If you press the Insert key on the keyboard while typing in Word, you’ll soon notice that existing text is erased as you type. When you press the Insert key, Word goes into Overtype mode, which means as you add new text, Word overwrites existing text while you type.

If you frequently hit the Insert key by accident, you can easily disable Overtype mode so it cannot be enabled, regardless of whether you press the Insert key. To do so in Word 2007:

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button.
2. Click Word Options and then click Advanced.
3. Under Editing options, clear the check box beside the Use overtype mode option.

[Photo above by Pete Reed / CC BY-ND 2.0]