How to turn on or off overtype mode in Outlook?

If there are some contents need to be replaced with others while composing email message, normally you will select the contents, remove them, and then type in the new content you need. However, with the overtype mode turning on in Outlook, you can just put the cursor before the content you want to replace, type the new content, and the old content will be replaced automatically with the typing. In this article, we will show you how to turn on or off the overtype mode in Outlook in details.

Turn on or off overtype mode in Outlook

Turn on or off overtype mode in Outlook

For turning on or off overtype mode in Outlook, please do as follows.

1. Create a new email message, and then click File > Options in Outlook 2010 and 2013 in the Message window.

If you are using Outlook 2007, please click Tools > Options.

2. In Outlook 2010 and 2013, in the Outlook Options dialog box, click Mail in the left bar, then click the Editor Options button under Compose messages section. See screenshot:

In Outlook 2007, click the Mail Format tab, then click the Editor Options button in the Editor options section.

3. In the Editor Options dialog box, click Advanced in the left bar, then go to the Editing options section in the right pane. There are two options “Use the Insert key to control overtype mode” and “Use overtype mode”.

1). To turn on the overtype mode:

A: If you only check the Use the Insert key to control overtype mode option, you can enable toggling the overtype mode by using the

Insert key on keyboard;

B: If you only check Use overtype mode option, your text will be covered directly whether you use the Insert key or not;

C: If you check both of the two options, the overtype mode will be turned on or off by applying the Insert key.

2). To turn off the overtype mode, uncheck these two options.

3). Click the OK button. See screenshot:

4. Click the OK button in the Outlook Options dialog box to finish the setting.