Parallels Desktop 12 Update 1 adds even greater support for Microsoft Ink. (You can read an overview of Ink on the Mac here.) In this blog post, I will specifically discuss the uses of Microsoft Ink in Word for Windows 2016 running on a Mac with the use of Parallels Desktop 12.
Open the document in Microsoft Word. You can do this by double-clicking the document on your computer. Alternatively, open Microsoft Word first (under All Apps in the Start menu on Windows, or in the Applications folder on macOS), then open the document. Just as an fyi, for Microsoft Word 2011 on a Mac, to use Overtype you have the same two options you had on Office 2008. Option #1: Set in preferences (less useful, bit fiddly, but quick for a one off) Word Preferences Edit Overtype (toggle box) Option #2.: Add a Custom Menu command for 'Overtype'. Enable editing in your document. Word for Microsoft 365 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 Word 2010 More. If you receive or open a document and can't make any. Enable editing in your document. Word for Microsoft 365 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 Word 2010 More. If you receive or open a document and can't make any. Enable editing in your document. Word for Microsoft 365 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 Word 2010 More. If you receive or open a document and can't make any changes, it might be Open for viewing only in Protected View. Follow these steps to edit.
As outlined in my earlier blog post, my Ink setup uses the Apple Pencil, an iPad Pro, and the AstroPad iPad app (Figure 1).
Ink in Word for Windows 2016
If you have installed Word for Windows 2016 as part of an Office 365 subscription, then there are a number of different ways you can use Ink in Word, and Parallels Desktop 12 Update 1 will enable the Draw tab in Word (Figure 2) so that you can access all of these Ink uses.
Figure 2
Ink Annotation
Ink is an excellent way to comment on or review a Word document (Figure 3).
You can use the standard proofreader marks if you are sure that the individual to whom you will be sending the reviewed document will understand those marks (Figure 4).
Figure 4
As you can see in the Word Draw tab, there are three conversion tools: Ink Editor, Convert to Shapes, and Ink to Math.
Ink Editor
The Ink Editor tool gives you the ability to perform simple document editing tasks using Ink as gestures. Currently, there are only two gestures: encircling to select text, and scribbling out to delete text, both shown in Video 5. I suspect that more editing gestures will be added in the future.
Convert to Shapes
The Convert to Shapes tool gives you the ability to add shapes to your document. I was not able to use this Ink tool to enter all 160 of the shapes from the Shapes menu, but the simple ones worked as expected, and some of these are shown in Video 6.
Ink to Math
The Ink to Math tool gives you the ability to enter typographically-rich equations in your Word document just by writing them naturally with a pen. Word added an excellent equations editor several years ago, but it is a bit tedious to use. The Ink to Math tool—shown in Video 7—makes entering an equation extremely natural.
Ink Replay
Ink Replay, the last tool in the Draw tab in Word, provides you with a type of animation for your Ink sketches.
I have found the use of Ink in Word to be an excellent way to annotate and add content to a Word document. Remember that while you need Word for Windows 2016 (in an Office 365 subscription) to enter or edit Ink in a Word document, any recent version of Word will correctly display Ink. As one example, I have used Word for Mac 2011 to display Ink in a Word document without any problem (Video 8).
I hope you find Ink in Word to be as useful as I have.
Have you tried Microsoft Ink in Word on a Mac yet? Share your experience with us in a comment, or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Need Microsoft Windows operating system? Buy directly below:
Try Parallels Desktop for free for 14 days!
As you can see in the Word Draw tab, there are three conversion tools: Ink Editor, Convert to Shapes, and Ink to Math.
Ink Editor
The Ink Editor tool gives you the ability to perform simple document editing tasks using Ink as gestures. Currently, there are only two gestures: encircling to select text, and scribbling out to delete text, both shown in Video 5. I suspect that more editing gestures will be added in the future.
Convert to Shapes
The Convert to Shapes tool gives you the ability to add shapes to your document. I was not able to use this Ink tool to enter all 160 of the shapes from the Shapes menu, but the simple ones worked as expected, and some of these are shown in Video 6.
Ink to Math
The Ink to Math tool gives you the ability to enter typographically-rich equations in your Word document just by writing them naturally with a pen. Word added an excellent equations editor several years ago, but it is a bit tedious to use. The Ink to Math tool—shown in Video 7—makes entering an equation extremely natural.
Ink Replay
Ink Replay, the last tool in the Draw tab in Word, provides you with a type of animation for your Ink sketches.
I have found the use of Ink in Word to be an excellent way to annotate and add content to a Word document. Remember that while you need Word for Windows 2016 (in an Office 365 subscription) to enter or edit Ink in a Word document, any recent version of Word will correctly display Ink. As one example, I have used Word for Mac 2011 to display Ink in a Word document without any problem (Video 8).
I hope you find Ink in Word to be as useful as I have.
Have you tried Microsoft Ink in Word on a Mac yet? Share your experience with us in a comment, or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Need Microsoft Windows operating system? Buy directly below:
Try Parallels Desktop for free for 14 days!
| Click here to return to the 'How to overtype text in Word' hint |
Enable Editing Microsoft Word Mac
In the PC the OVR in the Word used to stand for overwrite, maybe that would help in your searchs.
I really, really don't know why 'overtype', shomething that was useful when the UI for word processors was command-line based, survived the coming of the GUI… In the Mac, Apple decided not to keep the Ins key, and Word was created for the Mac first…
I remember reading Rick Shaut's blog about how this was something added under consumer demand somewhere around Word 6… but I cannot find the post.
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All I can say is thankfully no Insert key does exist on the Mac... I can't count the number of times I have inadvertently activated this on my work PC (the key is extremely easy to accidentally press) and subsequently lost work before I've noticed.
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Enable Editing Microsoft Word On Mac Download
Agreed. I can't remember the last time I intentionally wanted to turn on overwrite/insert mode.
i can't find that overtype button at the bottom of the window on word mac 2008. i think it may have been removed. furthermore, a search for 'overtype' in word's help files does not bring up anything but the option can be set under preferences -> edit -> overtype mode toggle.
i have no idea why this is not documented in the help files by careless Microsoft.
'The OVR button in the status bar works with Mac 2004. However, it was was removed in Word 2008. Another option for Word 2008 is to click Customize Toolbars and Menus on the View menu. Click the Commands tab and select Overtype from the All Commands category. Then you can either add the OVR command to a toolbar or create a keyboard shortcut.'
from a getsatisfaction.com user
The OVR button in the status bar works with Mac 2004. However, it was was removed in Word 2008. Another option for Word 2008 is to click Customize Toolbars and Menus on the View menu. Click the Commands tab and select Overtype from the All Commands category. Then you can either add the OVR command to a toolbar or create a keyboard shortcut.
Enable Editing Microsoft Word On Mac Os
How To Enable Editing On Word Mac
Thank you for the tip above here. I rarely use Overtype but occasionally it's invaluable for completing basically assembled forms in word where form authors have relied (a little annoyingly, albeit well intended) on the use of underscores to block out a fillable area.
Just as an fyi, for Microsoft Word 2011 on a Mac, to use Overtype you have the same two options you had on Office 2008.
Option #1: Set in preferences (less useful, bit fiddly, but quick for a one off)
Word > Preferences > Edit > Overtype (toggle box)
Option #2.: Add a Custom Menu command for 'Overtype'
View > Toolbars > Customize Toolbars & Menus > (Click 'Commands' tab) > (Click 'All Commands' filter) > Overtype (drag either to menu or toolbar)
I put under 'Edit' menu. If you really want the toolbar button, with Word 2011 and the new 'Ribbon', it seems to only let you drag the custom toolbar entry to the toolbar at very top of the Word window.
Hope this helps - I was surprised at how tricky this was to find, too!
