# is there a way to get rid of the godawful automatic features of MS Word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540 "2002-04-03T03:40:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![non-native](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@non-native](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/non-native)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/1 "2002-04-03T03:40:13Z")
I’m talking about those automatic bullets, font changing, etc that’s supposed to be helpful but are _always_ a big nuisance because you don’t want that bullet there or something or the other. Is there a way to deactivate it? Incase it’s important, the version I use is Word 2000 (it’s also the korean version, but i think with step by step instruction, i’ll get along). ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/2 "2002-04-03T05:01:33Z")
Go to Tools / AutoCorrect Options / AutoFormat as you type, and disable Automatic numbered lists and Automatic bulleted lists etc. I’m using Word XP so it might differ slightly from 2000, but look around under Tools, you should find it. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/3 "2002-04-03T16:37:11Z")
I’m not sure anyone would recognize Word minus its godawful features. Kind of like getting rid of the stickiness of glue, ain’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Kevin\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kevin\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevin_H)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/4 "2002-04-03T18:29:57Z")
What about getting rid of the feature that displays only the most recently used functions of each pull down menu that make you hit the two arrows to display everything? Is there a way to turn that off? ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/5 "2002-04-03T23:57:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kevin H \* > \*\*What about getting rid of the feature that displays only the most recently used functions of each pull down menu that make you hit the two arrows to display everything? Is there a way to turn that off? \*\* In Word 2000, Select Tools|Customize, then select the Options tab, and clear the checkbox for “Menus show recently used commands first”. Ugly ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/6 "2002-04-04T06:42:34Z")
Doesn’t it bother you that M$ thinks it knows what you want? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/7 "2002-04-05T02:37:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RJKUgly \* > \*\* In Word 2000, Select Tools|Customize, then select the Options tab, and clear the checkbox for “Menus show recently used commands first”. \*\* I have Word 2000, but those menus and options don’t appear - maybe you’re using Word for Mac? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/8 "2002-04-05T04:07:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SavageNarce \* > \*\* > I have Word 2000, but those menus and options don’t appear - maybe you’re using Word for Mac? 😕 \*\* Hmmm… I have Word 2000 for PC and it worked fine. I just changed it. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/9 "2002-04-05T05:34:13Z")
If you can’t find it in your version of Word, you should ask the paperclip! I typed in “how do i disable automatic features?” and one of the results was “Turn off automatic style definition”. It not only gives me directions on how to get to the **Autoformat As You Type** box, but also includes a little arrow that I can click and go directly. All the options are right there. Handy! ---
**Author:** ![Victory\_Candescence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Victory\_Candescence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victory_Candescence)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/10 "2002-04-05T06:02:13Z")
Just use Wordpad. It gets rid of _all_ those annoying features. In fact, why not use NotePad? (I’m not being sarcastic. I always prefer NotePad or WordPad to Word 2000) ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/11 "2002-04-05T13:18:55Z")
Sure enough, my Tools menu had no Customize entry. I went to the Help file (I killed Clippy ages ago:mad:) and, just as Achernar suggested, there were instructions: “In the Tools-\>Customize menu…” So obviously (or maybe **not** so obviously), “Customize” had been removed from my Tools menu. So I did a toolbar right-click, found the Customize menu entry, and put it back in the Tools menu. Now I’m a happy camper!! ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/12 "2002-04-05T13:20:44Z")
I hate this “not able to edit” business!! That should have been :mad: not :mad:) ! ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/13 "2002-04-05T13:25:39Z")
[**Don’t forget to try out these Word features…**](http://rita.thegourmet.com/computers.html) ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/14 "2002-04-05T16:41:22Z")
Hmm, I usually like many of those features ('cept I can’t stand the recently used file list). My typing isn’t very good so I like the autocorrect and such, and it is nice to not have to click the bullet button when I am rather obviously making bullets. In those situations where I don’t want the autocorrect, I know damn well when it is going to happen, and I just wait one second for it to occur, then hit Ctrl+Z to undo it, then move on swiftly. I can’t believe anyone uses that damn paperclip. I want to break him. I have uninstalled and reinstalled office just to make sure that those bastards aren’t running all over my computer (and that they are never offered to me, either), begging me to break my monitor at a pathetically ineffective attempt to destroy their souls. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-get-rid-of-the-godawful-automatic-features-of-ms-word/101540/15 "2002-04-05T16:52:56Z")
Thank you, thank you. I now have menus that pull down like normal instead of partially. I always learn something when I come here. Yes, it bothers me a lot that MS$ thinks they know what I want. Why does it not come with NO help and let the user set the help they want??