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: Assigning a Macro to a Button in Your Text.

Assigning a Macro to a Button in Your Text

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated September 30, 2021)

You already know you can assign a macro to a button (a tool) on your toolbar. Word also allows you to add buttons within the text of you document. These buttons have a macro or a Word command assigned to them, and you can control what happens when the button is selected in text. This is all instituted through the use of a field code. It may be a bit of a misnomer to refer to the result of this field code as a "button," because no graphics are involved whatsoever, although you can create your own graphic and embed it into the field. The syntax for the field code is:

MacroButton MacroName Display

MacroName is the name of the macro or command you want to run, and Display is the text you want displayed by the field code. If you use a graphic instead of text, then the graphic is displayed. When a user double-clicks on the displayed text or graphic, then the macro or command defined by MacroName is executed.

To assign a command or macro to a button, and insert that button in your text, follow these steps:

Position the insertion point where you want the button to appear.
Press Ctrl+F9 to insert a field.
Between the field brackets, type MacroButton, then the name of the command or macro you want the button to execute.
Type the text you want displayed, or insert a graphic to be used as a button.
Press F9 to update the field display.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1571) 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: Assigning a Macro to a Button in Your Text.

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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What is nine minus 8?

2020-11-21 11:52:50

Doug Minaker

Small correction here. Control + F9 does not work. You should use Control +Fn + F9.

2019-04-11 14:46:33

Joshua

Is it possible to execute a MacroButton like this with a single mouse click like a hyperlink...? Maybe via some background VBA...?

2018-11-05 14:41:09

Lee

Same. Cannot get a graphic to work in this context (instead of text).

2017-10-23 01:32:45

Brendan

Your tips appear to be quite popular...

https://davescomputertips.com/how-to-assign-a-macro-to-a-button-in-a-word-document/

2017-03-02 06:50:03

Riaan

Hi Allen
Thanks for the tip but when I use the field code with a button inserted it gives me a duplicate button which is inactive the one button work well but how do I remove the other inactive button?

2015-12-16 09:38:49

RussNeuman

I cannot get a picture to work with process.
I get works to work.
I have tried a jpg and insert clipart.
When ever I double click the picture the menu ribbon goes to tab format.
And that is all that happens.
I put text in the brackets as a 3rd parameter that works.
Any pointers?
Thx
Russ

2015-07-20 05:44:45

JMJ

Hi Allen,
Very good tip indeed. But I'm afraid I didn't catch the trick to use a graphic. Could you be more explicit, please?
Thank you.
J-M

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