think of many times when I really want the tab character inserted in the document instead of adjusting margin information".
Please put me out of my brain strain and tell me what these instances might be?!
2014-03-04 09:14:56
Barry
Alice,
This sounds like a browser problem. What browser (including version) are you using?
2014-03-04 09:11:11
Alice Walton
Mr. Wyatt, when I get these tips, and there are Figures in them, i.e., Figure 1, Figure 2, the picture is not visible, but only a square box with an x in it. I have tried to get it to show, but to no avail. Is there a way to get the pictures to show? Thank you.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
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