Office Settings & Configuration

How to Stop Word from Detecting Arabic and Fix Right-to-Left Text

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 876 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent Microsoft Word from automatically applying right-to-left formatting and detecting Arabic when typing in English.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing English text in a document where the word processor incorrectly applies Arabic formatting or a right-to-left (RTL) typing direction.
Observed behavior: Word displays a right-to-left cursor and paragraph direction despite English being the selected document language.

Before you start

Check your system's keyboard layout settings to ensure an Arabic input method is not unintentionally activated, as active keyboard layouts can sometimes trigger automatic language shifts in word processors.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Paragraph Direction and Modify Style Settings

Manually set the paragraph direction to left-to-right and update the default style to ensure English is the primary language without RTL overrides.

By modifying both the direct paragraph formatting and the underlying document style, you can prevent Word from reverting to right-to-left text behavior when creating new lines.

Adjust current paragraph direction

Navigate to the Home tab and locate the Paragraph group. Click the 'Left-to-Right Text Direction' button to fix the cursor behavior for your current text.

Modify the active style

Right-click the style you are currently using (such as 'Normal') in the Styles gallery and select 'Modify' from the dropdown menu.

Update the style language

In the Modify Style dialog box, click the 'Format' button at the bottom left, select 'Language', and set the language to English. Click OK.

Enforce left-to-right direction in the style

Click the 'Format' button again, choose 'Paragraph', and under the Indents and Spacing tab, set the 'Direction' specifically to 'Left-to-right'. Click OK to apply the changes.

Formatting Saved: If you want this fix to apply to all future documents, check the 'New documents based on this template' option before closing the Modify Style dialog.

Document Formatting Solution

Easily Manage Text Direction and Languages in WPS Writer

WPS Office Writer provides straightforward, intuitive settings to manage text direction and proofing languages without unexpected formatting shifts, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted typing experience.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to edit.
2. Select the affected text: Highlight the text or simply place your cursor in the paragraph that has the wrong direction.
3. Navigate to the Home tab: Go to the Home tab located on the top ribbon.
4. Set text direction: Click the 'Left-to-Right Text Direction' icon within the Paragraph section to instantly fix the cursor and alignment.

Manage left-to-right and right-to-left text directions seamlessly on the Home tab.Highly compatible with Microsoft Word document formats (.docx and .doc).Lightweight, fast-loading, and completely free to use for your daily tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my cursor suddenly move right to left in Word?

This usually happens if you have a right-to-left language like Arabic installed on your system, or if you accidentally triggered the RTL text direction keyboard shortcut (typically Right Ctrl + Right Shift).

How do I disable automatic language detection in Word?

Navigate to the Review tab, click on the Language button, select 'Set Proofing Language', and uncheck the box that says 'Detect language automatically'.

How can I apply left-to-right formatting to the entire document at once?

Press Ctrl + A (or Cmd + A on Mac) to select all the text in your document, then go to the Home tab and click the Left-to-Right Text Direction button in the Paragraph group.

Office App Problems