If an author has submitted a manuscript using a version of Word with a right-to-left language pack installed (e.g., Arabic language pack), Activating the document may cause all of the text to be aligned right-to-left. If you do not have the same language pack installed, the option to change the text direction to left-to-right is almost completely hidden. 


You can reveal the Left-to-Right/Right-to-Left text direction option in Word by adding this function to either your Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar. To do so:

  1. Open your Word options
  2. Select either Customize Word Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar, depending on where you want to add this button
  3. In the right-side drop-down menu, select the location to which the button should be added 
  4. In the left-side drop-down menu, select "All Commands"
  5. From the list of all Word commands, select "Left-to-Right Text Direction"
  6. Click the Add button
  7. Click OK

The new button should appear on your Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar. 


To change the text direction, select all text, and click the Left-to-Right Text Direction button.