How to turn off automatic creation of bulleted and numbered lists

Word 2016
When you type numbers or some special symbols (see examples below) in your document, Word automatically creates numbered or bulleted lists. Sometimes you spend a lot of time to remove automatic changes in your document. However, you can easily stop creation of bulleted or numbered lists in your document.

Microsoft Word by default automatically changes some special symbols with the followed space, if you type them in the first position of the line, to the bulleted lists. Some examples:

Symbol with the followed space Bulleted list
- Bulleted list with dashes in Word 365
* Buletted list with dots in Word 365
> Buletted list with triangle arrows in Word 365
-> Buletted list with bold arrows in Word 365
=> Buletted list with arrows in Word 365

Microsoft Word by default automatically changes some symbols with the followed point or closing parenthesis and space, if you type them in the first position of the line, to the numbered lists. Some examples:

Symbols with the followed point or
closing parenthesis and space
Numbered list
1. or 1) - any digit Numbered list with arabic digits in Word 365   or  
Numbered list with arabic digits in Word 365
I. or I) as Roman numeric Numbered list with Roman digits in Word 365   or  
Numbered list with Roman digits in Word 365
i. or i) as Roman numeric Numbered list with small Roman digits in Word 365   or  
Numbered list with Roman digits in Word 365
A. or A) - any capital letter Numbered list with capital letters in Word 365   or  
Numbered list with capital letters in Word 365
a. or a) - any letter Numbered list with small letters in Word 365   or  
Numbered list with small letters in Word 365

To turn off automatic creation of the bulleted or numbered lists in Word, do the following:

   1.   On the File tab click Options to open Word Options dialog box:

Options in Word 365

   2.   In the Word Options dialog box, choose the Proofing tab, and then click the AutoCorrect Options... button:

Proofing in Word 365

   3.   In the AutoCorrect dialog box, on the AutoFormat As You Type tab:

Apply as you type in Word 365
  • To turn off automatic creation of bulleted or numbered lists, uncheck the appropriate checkboxes,
  • To turn on automatic creation of bulleted or numbered lists, check the appropriate checkboxes.

See also How to use AutoCorrect substitutions for fast typing of Greek alphabet and mathematical symbols.

See also this tip in French: Comment désactiver la création automatique des listes à puces et numérotées.

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