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When I type ELT and space it autocorrects to LET

Bezuijen, Christy 0 Reputation points
2026-01-21T15:26:12.75+00:00

I do not want to turn off autocorrect entirely. I would like the option to add items like ELT to a dictionary of company terms. It seems it could work just like exceptions to rules like do not capitalize after abbr. when the sentence continues. The only option of turning off auto-correct is disappointing.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. Anonymous
    2026-01-21T17:26:50.9266667+00:00

    Hi @Bezuijen, Christy,

    Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

    I completely understand how inconvenient this can be, especially when you rely on internal abbreviations like ELT and don’t want to turn off AutoCorrect entirely just to preserve them.

    In the new Outlook for Windows, the editing experience is now closely aligned with the web‑based editor. Because of this change, custom “replace this with that” AutoCorrect entries are no longer exposed in the same way they were in Classic Outlook. As a result, corrections such as ELT > LET may occur without a clear option in the new Outlook interface to add company‑specific exceptions.

    Unfortunately, at this time, the new Outlook doesn’t offer the same level of custom AutoCorrect management that many users previously relied on in Classic Outlook.

    That said, there are a couple of practical workarounds you may consider:

    Option 1: Add ELT to your spell-check dictionary

    By adding ELT to your dictionary, Outlook and Microsoft Editor are more likely to recognize it as a valid term, which can help reduce unwanted corrections. In most Office apps, you can do this by right‑clicking the underlined word and selecting Add to Dictionary, or by managing it through the Proofing / Custom Dictionaries settings.

    Reference: Add or edit words in a spell check dictionary.

    Option 2: Manage AutoCorrect entries through Classic Outlook or Word (if available)

    If you still have access to Classic Outlook or Microsoft Word, you can manage AutoCorrect entries there. Since AutoCorrect entries are shared across Office apps that support this feature, removing or adjusting an existing rule there may help prevent ELT from being automatically corrected elsewhere.

    Reference: Add or remove AutoCorrect entries in Outlook.

    Additionally, because this is a very reasonable request, especially for organizations that rely on internal terminology. I’d encourage you to submit feedback through the Outlook (new) · Community portal so the issue is visible to the product team.

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    Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.   

    Additionally, as other users have raised similar concerns and may not be aware of where to share their feedback, I hope this response helps clarify the situation and suggests a potential next step. Highlighting this information can make it more visible to others in the community who may be facing the same issue, making it easier for them to find guidance and contribute their feedback as well.

    Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-01-21T15:26:23.1133333+00:00

    To add specific terms like "ELT" to a dictionary in Microsoft Outlook without turning off autocorrect entirely, you can utilize the AutoCorrect feature to create exceptions. Here’s how you can do it:

    1. Open Outlook and go to File > Options.
    2. Select Proofing and then click on AutoCorrect Options.
    3. In the AutoCorrect dialog, you can add your term in the Replace field and leave the With field blank to prevent it from being autocorrected.
    4. Click Add to save the entry.
    5. Confirm by clicking OK to close the dialog boxes.

    This way, typing "ELT" followed by a space should no longer autocorrect to "LET". You can add any other company-specific terms in a similar manner.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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