WD: Pressing TAB or SPACEBAR Does Not Indent, Wrap, or Move Text As Expected (322219)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2002
  • Microsoft Word 2000
This article was previously published under Q322219

SYMPTOMS

When you work with a Microsoft Word document, you may experience one or more of the following behaviors:
  • If you insert spaces at the end of a line ("trailing spaces"), the insertion point moves off the right side of the document instead of wrapping to the next line as you expect. The Col indicator in the status bar at the bottom of the document increments each time that you press SPACEBAR.
  • If you put the insertion point at the beginning of a line other than the first line of a paragraph, you cannot move text to the right by pressing SPACEBAR.
  • If you put the insertion point at the beginning of a line other than the first line of a paragraph and then press the TAB key to indent the line, the indent of the whole paragraph is increased. If you press the BACKSPACE key, the indent for the whole paragraph is reduced.

CAUSE

These behaviors may occur for the following reasons:
  • The Wrap trailing spaces to next line option is turned off. This option is located on the Compatibility tab of the Options dialog box.
  • In Word 2000, the Tabs and backspace set left indent option is turned on. This option is located on the Edit tab of the Options dialog box.
  • In Word 2002, the Set left- and first-indent with tabs and backspaces option is turned on. This option is located on the AutoFormat As You Type tab of the AutoCorrect Options dialog box.

RESOLUTION

To resolve these behaviors, follow these steps:
  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. To change the way that Word formats trailing spaces, click the Compatibility tab, and then click to select the Wrap trailing spaces to next line check box under Options.
  3. To indent only the line where the insertion point is located by pressing the TAB key, do one of the following:
    • In Word 2000, click the Edit tab, and then click to clear the Tabs and backspace set left indent check box.
    • In Word 2002, click OK to quit the Options dialog box, click AutoCorrect Options on the Tools menu, click the AutoFormat As You Type tab, and then click to clear the Set left- and first-indent with tabs and backspaces check box.
  4. Click OK.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/6/2006
Keywords:kbinfo KB322219
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