# Solved: Formatting symbols in Word 2000



## mjean (Nov 13, 2004)

I am a Vista user but my MS Word is an old one - 2000.
Recently, all Word documents are showing the paragraph symbol and a dot between each word. This doesn't print but it is extremely distracting. I suspect I hit a combination of keys that have done this but cannot figure out how to return to a regular document. 
All Word documents show this symbol, even those saved months ago.
Any help would be appreciated.


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## Patcheen (Apr 14, 2011)

Up along the top you have headings File> Edit> view etc etc etc........go to View select All characters as this is on as i say select it to turn it off....... Hope this helps..... Let us know how you get on


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## mjean (Nov 13, 2004)

Patcheen:
I am using a 2000 version of Word. The View menu does not have an "All Characters" option or, at least, I can't find one.
-( Thanks for your suggestion. I open to any other suggestions.


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

This is normal behaviour. Being able to display formatting can 
be very useful. You can toggle the display with CTRL+* or click the ¶ key 
which may be on your formatting toolbat (or add it there if it isn't).


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## Patcheen (Apr 14, 2011)

1. Click on the Tools->Options menu item.
2. Select the View tab.
3. Deselect all the checkboxes under Formatting Marks (appropriately enough)
4. Click OK.

When you go to exit Word or save a file, you should get a warning about the Normal template having been modified. Accept it -- that's what you just performed.

There's nothing more permanent than that, though. 

By the way, lots of people are uncomfortable with the paragraph marks showing, but they can be very useful. All the paragraph formatting is attached to them, so seeing which one you really deleted can clear up formatting mysteries. It's also worth knowing exactly where the end of a paragraph really is rather than where it seems to be.


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## mjean (Nov 13, 2004)

DariusSupport:
That solved my problem. I thought it might be something simple like a couple of key strokes. 
Thank you, so much.


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## mjean (Nov 13, 2004)

Patcheen,
Thank you for your suggestions. It was nice knowing I had help coming from a couple of different directions.
Problem is now solved with suggestion from DariusSupport.


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## Patcheen (Apr 14, 2011)

No prob always welcome........... nice to know it's all sorted


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