By default, Microsoft Word replaces selected text when you start typing. However, if you don’t want to do this and instead want to prevent Word from deleting selected text as you type, here’s how you can do it. This setting can be enabled or disabled using Word Options, the Local Group Policy Editor, and the Registry Editor.

Let’s say you have selected text and want to replace it with new words. To do this, you do not need to press the Backspace or Delete button after highlighting text to delete it. Instead, you can start typing and the selected text will be automatically replaced. However, if you do not want to do this for some reason, this guide will be useful to you.

Stop Word from deleting or deleting selected text as you type

You can prevent Microsoft Word from deleting selected text by changing the “Enter replaces selected text‘ parameter. To allow or prevent Word from deleting selected text as you type, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word on your computer.
2. Press on Options menu.
3. Switch to Advanced tab
4. Check Enter replaces selected text checkbox to allow.
5. Uncheck the box to block.
6. Press GOOD button.

To learn more about these steps, keep reading.

To get started, you need to first open Microsoft Word and click on the button Options The menu is visible in the lower left corner.

After opening Word Options panel, you need to switch to Advanced tab Here you can find a setting called Typing replaces selected text.

If you want to allow deletion of the selected text, check this box. However, if you don’t want to delete the selected text, uncheck the appropriate box.

Finally click on OK button to save changes.

How to enable or disable deletion of selected text while typing in Word

To enable or disable deletion of selected text while typing in Word, follow these steps:

1. Press Win+R to open the Run prompt.
2. Type of gpedit.mSC and press GOOD button.
3. Switch to Advanced in User configuration.
4. Double click on Enter replaces selected text parameter.
5. Choose Included allow option.
6. Choose Defective the ability to block.
7. Press GOOD button.

Let’s take a look at these steps in detail.

First, you need to open the Local Group Policy Editor. To do this, click Win+R > type gpedit.msc > click on OK button. Then follow this path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Word 2016 > Word Options > Advanced

Here you can see a setting called Typing replaces selected text. You need to double click on it and select Enabled opportunity to resolve Disabled the ability to block the removal of selected text when typing in Word.

Finally click on OK button to save changes.

How to enable or disable deletion of selected text while typing in Word using the registry

To enable or disable deletion of selected text when typing in Word using the registry, follow these steps.

1. Search regedit and click on the search result.
2. Press Yes button.
3. Go to Microsoftoffice16.0 in HKCU.
4. Right click 0 > Create > Key and call it like word.
5. Right click word > New > Key and call it like options.
6. Right click options > New > DWORD Value (32-bit).
7. call it like auto text delete.
8. Double click on it to set the data value.
9. Install it like one allow and 0 block.
10. Press GOOD button and restart your PC.

Let’s dive into these steps in detail.

To get started, find regedit in the search box on the taskbar, click an individual search result, and then click the icon Yes button at the UAC prompt to open the registry editor on your computer.

Then follow this path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftoffice16.0

Right click 16.0 > New > Key and set the name as word. Then right click on word key, select New > Keyand call it like options.

After that right click on options key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and call it like autotextdelete.

By default, it comes with a Value data of 0. If you want to disable this setting, keep this Value data. However, if you want to allow Word to delete the selected text, double-click on it and set its Value to one.

Finally click on OK button and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

How to prevent text from being overwritten while typing?

To prevent Word from overwriting text when typing, you must enable Replace mode. To do this, open Word Options and go to Advanced tab Then find Use replace mode settings and check the corresponding box.

Why is my text getting deleted when I type?

If Word deletes text as you type, you need to turn off Replace Mode. As said earlier, you can find this option in the Word Options Bar. To turn it on or off, open Word Options and navigate to Advanced tab Then uncheck Use replace mode option and click GOOD button.

It’s all! Hope this guide helped.