Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 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: Turning Off Automatic Hyphenation for Parts of a Document.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 1, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365
Malcolm has a long document that contains a novel. The document uses justified text and automatic hyphenation. A few chapters in the novel consist of letters supposedly written by one or other of the characters. Malcolm needs to switch off automatic hyphenation for those few chapters and is wondering how that can be done.
There are a couple of ways you can accomplish this task. For long documents, however, the best solution is to use styles. Define some styles that specify how you want the "letters" from your characters to appear. As part of the definition, make sure that you display the Line and Page Breaks tab of the Paragraph dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
Figure 1. The Line and Page Breaks tab of the Paragraph dialog box.
Note that there is a check box named Don't Hyphenate. Select this check box, and Word won't hyphenate any paragraph that uses the style. With the style defined, all you need to do is apply it to those paragraphs that make up the letters.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12269) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Turning Off Automatic Hyphenation for Parts of a Document.
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!
As documents evolve, so do your needs for various styles. You may create new ones and, invariably, old ones need to be ...
Discover MoreIf you use styles to format your document, you might want a way to print the document and show, to the left of each ...
Discover MoreStyles are a very powerful feature in Word, as they allow you to consistently apply complex formatting throughout a ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 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:
Comments