Office for Mac Issues

How to Stop Word for Mac from Adding a Period After Two Spaces

Ayan Masood Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent Microsoft Word on Mac from automatically inserting a period when the spacebar is pressed twice.

Stop Word for Mac from Automatically Adding a Period After Two Spaces

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: macOS (Ventura, Sonoma, and earlier)
Scenario: Typing text documents where double spaces are needed without triggering automatic punctuation.
Observed behavior: macOS automatically inserts a period followed by a space whenever the user types two consecutive spaces in Word for Mac.

Before you start

Save your work and minimize your Microsoft Word document before adjusting system preferences to ensure your new typing settings are applied cleanly.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Double-Space Period in macOS Ventura and Sonoma

Adjust the macOS system keyboard settings, as this text feature is controlled globally by the operating system rather than Microsoft Word itself.

Starting with macOS Ventura, Apple redesigned the System Preferences into System Settings. You will need to access the updated Input Sources menu to change this behavior.

Open System Settings

Click the Apple menu logo in the top-left corner of your Mac screen and select 'System Settings'.

Navigate to Keyboard Options

Scroll down the left sidebar and click on 'Keyboard'.

Edit Input Sources

Under the 'Text Input' section, find 'Input Sources' and click the 'Edit' button next to it.

Turn Off the Feature

Locate the toggle labeled 'Add period with double-space' and turn it off. Click 'Done' to save your changes.

Disable Double-Space Period in macOS Ventura and Sonoma

System-Wide Fix: This will stop the double-space period substitution not just in Word, but across all text-editing applications on your Mac.

Solution 2

Disable Double-Space Period in macOS Monterey and Earlier

Older versions of macOS use the classic System Preferences layout, which requires navigating to the Text tab to disable the feature.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Mac for a Seamless Writing Experience

If you are looking for a highly compatible and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Word, WPS Office provides a familiar interface with powerful built-in productivity tools. It natively supports Microsoft Office formats while offering a smooth, distraction-free typing experience on your Mac.

1. Download the Mac version: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the installation package designed for macOS.
2. Install the application: Open the downloaded file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
3. Open your documents seamlessly: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files without losing any formatting.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel, and PowerPoint formatsFree and lightweight suite optimized for excellent macOS performanceFamiliar user interface requiring zero learning curve for Office users

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Microsoft Word have its own setting to stop the double-space period?

On Mac computers, text substitution features like the double-space period are handled system-wide by macOS. Because it is an operating system-level feature, it must be disabled in macOS System Settings rather than within Microsoft Word's internal application preferences.

Will turning off this setting affect other apps on my Mac?

Yes. Disabling the 'Add period with double-space' option changes the behavior globally. It will prevent automatic periods from being inserted in all Mac applications, including Apple Notes, Safari, Pages, and Messages.

Do I need to restart Word for Mac after changing the keyboard setting?

Usually, the system changes take effect immediately without requiring a restart. However, if Word for Mac continues to add periods after you update your macOS settings, simply closing and reopening the Microsoft Word application will resolve the issue.

Office App Problems