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Fix Characters Deleting in Front While Typing (Overtype Mode)

· 2 min read
Luke Murray
Luke Murray
Author

If you are typing in a document and notice that new characters are replacing the text in front of the cursor instead of being inserted, you have accidentally activated Overtype mode (sometimes called Overwrite mode).

This commonly happens when the Insert key is pressed by mistake, which is easy to do since the key is located near the Delete and Backspace keys on most keyboards.

How to fix it​

Press the Insert key on your keyboard to toggle back to Insert mode.

That is it — start typing again and characters will be inserted normally without overwriting existing text.

Where is the Insert key?​

The Insert key (sometimes labelled Ins) is typically located:

  • Above the Delete key on full-size keyboards.
  • Accessible via Fn + another key on laptops and compact keyboards (check your laptop's key labels).

How to know which mode you are in​

Many applications show the current mode in the status bar at the bottom of the window:

  • INS or Insert — Insert mode (normal). New text pushes existing text to the right.
  • OVR or Overtype — Overtype mode. New text replaces existing characters.

In Microsoft Word, you can also click the Insert/Overtype indicator in the status bar to toggle between modes. If you find yourself accidentally triggering Overtype mode frequently, you can disable the Insert key in Word under File > Options > Advanced by unchecking "Use the Insert key to control overtype mode".