Forum Discussion
Word - Insert Key
Why doesn't the Insert key on the keyboard do anything? It's a key on the keyboard, make use of it!
- Most obviously, why doesn't pressing it make it change to overtype text.
- Why when in tables doesn't the insert key allow you to add rows to a table where you currently are? Today I found it very painful to add more than one row to a table. Even after an internet search I didn't find an easy way quickly. Surly making use of the insert key and pressing it once per new row would be the most easy? It works like this in MS Project.
2 Replies
Word does support using Insert to toggle overtype, but you need to enable it first:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced.
- Under Editing options, check Use the Insert key to control overtype mode.
- Click OK. Insert will then switch between inserting text and replacing existing text.
For tables, Insert doesn’t have the same row-insertion function as in Project. The quickest built-in options are:
- Add a row at the end: click in the table’s last cell and press Tab.
- Add several rows in the middle: select the same number of existing rows as you want to add, then choose Table Layout > Insert Above or Insert Below. Selecting three rows inserts three new rows.
- Repeat an insertion: after inserting a row, press F4 to repeat the last action where applicable.
So the overtype behaviour is available through a setting, while “Insert adds a table row” would be a feature request or require a custom macro. For adding several rows at once, selecting multiple rows before inserting is usually the simplest approach.
Thanks.
regarding the table
Yeah I did use that trick of highlighting 3 rows and then asking for more of the same. Then highlighting 6... etc..
But it was quite a number of rows I wanted to add, so still feel the insert key would add value and speed.
Thanks for the F4 tip
