Need better auto-capitalization of letter "i"

Question

Hi,

Consultant working in Danish/English here.

All my danish emails get the letter i autocorrected to "I". This is not correct usage in our language. (we use i for (inside) and I for (you, plural). I need to be able to write both without corrections. Also I do write a lot of English emails.

Applies to Word and Outlook, however in Word i can click on the word after the autocorrect and turn this one correction off, whereas this is not possible in Outlook. I simply can't write i anywhere in my emails, which is a huge grammar problem for me and all other Danes.

Looking for a good solution because the one described here is not sufficient: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4721542/how-to-disable-auto-capitalization-of-the-letter-i

Answer 1

The new Outlook seems to assume that you are using just one language when composing e-mails. This is a step backward compared to the classic Outlook, obviously.

I experimented with selecting a different display language in the new Outlook, and while doing so may prevent "i" from being corrected into "I," other problems remain.

Answer 2

Dear @Sønderskov Schaltz, Mathias,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand that you're experiencing an issue when composing emails in Outlook. The core of the problem appears to be that Microsoft Office’s Proofing tools prioritize the English AutoCorrect list, even when you are typing in Danish. This results in the incorrect capitalization of “i.” Since you frequently switch between both languages, a global “all-or-nothing” rule for the letter “i” is not practical.

In the “New Outlook” and modern Outlook for Windows, AutoCorrect is handled through the Microsoft Editor service, which can apply English capitalization rules more aggressively. Based on my research, unfortunately, there is currently no setting in the new Outlook that allows you to change this AutoCorrect behavior.

As a temporary workaround, I suggest that after typing the letter “i” and it is automatically corrected to “I,” you press Ctrl + Z to undo the correction, revert it to lowercase.

I truly understand how frustrating this situation can be, especially when it affects your daily workflow. When a small but repetitive issue like this interrupts your writing, it can quickly become inconvenient.

Your feedback is incredibly important in this scenario. I strongly recommend that you share your detailed experience and feedback directly with the Microsoft product team through their official feedback channels. This is the most effective way to make your voice heard and influence future feature improvements and adjustments. 

You can visit the Outlook (new) · Community to submit a new idea or vote on existing one. Our product team is in charge of the site, and they constantly check customer reviews and feedback. The higher votes, the more attention the related team will pay, and a lot of the features are developed and improved based on customer feedback. As a moderator, I will also pass along your feedback to the appropriate team for further consideration. While I don't directly influence product design, user feedback is actively reviewed and helps prioritize future development. If you’re unable to submit feedback yourself, please feel free to reach out to me, and I’ll be happy to submit it on your behalf. 

I sincerely wish I could change this behavior for you directly. However, as a moderator on the Q&A forum, my support is limited to existing product functionality, and design decisions rest with the product development team.

Thank you very much for your patience, understanding, and willingness to share your experience. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything else I can assist you with. Have a wonderful day.

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Answer 3

In new Outlook for Windows, auto-capitalization is controlled by the Editor settings that apply while composing a message.

To stop automatic capitalization of “i” in Outlook (including when writing Danish):

1. Start a new email (or reply/forward an existing one).
2. On the ribbon of the compose window, select Editor.
3. Select Editor Settings.
4. Turn Auto capitalization (or similarly named auto-capitalize/autocorrect toggle) Off.

This disables automatic capitalization behavior driven by Editor, so “i” will no longer be forced to “I” in Outlook, while Word can still be configured separately using its own AutoCorrect options.

If using Outlook on the web with the new Editor experience, the same control is available there while composing a message:

1. In a new message, select Editor on the ribbon.
2. Choose Editor Settings.
3. Use the toggle to turn auto capitalization off.

For classic Outlook for Windows, auto-capitalization is managed through the AutoCorrect options in the editor, but for new Outlook and Outlook on the web, the Editor Settings path above is the supported way to control this behavior.

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References:

• Autocorrect, auto capitalize, and auto format your messages
• how to disable "auto-capitalize first letter of sentence" on OUTLOOK.COM email please? - Microsoft Q&A
• How to stop automatic capitalization of next line of outlook (Hotmail) emails. I don't have links from "Mail" to any adjustment controls in my email settings. - Microsoft Q&A
• Word does not automatically capitalize the letter "i"