Controlling Field Shading

Normally, when you either select a field or move the insertion point into a field, Word highlights the entire field or result of the field. This is done so you can tell you are working in a field. Sometimes you may find this distracting, however. If you want to change the way that Word handles field shading, follow these steps in versions of Word prior to Word 2007:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the View tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Using the Field Shading drop-down list, specify how you want Word to handle field shading.
4. Click on OK.

If you are using Word 2007, follow these steps:

1. Click the Office button and choose Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. At the left of the dialog box click Advanced.
3. In the Show Document Content section, use the Field Shading drop-down list to specify how you want Word to handle field shading.
4. Click OK.

Regardless of your version of Word, there are three options you can specify in step 3. The default is When Selected, which simply means that the field is shaded when it is selected or you place the insertion point within the field. If you set the option to Never, then fields are never shaded, and (conversely) Always specifies that they are always shaded.