This new Microsoft Word feature is bound to be a hit, especially with slow typists

[aum]

Microsoft Word will soon know what you want to type, even before you do.

 

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

 

Microsoft is working on a new feature for Word that should help users compose documents more quickly and with greater ease.

 

As per an entry in the company’s product roadmap, Word will soon receive a text predictions feature, designed to anticipate what the user intends to write next and save them the effort of typing it out in full.

 

Once the update has been deployed, Word will begin to generate text predictions in real-time as the user types. These predictions will be greyed out until either typed over, approved using the TAB key or rejected using ESC.

According to Microsoft, the service will improve over time as it picks up on each user’s writing style and linguistic preferences, and should help minimize errors of spelling and grammar.

 

The feature is currently still under development, but is expected to roll out for users of the Windows application by the end of next month. It is unclear when the upgrade will land for the web client or Word for macOS.

 

Microsoft Word update

The upcoming Word update will restore parity between Microsoft’s word processing software and rival service Google Docs, which has offered almost identical functionality for a while now.

 

While Microsoft had previously been the undisputed leader in the productivity software market, the transition to a subscription-first model and the rise of Google Workspace has introduced a healthy measure of competition to the space.

 

Information about the new Word feature also comes hot on the heels of an announcement about the company’s next standalone Office package, designed for customers that prefer to make a one-time purchase as opposed to using the Microsoft 365 subscription service.

 

Set to arrive later this year, Office 2021 will presumably deliver a range of upgrades over the previous 2019 edition, but Microsoft remains tight-lipped about the precise ways in which the two standalone packages will differ.

 

Microsoft has confirmed that Office 2021 will receive support for five years and the company does not intend to alter the price of the package at the current time.

 

Source

[Karlston]

If this one works as well as the ones that came before it, the only important thing to know about it is how to disable it.

[Karlston]

How to turn off Text Predictions in Word and Outlook

Microsoft announced the upcoming release of a text prediction service in Word and Outlook last year. Text predictions, as the name suggests, predict words and phrases users are likely to type, and provide options to add these to texts with minimal effort.

 

Microsoft suggests that predictions help users type faster, and that they may also help reduce spelling and grammar errors.

 

Ideally, text predictions will be right 100% of the time and will speed up the typing once the user has found the right rhythm when it comes to making use of them. Word or Outlook would predict that the user wants to write antediluvian when writing ant, or concomitant based on the first three characters of the word. In a not so ideal world, Word or Outlook could predict something else entirely, such as antiseptic or conduit.

 

 

That's why Microsoft is making use of machine learning. Text Predictions learn over time to improve the recommendations that they give to users based on a user's writing style.

 

The feature works in all documents and email messages in the two supported applications once it has been launched. It needs to be noted that the feature is limited to US English at the time.

 

Users may notice predicted text being displayed as they type -- the text is displayed in a light gray color to distinguish from already typed text -- and may complete the word or phrase with the Tab-key. A tap on the Esc-key rejects the suggestion, and it is also possible to continue to type manually. Microsoft states that the "content is not stored or seen by any human".

 

 

Some Word and Outlook users may appreciate the feature, others may dislike it. If you belong to the "don't need or want camp", you may use the following instructions to turn of text predictions in Word and Outlook.

How to turn off text predictions in Word

Text predictions are supported in Word on the Web and in Office 365.

1. Hover the mouse cursor over the status bar entry "Text Predictions: On" and left-click on the entry.
2. Uncheck the "show text predictions while typing" in Office 365 or "suggest words or phrases as I type" in Word on the Web to turn off text predictions in Microsoft Word.

How to turn off text predictions in Outlook

Similarly, text predictions may be turned off in Outlook on the Web or in Office 365.

1. If you are using the Web version of Outlook, go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > compose and reply, and uncheck the option "Suggest words or phrases as I type" under text predictions.
2. In Office 365, select File > Options while writing an email. There you need to uncheck the "Show text predictions while typing" option under Compose messages.

 

How to turn off Text Predictions in Word and Outlook