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If you tend to accidentally press the Insert key when pressing the Delete key in Word, this tip will be useful for you. You can turn off the Insert key permanently in Word, if you decide you don’t need it and don’t want to keep accidentally going into Overtype mode.

This post shows you how to turn off the Insert key in Word 2003, Word 2007, and Word 2010. In all three versions, there is a way to still use Overtype mode, if needed, without using the Insert key.

Word 2003

To disconnect the Insert key from the Overtype mode in Word 2003, select Customize from the Tools menu.

Selecting Customize from the Tools menu in Word 2003

On the Customize dialog box, click the Options tab and then click the Keyboard button.

Clicking Keyboard on the Options tab

The Customize Keyboard dialog box displays. In the Specify a command section, select All Commands in the Categories box and select Overtype in the Commands box. In the Specify keyboard sequence section, select Insert in the Current keys box. Click Remove.

Removing Insert key from Overtype command

If you want to return to the default keyboard settings, click Reset All. This restores the Insert key as the method of activating the Overtype mode.

Resetting the keyboard commands

To close the Customize Keyboard dialog box, click Close.

Closing the Customize Keyboard dialog box

Click Close on the Customize dialog box.

Closing the Customize dialog box

You can still turn on the Overtype mode in Word 2003 without using the Insert key. To do this, double-click on the OVR box on the Status bar at the bottom of the Word 2003 window. The letters turn black, indicating the feature is active.

Turning on Overtype mode manually in Word 2003

If the Status bar is not visible at the bottom of the screen, select Options from the Tools menu.

Selecting Options from the Tools menu

On the Options dialog box, make sure the View tab is active. In the Show section, select the Status bar check box so there is a check mark in it. Click OK.

Turning on the Status bar

Now, you can turn on and off the Overtype mode easily without using the Insert key.

Word 2007 and 2010

The procedure for disconnecting the Insert key from the Overtype mode in Word 2007 and Word 2010 is the same except for a couple of differences we will point out. If you are using Office 2007, click the Office button.

Clicking the Office button in Word 2007

If you are using Word 2010, click the File tab.

Clicking the File tab in Word 2010

In Word 2007, click the Word Options button on the Office menu.

Clicking Word Options on the Office menu in Word 2007

In Word 2010, click Options in the list on the left side of the File tab.

Clicking Options on the File tab in Word 2010

Click the Advanced option in the list on the left side of the Word Options dialog box.

Clicking Advanced option on the Word Options dialog box

To disconnect the Insert key from the Overtype mode, select the Use the Insert key to control overtype mode check box so there is no check mark in it. If you want to turn on Overtype mode without using the Insert key, also select the Use overtype mode check box so there IS a check mark in it.

Turning off the Insert key and Overtype mode

To close the Word Options dialog box, click OK.

Closing the Word Options dialog box

If you change your mind, simply select one or both of the check boxes on the Advanced screen on the Word Options dialog box again.

There is an easier method for turning on and off Overtype mode in Word 2007 and 2010 without using the Insert key. You can add a button to the Status bar that allows you to turn Overtype on and off with one click. The procedure for adding this button is the same for both versions of Word.

Right-click on the Status bar at the bottom of the Word window and select Overtype from the popup menu.

NOTE: The popup menu does not automatically go away. You must click anywhere off the menu to close it.

Adding Overtype to the Status bar in Word 2007

A button is added to the Status bar that will say either Insert or Overtype. When it says Insert, you are in insert mode and you will not type over any text after your cursor. Click the button to switch modes.

Clicking Insert on the Status bar in Word 2007

When it says Overtype, you will type over any text after your cursor.

In Overtype mode in Word 2007

Now, you can safely use the Delete key, or any other keys around the Insert key, without the fear of typing over your carefully worded text by accident.

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