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Tab won't indent when using Word outline

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S...@officeformac.com

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Apr 15, 2010, 10:02:56 AM4/15/10
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Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Hi,
A couple months ago, my tab button stopped indenting in Word when I use an outline and want to go from a "I." to "a." for example. I've dealt with just clicking on the "indent" button on the formatting palatte, but it is just getting way too frustrating to do. Any ideas on what happened ("tab" and "shift-tab" was working fine when I first got the computer) and also how to correct it. Thanks. (step-by-step point and click directions would be helpful if possible). Thanks a million!

S...@officeformac.com

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Apr 15, 2010, 10:11:06 AM4/15/10
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Got my answer, please disregard. Sorry for any inconvenience.

codo...@officeformac.com

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Apr 22, 2010, 11:33:16 AM4/22/10
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Please post the answer; it will help me and other puzzled users.

Thanks

codo...@officeformac.com

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Apr 22, 2010, 11:43:24 AM4/22/10
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And here are the two shortcuts:

1. TAB: increases left indent

2. Shift-TAB: decreases left indent

codo...@officeformac.com

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Apr 22, 2010, 11:41:55 AM4/22/10
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Just got the answer:

1. Make sure that 'Automatic Numbered Lists' and 'Tabs & backspace set left indent' are checked in the 'AutoCorrect' dialog box under 'AutoFormat as You Type.'
2. You can access this box from Tools > AutoCorrect > AutoFormat As You Type.

David Contrada, Vermont Law

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May 9, 2010, 11:56:00 AM5/9/10
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Thank God for this post. I am the mellowest guy in the world, and was
about to break something.

denisep...@gmail.com

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Jun 8, 2012, 10:09:10 PM6/8/12
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Amen! Just saved me a lot of time and heartache when I could ill-afford it! Thanks so much.

rywb...@gmail.com

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Nov 29, 2012, 4:47:31 PM11/29/12
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Ooooh, that was pissing me off. Thanks

agma...@gmail.com

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Mar 12, 2013, 10:35:15 AM3/12/13
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Both the automatic numbering and Tabs and backspace set at Indent boxes are checked and word is still not allowing me to create an outline properly using the TAB. Tab won't function at all. About to throw my mac. Help.

aimee...@gmail.com

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May 18, 2013, 11:58:16 PM5/18/13
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Thank you so much for the help! Initially it was hard to find the tabs. I went to the drop down menu > More Commands > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > made sure everything was checked.

michae...@gmail.com

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Sep 23, 2013, 1:40:35 PM9/23/13
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Great! It works! Thanks!

darc...@gmail.com

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Oct 20, 2013, 12:24:01 PM10/20/13
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Thanks for this post! I had the same problem

txh...@googlemail.com

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Dec 7, 2013, 11:52:16 AM12/7/13
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Hi Agma

I have exactly the same issue as you. Did you manage to find a solution. Please I'm losing my mind

cookj...@gmail.com

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Jan 31, 2014, 12:31:51 AM1/31/14
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Thank you so much! This is what I needed!

davida...@gmail.com

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Mar 16, 2014, 8:14:24 PM3/16/14
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On Thursday, April 15, 2010 9:02:56 AM UTC-5, S...@officeformac.com wrote:
Awesome! Thank you!

ec...@mymacplus.com

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Sep 19, 2014, 11:28:42 AM9/19/14
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On Thursday, April 22, 2010 10:41:55 AM UTC-5, codo...@officeformac.com wrote:
Thank you

mikko...@gmail.com

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Oct 7, 2014, 5:44:08 PM10/7/14
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Thank you!! I've gone crazy over this.

wga...@gmail.com

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Jun 13, 2015, 11:57:55 PM6/13/15
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Thanks a bunch for posting the answer. You just saved me from a later night :)

saeedsin...@gmail.com

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Sep 11, 2015, 11:09:34 AM9/11/15
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THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! This has been racking my nerves for sooooooooooooo long!!! :D

wor...@gmail.com

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Oct 27, 2015, 10:25:52 AM10/27/15
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On Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 11:41:55 AM UTC-4, codo...@officeformac.com wrote:
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! This was driving me crazy!

dphi...@gmail.com

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Nov 10, 2015, 8:29:21 PM11/10/15
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On Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 11:41:55 AM UTC-4, codo...@officeformac.com wrote:
I was going Nuts.
THANK YOU

tanne...@gmail.com

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Sep 16, 2016, 4:00:56 PM9/16/16
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Thank you very much -

For those who have 2010:

File
>Options
>Proofing
>>AutoCorrect Options...(Button)
>>> Under "Automatically as you type)
>>>> Check Check Box - "Set left- and first-indent with tabs and backspaces

Just a note for people that don't SHIFT + Tab will take you back an indent..

Best Regards

apet...@gmail.com

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Oct 5, 2016, 9:21:58 AM10/5/16
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Thank you!!

fahrend...@gmail.com

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Oct 12, 2016, 12:46:22 PM10/12/16
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I have office 2013 and made sure that box was checked and shift+tab still doesn't work as it keeps going forward as if I just pressed "tab" alone. Any ideas?

dyoun...@gmail.com

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Nov 27, 2016, 11:34:55 AM11/27/16
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Thanks. Everyone else make sure you are clicking ok at the bottom afterwards.

odde...@gmail.com

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Feb 15, 2017, 11:42:40 AM2/15/17
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this just happened to me so i tried pressing random buttons so try "esc" + "tab"

vaness...@gmail.com

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Feb 20, 2017, 11:51:19 AM2/20/17
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On Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 10:02:56 AM UTC-4, S...@officeformac.com wrote:
> Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
>
> Hi,
>
> A couple months ago, my tab button stopped indenting in Word when I use an outline and want to go from a "I." to "a." for example. I've dealt with just clicking on the "indent" button on the formatting palatte, but it is just getting way too frustrating to do. Any ideas on what happened ("tab" and "shift-tab" was working fine when I first got the computer) and also how to correct it. Thanks. (step-by-step point and click directions would be helpful if possible). Thanks a million!

THANK YOU! I've been dealing with this nightmare for months!

raimi...@gmail.com

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May 2, 2017, 8:06:58 PM5/2/17
to
On Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 7:02:56 AM UTC-7, S...@officeformac.com wrote:
> Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
>
> Hi,
>
> A couple months ago, my tab button stopped indenting in Word when I use an outline and want to go from a "I." to "a." for example. I've dealt with just clicking on the "indent" button on the formatting palatte, but it is just getting way too frustrating to do. Any ideas on what happened ("tab" and "shift-tab" was working fine when I first got the computer) and also how to correct it. Thanks. (step-by-step point and click directions would be helpful if possible). Thanks a million!

OMG THANK YOU. I'm in the middle of finals and don't need this extra stress. Haha WHEW.

lave...@gmail.com

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Jun 30, 2017, 1:45:46 PM6/30/17
to
On Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 9:02:56 AM UTC-5, S...@officeformac.com wrote:
> Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
>
> Hi,
>
> A couple months ago, my tab button stopped indenting in Word when I use an outline and want to go from a "I." to "a." for example. I've dealt with just clicking on the "indent" button on the formatting palatte, but it is just getting way too frustrating to do. Any ideas on what happened ("tab" and "shift-tab" was working fine when I first got the computer) and also how to correct it. Thanks. (step-by-step point and click directions would be helpful if possible). Thanks a million!

tHANKS VERY HELPFUL

ignac...@gmail.com

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Aug 5, 2017, 7:22:06 PM8/5/17
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On Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 11:41:55 AM UTC-4, codo...@officeformac.com wrote:
THANKS!!

tabathar...@gmail.com

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Feb 26, 2018, 2:56:52 PM2/26/18
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YES! Thank you! I do not know how this got turned off, but as a law student who does outlines daily, I was going crazy!

jenelle....@gmail.com

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Apr 26, 2020, 1:47:38 PM4/26/20
to
This was so so helpful thank you!

James T

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May 2, 2021, 11:54:57 PM5/2/21
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Ugh, thank you for this...11 years later.

Aricia Leighton

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Oct 9, 2021, 11:19:21 AM10/9/21
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On Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 8:41:55 AM UTC-7, codo...@officeformac.com wrote:
> Just got the answer:
>
> 1. Make sure that 'Automatic Numbered Lists' and 'Tabs & backspace set left indent' are checked in the 'AutoCorrect' dialog box under 'AutoFormat as You Type.'
> 2. You can access this box from Tools > AutoCorrect > AutoFormat As You Type.
> > Please post the answer; it will help me and other puzzled users.
> >
> > Thanks

This is the BEST forum post I have ever found! It came up first in the Google Search and is still pertinent 11 years later. I have no idea why that became unchecked, but am so thankful to the first person that posted this quandary and the person who answered it. Very clear directions, instead of some of the convoluted ones you get.
Thank you

Samantha Decker

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Oct 15, 2023, 1:37:01 PM10/15/23
to
On Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 11:41:55 AM UTC-4, codo...@officeformac.com wrote:
> Just got the answer:
>
> 1. Make sure that 'Automatic Numbered Lists' and 'Tabs & backspace set left indent' are checked in the 'AutoCorrect' dialog box under 'AutoFormat as You Type.'
> 2. You can access this box from Tools > AutoCorrect > AutoFormat As You Type.
> > Please post the answer; it will help me and other puzzled users.
> >
> > Thanks
that doesn't do ANYTHING!!! continues to not work with tab i am losing my mind
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