By default, and to help prevent confusion, the Overtype mode or the ability to turn on and off insert mode using the insert key is disabled. You can enable this mode and ability one of two ways by following the steps below.
Enabling overtype mode in the options
- In Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, and later, click File and then Options. In Microsoft Word 2007, click the Office Button and then click Word Options.
- In the Word Options, click Advanced.
- Check the box for Use the Insert key to control overtype mode to allow the Insert key to control the Overtype mode.
- Click Ok.
Enabling Overtype mode in the status bar
- Right-click on the Microsoft Word status bar.
- Select Overtype to show the Overtype option in the status bar.
- Once enabled (as shown below), you can click Overtype to enable and disable the Overtype feature.
Oct 27, 2008 What do I press to get rid of the OVR button on microsoft word?? Please help!? Okay so I'm in microsoft word writing a document and I've written a huge answer to a question and I had to fix a word at the very beginning and now it's typing over my answer. Nov 07, 2017 I get stuck in the INS/OVR trap running Microsoft Visual Studio in a VM on my Mac. Here is how to switch it. On the keypad the 'clear' key is the 'num lock' key in Windows. Toggle out of num lock mode, and the '0' (zero) key on the keypad is the INS/OVR toggle.
Example of Overtype mode
The animated picture below shows an example of typing text with Overtype mode enabled. If you typed 'test' plus a space, it overwrites (replaces) 'Computer' and changes it to 'test ter.'
Additional information
- See the insert key and overtype mode definitions for further information and related links.
Free Microsoft Word For Mac
-->
Note
Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.
Symptoms
When you try to use Overtype mode in Microsoft Office Word, you discover that Overtype mode is disabled.
Note
To use Overtype mode in earlier versions of Word, press INSERT to toggle the mode on and off. Microsoft sculpt mouse connect to mac.
Cause
By default, Overtype mode is disabled in Word.
Resolution
Use one of the following methods to enable Overtype mode.
Method 1
- Do one of the following, as appropriate for your version of Word:
- In Word 2010 and Word 2013, click the File tab, and then click Options.
- In Word 2007, click the Office Button icon, and then click Word Options.
- In the Word Options dialog box, click Advanced.
- Do one of the following:
- To enable the INSERT key in order to control Overtype mode, click to select the Use the Insert key to control overtype mode check box.
- To keep Overtype mode always enabled, click to select the Use overtype mode check box.
- Click OK.
Method 2
- Right-click the Status bar, and then click Overtype. 'Insert' is now displayed on the left side of the Status bar.
- To use Overtype mode, click Insert on the Status bar. 'Overtype' is now displayed on the left side of the Status bar.
Note
The Status bar is located at the bottom of the Word window.