Microsoft Ditches Default Text Suggestions for Middle East Users

Microsoft has made a change to its Outlook and Word software that affects users in the Middle East, turning off default text suggestions. The decision was announced on September 1 through a blog post, where Microsoft explained it wanted to provide 'a more consistent and user-controlled writing experience across Microsoft 365 applications.'

The company also stated that it aimed to reduce 'unwanted interruptions for those who prefer to write without suggestions appearing automatically.'

For users in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries, this change is part of a broader update to Microsoft 365. It affects desktop versions on Mac and Windows, as well as web editions.

Although some users have complained about default predictive text in these tools, it's unlikely that this was a widely cited problem, as the feature has been available for opt-out since its launch.