Editing an AutoText Entry

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 5, 2025)

Other issues of WordTips have focused on the AutoText feature of Word. Once you have defined your AutoText entries, you might need to edit them later. There is no special editing feature for AutoText entries in Word, however. The best way to edit an AutoText entry is to follow these general steps:

Insert the AutoText entry in a document.
Make your changes to the text or graphic that you inserted.
Select the text or graphic that you want in the AutoText entry.
Add the AutoText entry, using the same name as before.

When you perform these steps, Word asks you if you want to redefine your existing AutoText entry. When you respond positively, Word replaces the old (incorrect) entry with the new (edited) entry.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1722) 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...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Unselecting a Chart Item

When formatting a chart, you select elements and then change the properties of those elements until everything looks just ...

Discover More

Section Breaks Changing On Their Own

Sometimes Word does things that just don't make sense. For instance, have you ever inserted a section break into your ...

Discover More

Missing Row Numbers

By default, Excel shows row numbers at the left side of your program window. If you cannot see the row numbers, there are ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (menu)

Creating Custom AutoText Categories

Want to categorize your AutoText entries? You can easily do so using the techniques described in this tip.

Discover More

Turning Off AutoComplete for Dates

The AutoComplete feature can be helpful. However, there are times when the suggestions Word makes aren't what you want. ...

Discover More

Macro-Inserted AutoText Doesn't Set Style

Inserting AutoText from a macro can give unwanted results, particularly when it comes to any style that may be stored ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 3 + 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

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.