Smart Text Prediction is coming to Word next month

The latest Microsoft 365 roadmap update reveals the release date of text prediction for Word. If you are familiar the Gmail web app or its Android version, this feature must be well known to you. It uses AI capabilities to learn your typing patterns and proactively predicts the next phrase with the context in mind. Microsoft announced word prediction for Office apps in the Autumn of 2020, and it is now coming to all Microsoft 365 subscribers. Currently, the smart text prediction feature is available to Office Insiders in the Beta Channel.

Here is how this feature works. As you type, machine learning analyses your text and offers sentence of phrase autocomplete in the form of light gray text after the cursor. If the suggestion is correct, you can quickly enter it using the Tab key. Pressing the Esc key cancels the suggestion.

Microsoft specifically points out that they respect users' privacy. They do not store any data from documents. The machine learning model works only with the text in the current file or email. Also, there is an option to disable smart text prediction in Word and Outlook.

Do note that smart prediction works only with the English language. You will be able to access it in Word on your computer, Word for Web, Outlook.com, and Outlook for Web. If plans do not change, this feature will be available to all users in the next month.

You can read more about how text predictions work in Word and Outlook on the official Office Insider Website.