Configuration

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Configuration' topic. Click the article's title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

Changing Quick Access Toolbar Images
Want to modify the button images used for Quick Access Toolbar images. It can be done, but it is not as easy as anyone would like. Here's some guidance on what you can do.

Changing the Default Measurement Units
When working in Word's dialog boxes, most people understand that you should enter measurements using inches. If you don't like inches, you can change the default unit of measurement to something more to your liking.

Configuring Word for Audible Feedback
Want Word to make sounds when giving you feedback? This audible response is easy to turn on.

Controlling Background Repagination
When you are editing a document, Word is constantly calculating and adjusting the pagination of the document. If you find this background calculation distracting, you can easily turn it off.

Controlling ScreenTips
ScreenTips can be very helpful in figuring out what different tools and objects are used for in Word. If you find this helpful feature distracting, you can turn it off by following the steps in this tip.

Displaying Formatting Inconsistencies
When you create a document, Word is constantly checking behind the scenes to make sure that what you type makes sense. Tools such as spelling and grammar checking are not the only way this is done. You can also have Word check for formatting inconsistencies.

Displaying Multiple Pages at Once
If you have a large monitor, you can view more than one page at a time in Word. This is very handy when you want to understand how your text looks over several pages.

Displaying Object Anchors
An object anchor is used to signify the point at which an object is inserted into a document. If you want to see these anchors, you need to configure Word to display them.

Displaying the Developer Tab
The Developer tab of the ribbon is the gateway to many advanced features in Word, including those features related to macros. Problem is, the Developer tab is not visible by default in Word. Here's how to make sure it remains displayed on your system.

Drag and Drop Editing
Many people use the keyboard to do their primary editing tasks. Word doesn't limit you to the keyboard, however. You can also use the mouse to do your editing, as described in this tip.

Getting Notification of File Conversions
Open a file that isn't a Word document and Word will still try to convert it to a Word document. If you want Word to let you know when it is going to do these conversions, here's how to specify that.

Getting Rid of Paste Options
Paste information into a document and you'll immediately see a small icon next to the pasted information. This icon allows you to access options that affect the pasting operation. Don't like the icon? Here's how to get rid of it.

Getting Rid of ScreenTips
All those little ScreenTips bug you when moving through the toolbars and ribbons of Word? You can turn them off by following the steps in this tip.

Hiding Scroll Bars
Scroll bars are helpful if you have a document that won't fit entirely within the program window. Here's how to turn off the scroll bars if you have no need for them.

Hiding Spelling Errors in a Document
When you are typing in a document, Word normally checks your spelling in the background, marking possible spelling errors as you go. If the markings bother you, here's how you can turn them off.

Inserting Text with the Insert Key
The Insert key can be used for different purposes, depending on how you configure the program. This tip explains those uses and shows how to make the configuration change.

Selecting Words Automatically while Editing
When you are editing your document, there are many times that Word tries to guess what you are doing and then complete your task for you. This helpfulness can be aggravating at times. Once such instance is when you are trying to use the mouse to select text from the middle of one word to the middle of another.

Specifying a Default Font
Don't like the font that Word uses for a default in your new documents? You can pick a different font, but the way you make the selection is not as straightforward as you might expect.

Turning Off Notification of Formatting Inconsistencies
In an effort to make your writing better, Word uses "squiggly" underlines to mark things it thinks you may need to change. If you see some blue squiggly underlines on your screen, you may wonder what they are for and how tot get rid of them. Here's the skinny.

Turning Off the Paste Options Buttons
Paste something in a Word document, and you may notice a dynamic little set of options appear right next to what you pasted. If you find these "paste options" distracting, you can configure Word so that they aren't displayed.

Viewing All Your Text Horizontally
If you are viewing a document and your text runs off the right side of the document window, it can be a real bother to scroll left and right. Word allows you to configure the program so that your text will always stay within the display space available.

Wrapping Text Differently in Draft and Outline Views
Normally Word displays, on screen, a close approximation of how your text will look when it is printed. If you are working in Draft or Outline views, however, you can specify how you want Word to wrap the text on each line.