Renaming a Document

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 9, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

There is no intrinsic command within Word that allows you to rename documents or files, as there is in some other programs. It is true that you can simply save a document out under a new name, but that results in two files on your drive instead of one. You can use the following steps to rename a document quickly and easily, all within Word:

Make sure the document you want to rename is not loaded into Word. (Close it if it is loaded.)
Click on the Open tool on the toolbar or choose Open from the File menu. You will see the Open dialog box.
In the list of files contained in the dialog box, right-click on the one you want to rename. This displays a Context menu for the document.
Choose Rename from the Context menu. The document name is highlighted, and you have the opportunity to change the name.
Once the document name is changed, press Enter.
Close the Open dialog box by clicking on Cancel.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1115) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

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. Learn more about Allen...

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2024-03-09 05:12:25

Ian Hills

Dear Allen
I think I have discovered a way to change the name of a Word document with the document file open (I find it more convenient not to close the file first). I have only tried it on Word for Mac, so I don't know if it works with other versions.

With the document you want to rename open:
1. Right click on the title of the document displayed in the grey area at the very top. This will display the filepath as a drop down.
2, Left click on the first item in the filepath list. This will display a dialog box containing the list of files in that filepath.
3.Right click on the file you want to rename and select 'rename' in the dropdown.
4.Change the name and press enter.
5.Close the dialog box. This returns you to the open document. After you make any change to that document the new filename appears in the grey area at the top of the page.

I hope you find this useful.
Ian

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