Creating Shortcuts for the AutoCorrect Dialog Box

Christine uses the AutoCorrect feature in Word quite a bit. She would like to set up a shortcut key so that when she presses it, the AutoCorrect dialog box is displayed with the insertion point in the Replace box.

There is no built-in shortcut to display the AutoCorrect dialog box. There are a couple of ways you can approach the problem, however. One option is to create your own AutoCorrect tool for the Quick Access toolbar. It isn't a keyboard shortcut, but it places the desired dialog box only a single click away. Follow these steps:

1. Click the Office button, then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Customize option is selected at the left side of the dialog box.
3. Using the Choose Commands From drop-down list, choose Commands Not In The Ribbon.
4. Scroll through the list of available commands and choose AutoCorrect Options.
5. Click the Add button. The command is moved to the list at the right of the dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
6. Click OK. The command now appears in the Quick Access Toolbar, to the right of the Office button and just above the Ribbon.

Click the new tool, and the AutoCorrect dialog box pops up, allowing you to define any AutoCorrect entries you desire.

Of course, you can also use the Customize dialog box to define an actual keyboard shortcut. Simply follow these steps:

1. Click the Office button, then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Customize option is selected at the left side of the dialog box.
3. Click the Customize button at the bottom of the dialog box, just to the right of the words "Keyboard Shortcuts." Word displays the Customize Keyboard dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. In the Categories list, choose All Commands.
5. Scroll quite far through the Commands list and choose ToolsAutoCorrect.
6. Click once in the Press New Shortcut Key box so that the insertion point appears there.
7. Press a keyboard shortcut you want to use to display the dialog box. (You can tell if the shortcut is in use because when you press it, you can see in the dialog box if the shortcut is used by a different command.)
8. Click Assign. The shortcut is now assigned to the command.
9. Close all the open dialog boxes.