Removing a Subdocument from a Master Document

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 20, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

As you are working with master and subdocuments, there may come a time when you want to remove a subdocument from a master. You can do this very easily in Word by following these steps:

Open the master document and make sure that all your subdocuments are displayed.
Switch to Outline view or, if you are using Word 97, choose Master Document from the View menu. Word displays the subdocuments (or links to the subdocuments) with a box around it and an icon at the top-left of the box.
Click on the icon for the subdocument you want to remove. This selects the entire subdocument.
Press the Del key.

The subdocument is removed from the master. Note that this does not delete the actual subdocument, it only removes it from the master document. If you want to use the subdocument in another document or as a standalone document, you can still do so.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1741) 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

Blank Lines before Tables

Adding a blank line before your table is easy, but Word's behavior as you attempt to make the insert can depend on where ...

Discover More

Creating a New Document in VBA

When working with documents in a macro, it makes sense that you may need to create a document from time to time. Here's ...

Discover More

Word Tracks Changes to Changes

When you have Track Changes turned on for a document, Word remembers which editor made which changes. If this behavior ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2019. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2019 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Creating a Master Document Using Existing Subdocuments

If you decide to create a master document, it is easy to do by just adding one or more subdocuments to an existing ...

Discover More

Headers and Footers in Subdocuments

If you use master and subdocuments, you may wonder how to control headers and footers in the subdocuments. This tip ...

Discover More

Changing Subdocument Status

Creating a system of master documents and subdocuments can help with your productivity. What if you need to change ...

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 8 - 1?

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.