Windows version of Microsoft Word gets autocomplete feature in March

The Windows version of Microsoft Word will get an autocomplete feature next month. This is evident from the Office 365 roadmap. With this function, the application automatically predicts which words an author wants to use while typing sentences.

Microsoft did not formally announce the upcoming release, but the company has recently updated the Office 365 roadmap. It shows that the feature will be introduced in March, NeoWin also noted. The company introduced a beta of this feature in September 2020, but did not mention a possible release date.

With the feature, which the company calls “text predictions,” Word automatically makes word suggestions as you type sentences. This uses machine learning to predict which words an author wants to type, in order to speed up the writing of documents. The suggestions appear in the document, after which users can accept them by pressing tab. The predictions can be cleared by pressing the escape button. The feature can also be turned off completely. Microsoft reported last year that data from the “do not leave the device” feature. The data is not stored or viewed by people, according to the company, unless users give permission through Word’s feedback function.

The Windows and Android versions of Outlook also get text predictions; the feature is already being rolled out for those apps, Microsoft reports on its roadmap. Outlook users with an iOS device can expect the feature later this month. Google has long offered a similar feature in Gmail, called Smart Compose.

Text predictions in Microsoft Word. Click for a gif.
Image via Microsoft