How to Stop Word from Turning En Dashes into Bulleted Lists
Question details
The user wants to prevent Microsoft Word from automatically formatting text into a bulleted or numbered list when typing an en dash followed by a space.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Typing an en dash followed by a space triggers unwanted automatic list formatting in a document.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Word automatically converts the typed en dash and space into a bulleted or numbered list due to its default AutoFormat As You Type settings.
Save your current document. Changing these AutoFormat settings will apply to your global Word application preferences, affecting all future documents you edit on this device.
Disable Automatic Lists in AutoCorrect Options
By modifying the 'AutoFormat As You Type' settings, you can stop Word from interpreting dashes and symbols as list triggers.
Microsoft Word includes a feature that guesses your formatting intentions to save time. Recognizing symbols like asterisks, hyphens, and en dashes followed by spaces, it automatically creates lists. Disabling this specific trigger gives you manual control over your formatting without disabling other helpful autocorrect features.
Open your Microsoft Word document. Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the ribbon, and then select 'Options' at the very bottom of the left-hand menu.
In the Word Options dialog box, select 'Proofing' from the left pane. Under the 'AutoCorrect options' section, click the 'AutoCorrect Options...' button.
Navigate to the 'AutoFormat As You Type' tab in the new dialog window. Look for the 'Apply as you type' section.
Uncheck the boxes next to 'Automatic bulleted lists' and 'Automatic numbered lists'. Once cleared, click 'OK' to close the AutoCorrect dialog, and 'OK' again to close Word Options.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo an automatic bullet list without changing my permanent settings?
Yes. Immediately after Word converts your text into a bullet, you can press 'Ctrl + Z' (Undo) on your keyboard. Alternatively, click the small 'AutoCorrect Options' lightning bolt icon that appears next to the text and select 'Undo Automatic Bullets' to revert it to normal text.
How do I type an en dash in Microsoft Word?
You can quickly type an en dash by pressing and holding the 'Ctrl' key, then pressing the minus sign (-) on your keyboard's numeric keypad. You can also insert it by going to the 'Insert' tab, clicking 'Symbol', and finding the en dash under 'Special Characters'.
Will disabling automatic bulleted lists affect my existing lists?
No. Changing the 'AutoFormat As You Type' settings only prevents Microsoft Word from automatically creating new lists as you type. Any bulleted or numbered lists you have already created in your document will remain completely unaffected.
