How to Fix Reversed Text and Quotation Marks in Microsoft Word
Question details
User experiences backward text display, reversed cursor movement, and flipped quotation marks due to incorrect right-to-left language settings applied to English text.
- Product
- Microsoft Word 2016
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Editing an English (UK) document where certain paragraphs unexpectedly behave as if formatted for a right-to-left language like Arabic.
- Observed behavior
- Text appears backward, the typing cursor moves in the opposite direction, and quotation marks flip around footnote markers. The affected text shows Arabic proofing language despite being English.
Before modifying language settings, identify which specific paragraphs are experiencing the reversed text issue and ensure your keyboard input language in Windows is set to English.
Correct the Proofing Language for Selected Text
This is the most direct fix for correcting reversed text and cursor behavior caused by incorrect right-to-left language assignments.
Microsoft Word can sometimes automatically assign a right-to-left language (like Arabic) to English text, causing the layout and cursor movement to reverse. Forcing the proofing language back to English and disabling auto-detection resolves this.
Highlight all the text, paragraphs, or footnotes in your document that appear backward or have reversed quotation marks.
Navigate to the Review tab on the top ribbon, click on Language, and select Set Proofing Language from the dropdown menu.
In the Language dialog box, scroll to select English (UK) or your preferred English regional setting.
Uncheck the box labeled 'Detect language automatically' to prevent Word from changing the language again, then click OK.
Update the Normal Style Language Settings
Use this method if the reversed text issue keeps reappearing when you type new paragraphs.
Fix Existing Flipped Quotation Marks
Use this method to bulk-correct quotation marks that remain flipped even after fixing the language settings.
Easily Manage Text Direction and Languages with WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides straightforward language and text direction controls, allowing you to easily resolve reversed text and cursor issues. It seamlessly handles complex document formatting while remaining fully compatible with Microsoft Word documents.
- 1. Open your document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file that contains the reversed text.
- 2. Select the reversed text: Highlight the specific paragraphs or sentences experiencing the backward text issue.
- 3. Set the correct proofing language: Go to the Review tab, click on Spell Check, select Set Language, and choose English to override the incorrect regional settings.
- 4. Verify text direction: Navigate to the Home tab and ensure the 'Left-to-Right Text Direction' icon is actively selected for the paragraph.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cursor move backward when typing in Word?
This usually happens when the text direction is accidentally set to a right-to-left language (such as Arabic or Hebrew). Changing the paragraph's proofing language back to English and ensuring left-to-right text direction will restore normal cursor movement.
How do I stop Word from automatically detecting the wrong language?
You can prevent this by going to the Review tab, clicking Language, selecting Set Proofing Language, and unchecking the 'Detect language automatically' box. This stops Word from incorrectly guessing the language based on what you type.
Will replacing quotation marks manually affect my document formatting?
No. Using the Find and Replace feature to correct flipped quotation marks will only alter the quote characters themselves. Your overall document formatting, including fonts, sizes, and layout, will remain completely intact.
