If you opened your Microsoft Word document and began typing, only to discover that letters were not appearing on the page, there could be several reasons why this is happening. Troubleshoot the mysterious missing letters with a few easy steps that will not only fix the problem but will help you become more familiar with your Microsoft Word toolbars and the functions available on those toolbars. Keep in mind that not having the ability to type may be a problem that you cannot fix.
Restarting Your Computer
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Sometimes restarting your computer will help your programs to function properly again. Computers tend to run slowly and to lock up the older they are and if they are left on for long periods of time. In addition, restarting your computer often helps to clear your Internet cache, which could be causing your computer to be running slowly or to lock up.
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Opening Microsoft Word
Launch Microsoft Word. Click the "Office" button on your toolbar and select "Open." Scroll through the list of files to find your document and double-click that file.
Troubleshooting Within Word
Click your cursor on the page. Is it flashing? Do you have a cursor? You should see a short, black vertical bar. Press "Enter" a few times. Try to type. Do letters appear on your screen? If not, check to make sure your font has not been changed to white. Press the keyboard shortcut of "Ctrl" and "A" to highlight all the text. Click your "Home" tab and select the font color button, which is labeled "A" and has a colored bar beneath it. Select the black color swatch.
Checking Num Lock
If text is not appearing on your screen, there is a good chance that Number Lick has been turned on by mistake. To check this, locate your "Num Lock" key, which often is the same button as "F11" on your keyboard. Press the key and then try typing. Text should appear on your screen.