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Fix Windows Text Suggestions Not Replacing Typed Text
Question details
The user needs to resolve a typing issue where selecting a Windows hardware keyboard text suggestion appends the word to the existing characters rather than replacing them.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Typing with a physical keyboard and using Windows OS text suggestions in applications.
- Observed behavior
- The selected suggestion is added next to the already typed characters instead of overwriting them, creating duplicated or malformed words.
Before altering any advanced application settings, open a different program like Notepad to determine if the text suggestion issue is isolated to a specific app or occurring system-wide across Windows.
Enable "Typing Replaces Selected Text" in Microsoft Word
If the text suggestion issue is isolated to Microsoft Word, adjusting the advanced editing options will restore normal text replacement functionality.
Microsoft Word has a specific editing control that governs whether newly typed text (or selected text suggestions) will overwrite highlighted or previously typed characters. If this setting gets disabled accidentally or by a software update, text suggestions will simply append to the end of your cursor location instead of replacing the word.
Launch Microsoft Word. Click on 'File' in the top left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu to open the Word Options dialog box.
Click on the 'Advanced' tab located in the left-hand navigation pane of the Options window.
Under the 'Editing options' section at the top, check the box next to 'Typing replaces selected text'. Click 'OK' to save your changes and test the text suggestions.
Isolate System-Wide Keyboard and App Issues
Use this method to determine whether the text suggestion bug is caused by a global Windows OS glitch or a hardware issue with your physical keyboard.
Submit a Bug Report via Windows Feedback Hub
If text suggestions append incorrectly across the entire Windows operating system and toggling settings does not help, it may be a known OS bug requiring Microsoft's attention.
Switch to WPS Office for a Bug-Free Typing Experience
If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with Windows text suggestions or keyboard glitches, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight alternative featuring a familiar user interface, seamless migration, and flawless compatibility with all your existing Microsoft Office documents.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office Free from the official website and run the quick installer.
- 2. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Writer, the robust word processing alternative to Microsoft Word.
- 3. Open Your Documents: Open any existing .docx or .doc file directly to continue your work without experiencing formatting loss or typing bugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my physical keyboard suggestion adding words instead of replacing them?
This is typically caused by either a system-wide glitch in Windows or disabled editing features in your word processor. In Microsoft Word, the "Typing replaces selected text" setting must be manually enabled in Advanced Options for text replacements to function properly.
Does this text suggestion issue happen in Google Chrome or Edge?
Yes, if the problem is rooted in a system-wide Windows OS bug, hardware keyboard text suggestions might incorrectly append text instead of replacing it in web browsers too. Restarting your browser or toggling the Windows typing settings off and on may resolve it.
How do I turn on hardware keyboard text suggestions in Windows?
Go to Windows Settings > Time & Language > Typing > Hardware keyboard, and toggle on "Show text suggestions as I type". If the suggestions start behaving abnormally, toggling this setting can reset the input service.
Will reinstalling my keyboard driver fix the typing replacement issue?
If the issue happens across all applications (not just Word), reinstalling or updating the keyboard driver via Windows Device Manager can resolve hardware-to-system communication glitches that cause erratic text replacement behaviors.
