Microsoft Word 2007 - Prevent Automatic Bulleted and Numbered Lists

Microsoft Word 2007 automatically creates bulleted and numbered lists as you type. While many people appreciate this feature, others would rather take more control over their document editing. Maybe you do not want the automatic formatting that comes with list creation, or maybe you prefer creating a list with actual asterisks.

To disable this automatic feature:

1. Access the Microsoft Word 2007 Options menu by clicking the “Office" button at the top-left of Microsoft Word.

2. Select "Proofing" in the left pane.

3. Underneath the "AutoCorrect options" section, click the "AutoCorrect Options" button.

4. When the "AutoCorrect" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab.

5. Underneath "Apply as you type", uncheck "Automatic bulleted lists" and "Automatic numbered lists".

6. Click "OK" on the dialog boxes to save your settings.

You can always follow these steps if you decide to turn the automatic bullets and number lists “back on”.