Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Using Overtype Mode.

Using Overtype Mode

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 2, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


3

Overtype mode is an editing mode in which everything you type replaces something else in your document. When overtype mode is active and 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.

The primary way to tell if overtype mode is active is by the effect that typing has in your document (as described in the previous paragraph). If you use overtype mode a lot, you may want to implement an even easier way of telling whether it is active or not—by adding an indicator to the status bar. All you need to do is right-click the status bar and then click the Overtype option so there is a check mark next to it. The indicator then appears on the status bar, and you can easily tell if overtype mode is in effect.

There are three ways to turn on overtype mode. The first is to use the Ins key, but this depends on whether you have Word configured to use the insert key in that manner. The second method is to click on the overtype indicator on the status bar. This assumes, of course, that you've enabled the indicator, as described in the previous paragraph.

The third method to turn on overtype mode is to follow these steps:

  1. Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 or a later version, display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
  2. Click Advanced at the left side of the dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The Advanced options of the Word Options dialog box.

  4. Click on the Use Overtype Mode check box.
  5. Click on OK.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9479) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Using Overtype Mode.

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

Controlling How Excel Interprets Percentages

When entering data in a worksheet, Excel tries to figure out how your entry can best be shown on the screen. When it ...

Discover More

Formatting Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes and endnotes can be formatted in the same way that you format regular text in your document. There is an easier ...

Discover More

Disabling Track Changes Completely

Have you ever had problems with a document because you accidentally pressed a keyboard shortcut? The good news is that ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Slowing Down Mouse Selection

We've all experienced the problem: You start selecting a large block of text using the mouse, and before you know it the ...

Discover More

Moving Section Breaks

Section breaks are used to divide a document into two or more sections that can be independently formatted. If you want ...

Discover More

Working with Master and Subdocuments

Word has long had the capability of establishing relationships between documents by designating some as master documents ...

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 0 + 7?

2023-01-19 09:16:21

Christa

Thanks, was looking for how to turn on an overtype notification, forgot how to add it to the status bar!


2022-10-12 13:49:23

Mcdobbs

Only problem is you have to do this for every single document. And once I close a document, I must take these actions again. Very frustrating.


2022-03-14 08:00:36

s

THANK U


This Site

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.

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.