# Quick Mouse Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-mouse-question/62606 "2001-04-20T00:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-mouse-question/62606/1 "2001-04-20T00:04:36Z")
I’ve always wondered about this, but it has really gotten to me now since I’m writing something now that requires a lot of different formatting (e.g., italics, bolding, sub/superscripts, etc.). My question is this: Is there any way to turn off that mouse “feature” in Windows 98 that tries to ‘complete’ your selection for you? (i.e., it jumps over to the next letter/beginning of the “word” or punctuation after the end of a word and selects it also, or in other words: it doesn’t do what you ask.) It’s **extremely** annoying since it is _never_ correct. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-mouse-question/62606/2 "2001-04-20T00:12:59Z")
In Word, go to “Tools,” “Options.” Click on the “Edit” tab. Uncheck “When selecting, automatically select entire word.” ---
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-mouse-question/62606/3 "2001-04-20T00:25:16Z")
Yay… Thanks. Now if only this optical mouse was more precise, sucks that my ball mouse was far more precise when selecting small items.