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: Repaginating in a Macro.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 9, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Macros are often used to process documents. I have written macros that have done quite a bit of processing, such as replacing information, adding new page breaks, and moving text around. Doing this much processing obviously means that the pagination of the document changes. Normally, Word doesn't repaginate a document until it can do so in the background, which means the macro needs to be finished running.
You may want your macro to force Word to repaginate, however. Why? Perhaps later steps in the macro rely on a freshly repaginated document. For instance, your macro may look for information on a page number, and you won't know the proper page number until repagination is complete.
To force Word to repaginate, simply use the Repaginate method, as follows:
ActiveDocument.Repaginate
In this usage, the active document is repaginated. You should realize, of course, that repagination can take a while, based on the size and complexity of the document.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1472) 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: Repaginating in a Macro.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
If you store information within a variable array, at some point in your macro you may want to get rid of that ...
Discover MoreIn some documents Roman numerals might be used quite a bit. If you ever want to change the Roman numerals to their Arabic ...
Discover MoreWhen you are printing a document, it is not unusual to see messages (dialog boxes) periodically. When you want the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
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:
Comments