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When I tab in Word, a small Left or Right pointing arrow is displayed. It is NOT an "end paragraph" symbol. CTrl+sHIFT+8 does NOTHING. how do I remove them

LLoskarn 0 Reputation points
2025-12-04T18:54:24.61+00:00

This is what shows up when I tab in a Word doc:

 →

I don't know what I did but Ctrl+shift+8 does not remove or stop these from appearing.

I suspect that something is corrupt but I don't even know for sure that is the problem or who can help, "where" to go.

Help please.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows
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  1. Stefan Blom 339K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-12-04T21:03:12.71+00:00

    At File > Options > Display, make sure that you clear all options under "Always show these formatting marks on the screen." Confirm with OK.

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    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. John Korchok 231.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-12-04T19:00:05.38+00:00

    When you press the Tab key, it inserts a tab character in your document. It shows as a right-pointing arrow.

    3 people found this answer helpful.
  3. LLoskarn 0 Reputation points
    2025-12-04T19:53:51.7633333+00:00

    I tried options 1 and 2, again, and they did not work.

    Option 3, the word "Reset" was NOT found ANYWHERE in File -> Options -> Advanced.

    I am not very knowledgeable about these things. If I go through the control panel, I do not know, for a fact, which of the Microsoft listings are Mictrosoft Office. Do I select "Microsoft 365 - en - us" only or everything that starts with the word Microsoft?

    Will "repairing" affect any documents I already have?

  4. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-04T18:54:42.59+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The arrows you are seeing when you tab in Word are likely the result of the formatting settings for paragraph marks or tab characters being displayed. Here are a few steps you can take to remove them:

    1. Check the Show/Hide Formatting Marks: Sometimes, the formatting marks can be toggled on or off. You can try the following:
      • Go to the Home tab on the ribbon.
      • Look for the paragraph symbol (¶) in the Paragraph group and click it to toggle the formatting marks off.
    2. Adjust Tab Settings: If the arrows are specifically related to tab settings, you might want to check your tab settings:
      • Go to the Layout tab.
      • Click on Paragraph settings (the small arrow in the corner of the Paragraph group).
      • Check the Tabs settings and ensure they are set correctly.
    3. Reset Word Options: If the issue persists, you can reset Word options to default:
      • Go to File > Options.
      • In the Word Options dialog, navigate to Advanced and scroll down to the General section.
      • Click on Reset next to the option to reset all settings.
    4. Repair Office: If you suspect corruption, you can try repairing your Office installation:
      • Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
      • Select your Microsoft Office installation and click Change. Then choose Repair.

    If none of these steps resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

    References:

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