Smart quotes, also called curly quotes, automatically replace straight quotation marks and apostrophes with typographic versions. This feature is intended to improve the visual appearance of text, but it can cause problems when pasting content into code editors, plain text documents, or systems that require straight quotes. The auto-replacement can also interfere with copy-paste workflows where exact character matching is needed. This article explains how to turn off smart quotes in Word for Windows and Mac, and how to manage quote formatting in specific scenarios.
Key Takeaways: Turning Off Smart Quotes in Word
- File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type tab: Uncheck “Straight quotes with smart quotes” to stop auto-replacement while typing.
- File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat tab: Uncheck the same option to prevent Word from converting existing straight quotes during automatic formatting.
- Ctrl+Z after typing a quote: Quickly undo the smart quote conversion for a single instance without changing the global setting.
Why Smart Quotes Are Enabled by Default and When They Cause Problems
Smart quotes are part of Word’s AutoCorrect feature and are enabled by default in all modern versions of Word for Windows and Mac. Microsoft enables this setting because typographic curly quotes are considered more professional in printed documents, books, and formal correspondence. The feature works by detecting when you type a single or double quotation mark and replacing it with the appropriate opening or closing curly character.
Problems arise when the document content is used outside of Word. Straight quotes are required in programming code, HTML attributes, JSON data, SQL queries, and many plain-text file formats. If you copy text from Word into a code editor or a web form, the curly quotes can cause syntax errors or be displayed incorrectly. The auto-replacement can also be frustrating when typing foot and inch marks, where straight prime symbols are expected.
Another common issue is inconsistent formatting when multiple users edit the same document. If one person has smart quotes enabled and another has them disabled, pasted text may contain a mix of straight and curly quotes that is difficult to correct manually.
Steps to Disable Smart Quotes in Word for Windows
The following steps work in Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, and Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Open the File menu and select Options
Click the File tab in the upper-left corner of the Word window. Then click Options at the bottom of the left navigation pane. The Word Options dialog box opens. - Go to Proofing and click AutoCorrect Options
In the Word Options dialog, click Proofing on the left side. Under the AutoCorrect options section, click the AutoCorrect Options button. A new dialog box appears with multiple tabs. - Open the AutoFormat As You Type tab
In the AutoCorrect dialog, click the AutoFormat As You Type tab. This tab controls automatic formatting that occurs while you are typing. - Uncheck the smart quotes option
In the Replace as you type section, find the checkbox labeled “Straight quotes with smart quotes”. Uncheck this box. The text below the checkbox confirms that Word will no longer replace straight quotes with curly quotes while typing. - Open the AutoFormat tab and uncheck the same option
Click the AutoFormat tab. In the Replace section, uncheck “Straight quotes with smart quotes”. This prevents Word from converting existing straight quotes when you run AutoFormat on a document. - Click OK to save changes
Click OK in the AutoCorrect dialog, then click OK in the Word Options dialog. The setting is saved immediately and applies to all new and existing documents.
Steps to Disable Smart Quotes in Word for Mac
The menu structure in Word for Mac differs slightly from the Windows version. These steps apply to Word for Mac 2019, Word for Mac 2021, and Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac.
- Open the Tools menu and select AutoCorrect Options
Click the Tools menu in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Then click AutoCorrect Options. The AutoCorrect dialog box opens. - Go to the AutoFormat As You Type tab
In the AutoCorrect dialog, click the AutoFormat As You Type tab. - Uncheck the smart quotes option
Under the Replace as you type section, uncheck “Straight quotes with smart quotes”. - Open the AutoFormat tab and uncheck the same option
Click the AutoFormat tab. Uncheck “Straight quotes with smart quotes” under the Replace section. - Click OK to save
Click OK to close the AutoCorrect dialog. The change takes effect immediately.
How to Convert Existing Smart Quotes to Straight Quotes
Disabling the auto-replace setting does not convert smart quotes that already exist in a document. To convert all curly quotes to straight quotes, use Word’s Find and Replace feature.
- Open Find and Replace with Ctrl+H
Press Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+H on Mac to open the Find and Replace dialog. - Find a left curly quote
In the Find what field, type a left curly double quote. You can also press Alt+0147 on Windows or Option+[ on Mac to insert the character. - Replace with a straight quote
In the Replace with field, type a straight double quote by pressing the quotation mark key on your keyboard. - Replace all instances
Click Replace All. Word replaces every left curly double quote with a straight double quote. - Repeat for right curly quotes and apostrophes
Repeat steps 2 through 4 for the right curly double quote character and for the curly apostrophe character. Each character must be replaced separately because Find and Replace treats them as distinct characters.
Common Issues After Disabling Smart Quotes
Smart quotes still appear in new documents
The most common reason is that the setting was changed only in the AutoFormat As You Type tab but not in the AutoFormat tab. Open both tabs and uncheck the option in each. If the problem persists, close Word completely and reopen it. The setting is stored per application, not per document.
Smart quotes appear when pasting from other programs
Word’s smart quotes setting only controls replacement during typing and AutoFormat. Text pasted from another application may contain curly quotes if that application also uses smart quotes. Use Ctrl+Alt+V and select Keep Text Only to paste without formatting, which converts pasted text to the destination document’s formatting.
Foot and inch marks are replaced with curly quotes
Even with smart quotes disabled, Word may still convert foot and inch marks if the AutoCorrect option for fractions is enabled. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type and uncheck Fractions (1/2) with fraction character (½) to prevent this interference.
Smart Quotes On vs Off: Key Differences
| Item | Smart Quotes On | Smart Quotes Off |
|---|---|---|
| Typed double quote | Becomes opening or closing curly quote | Remains straight character |
| Typed single quote / apostrophe | Becomes curly opening or closing mark | Remains straight apostrophe |
| Compatibility with code | May cause syntax errors in HTML, JSON, SQL | Works correctly in all code contexts |
| Visual appearance | Typographic, curves toward the text | Vertical, uniform shape |
| Conversion method | Automatic while typing or via AutoFormat | Requires manual Find and Replace to convert existing quotes |
You can now disable smart quotes in Word and control how quotation marks appear in your documents. After changing the setting, test by typing a few quotes in a new document to confirm the change took effect. If you frequently work with code or plain text, consider keeping smart quotes disabled permanently and using the Find and Replace method to convert quotes only when needed for print documents. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Z immediately after a quote is typed to undo the smart conversion on a case-by-case basis without altering the global setting.