Many users have reported an issue with Microsoft Word on Mac after a recent update: the popular Smart Lookup feature now shows a message stating, “We are sorry, but this feature is depreciated.” This change has left Mac users who rely on Smart Lookup feeling frustrated and seeking alternatives.
What Is the Smart Lookup Feature?
For those unfamiliar, Smart Lookup is a handy tool that allows users to quickly search for definitions, web results, and related information for selected words or phrases—without ever leaving their Word document. This feature is especially useful for writers, researchers, and students.
Unfortunately, as of January 1, 2025, Microsoft has begun retiring this feature, but users are frustrated by the lack of clear communication, particularly for Mac users. While a support page confirms the feature’s retirement, it doesn’t explicitly mention its removal on macOS.
User Reactions
The online community, including Microsoft Answers forums, has seen a surge of threads criticizing this decision. Many users believe Microsoft wants to nudge them toward using Bing or other external tools for similar functionality. However, contacting Microsoft for clarity hasn’t yielded much help, as users are simply being advised to send feedback—something that rarely leads to feature restorations.
A Workaround for Mac Users
If you’re missing Smart Lookup, one workaround suggested by a user on an online forum might help:
- Highlight the word or phrase in your Word document.
- Right-click and select Services from the context menu.
- Choose Search with Google from the available options.
This process opens a Google search for your selected term, providing relevant results. While it doesn’t replace Smart Lookup entirely, it’s a decent alternative for now.
Final Thoughts
The removal of Smart Lookup on Microsoft Word for Mac is a disappointing change for many users. While the workaround helps to some extent, it doesn’t match the seamless experience the feature provided.
We’ll keep you updated if there’s any news about the return of Smart Lookup or potential replacements.
What do you think about Microsoft’s decision to retire Smart Lookup? Are you frustrated, or have you found other tools to fill the gap? Let us know in the comments below!
