Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Locking a Field.

Locking a Field

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 18, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


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Many of the tips featured in WordTips rely on the use of the special fields available in Word. Many times these fields are updated, automatically, when you make changes in a document or actually print the document. There may be times when you want to make sure a field does not get updated. You can accomplish this by locking the field. Locking prevents a field from being updated; the last result is kept until you unlock the field and then update it. To lock a field, perform these steps:

  1. Select the field you want to lock.
  2. Update the field, if desired, by pressing Shift+F9.
  3. Press Ctrl+F11.

If you later want to unlock the field, follow these steps:

  1. Select the field you want to unlock.
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+F11.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (383) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Locking a Field.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 2 + 2?

2021-09-29 14:32:36

JP

F9 by itself is now the shortcut for updating an unlocked field.


2016-05-17 07:42:16

Christo

Locking a field:
Shift+F9 only hides or display the field.
Ctrl+F11 does nothing. what is suppose to happen?
Kind regards.


2015-09-28 19:38:57

awyatt

Sat, there is a sign-up form at the right side of any page on this site.

-Allen


2015-09-28 19:37:21

Sat

I wish to subscribe to your news letter


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