Windows 10: Word replacing curly quotes with straight ones not working

This is for Windows version 1909, and Word version 2002.

My wife runs, as far as I can tell, the same build of Word as I do - 1257.20242.

But the pretty basic Word process to replace curly quotes with smart ones isn't working on her machine and copy of office.

That process would of course be:

• File > options > proofing > autocorrect
• Uncheck the straight quotes/smart quotes box
• Click okay on the bottom
• Pick replace from the right side of the ribbon
• Enter " in both the find and replace boxes, then pick "replace all"
• Repeat, but with ' in the find and replace boxes
• All your smart quotes will now be straight quotes

Doing the above, the "replace" step comes back with nonzero number of replacements made (ten for example). But the quotes will still be curly ones, when she wants straight.

If she sends me a docx file she's having this problem on, I can easily fix it (straighten the quotes) on my machine/Word. But it won't work on hers.

I even tried replacing the quotes with a nonsense string (\\\\) and those changes stuck. As did replacing \\\\ back with quotes. But they were curly, not straight.

Other things tried, that didn't work:

• Signing out and then back into Word with her Microsoft account
• Quitting all instances of Word and then picking the documents up again
• Toggle the smart/curly box, make the replacements, toggle box again, make replacements

This can't be that hard. What am I missing?

- - - Updated - - -

Other interesting update.

I opened a file she emailed me, that had curly quotes on her machine. And it had straight quotes on mine. And I then changed the straights to curlies on mine, and they stuck, and back to straight and they stuck.

How can her document have the right kind of quotes on my machine, but wrong on hers?

:)

 

Word replacing curly quotes with straight ones not working

This is for Windows version 1909, and Word version 2002.

My wife runs, as far as I can tell, the same build of Word as I do - 1257.20242.

But the pretty basic Word process to replace curly quotes with smart ones isn't working on her machine and copy of office.

That process would of course be:

• File > options > proofing > autocorrect
• Uncheck the straight quotes/smart quotes box
• Click okay on the bottom
• Pick replace from the right side of the ribbon
• Enter " in both the find and replace boxes, then pick "replace all"
• Repeat, but with ' in the find and replace boxes
• All your smart quotes will now be straight quotes

Doing the above, the "replace" step comes back with nonzero number of replacements made (ten for example). But the quotes will still be curly ones, when she wants straight.

If she sends me a docx file she's having this problem on, I can easily fix it (straighten the quotes) on my machine/Word. But it won't work on hers.

I even tried replacing the quotes with a nonsense string (\\\\) and those changes stuck. As did replacing \\\\ back with quotes. But they were curly, not straight.

Other things tried, that didn't work:

• Signing out and then back into Word with her Microsoft account
• Quitting all instances of Word and then picking the documents up again
• Toggle the smart/curly box, make the replacements, toggle box again, make replacements

This can't be that hard. What am I missing?

- - - Updated - - -

Other interesting update.

I opened a file she emailed me, that had curly quotes on her machine. And it had straight quotes on mine. And I then changed the straights to curlies on mine, and they stuck, and back to straight and they stuck.

How can her document have the right kind of quotes on my machine, but wrong on hers?

 

Word replacing curly quotes with straight ones not working

As outlined in my original post, those steps were the first thing we tried with her computer.

 

Word replacing curly quotes with straight ones not working

Have a look at these proofing options.

Convert Straight Quotes to Curly Ones, and Back – SciEditor