It is disabled when it isn't necessary - which is whenever you don't hold it down on its own!!! The Alt key is a Windows, key, not just a Word key. It's been there since before the Windows OS ever became a gleam in Bill Gate's eye.

Exactly how do you suppose Word would know "when it isn't necessary"?

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

For that, normally, must be settings in Word to disable annoying shortcuts. And OS Windows has nothing to do with this issue, because so called ribbon toolbar is implemented in MS Word, not in OS Windows. And older MS Word versions have been deprived of such kind of drawback, definetely.

P.S. I think you should read posts more carefully and at least try to belabor the point. And in case when you haven't anything useful to suggest, or you can't realize what OP meant in its post. It would be polite just say nothing.

Biber

Wrong on all counts. There is actually a Registry key that can be edited - and the Registry is part of the OS (i.e. not part of Office). Selectively messing with the registry is ill advised in a corporate context.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]