Microsoft introduced the AutoCorrect feature to correct typos, misspelled words, and grammatical errors. You can also use the AutoCorrect tool to insert symbols, autotext, and various other forms of text. AutoCorrect comes pre-set with a list of typical misspellings and symbols, but you can change and customize the list that AutoCorrect uses to increase your productivity.

Today we'll teach you how to edit the AutoCorrect list and settings to make your word processing experience smoother. Instructions apply to Word 2003 and later.

Before we get into the actual customization and editing of the AutoCorrect tool, you need to understand how the AutoCorrect list works. There are three main things you can do with the AutoCorrect tool.

First, the tool will automatically detect and correct typos and spelling errors. For example, if you type "taht," the AutoCorrect tool will automatically correct it and replace it with "that." If it also corrects typos like "I like tha tcar." the AutoCorrect tool will also replace it with "I like that car."