Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Changing the Default File Name.

Changing the Default File Name

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 30, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


20

When you save a Word document for the first time, Word typically uses the first paragraph of the document as the suggested file name in the Save As dialog box. In reality, this choice for a default file name is the second choice for Word. It will use your document title as the default file name, provided you have set one.

You can use this information to your benefit by setting the document title in the templates you use to create your documents. For instance, let's say you use a template to create your letters. When you normally save a new letter, Word picks up the default file name from the first paragraph, which may be your letterhead or the date.

If you change the document title in the template to something such as Personal Letter, then Word will use Personal Letter.doc as the suggested file name. This is obviously much closer to how you want the saved file named than if Word had suggested the letterhead or the date. All you need to do is quickly customize the name (to something such as Personal Letter to Bill.docx) in the Save As dialog box.

To set a document title in a template, you use the Properties dialog box for the template. How you display the dialog box depends on the version of Word you are using:

  • If you are using Word 2007 click the Office button, then choose Prepare | Properties. Word displays the Document Information Panel at the top of the document. Use the Document Properties drop-down list (top-left corner of the Document Information Panel) to choose Advanced Properties. Word displays the Properties dialog box.
  • If you are using Word 2010 or a later version, click the File tab of the ribbon and then click Info | Properties | Advanced Properties. Word displays the Properties dialog box.

Make sure you do the above steps, depending on your version, after opening the template file. Regardless of which version of Word you are using, make sure the Summary tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Summary tab of the Properties dialog box.

Next, change the contents of the Title field to the default file name you want to use. You do not need to include the .Dotx portion of the file name. When done, click OK and then save and close the template.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5920) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing the Default File Name.

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. ...

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What is 2 + 8?

2021-08-27 00:30:29

sunny

Word 365 Formula How to extract text from Template File Name (constructed Excel-Formula-Style) ? until Microsoft updates for sake of Unified User Experience
https://bit.ly/3Bv9ppF
As part of Default File Name automation (w/o VBA) for Word 365, I am working around limitation of special characters . PowerPoint do not share this limitation.
Since Microsoft should have Unified User Experience, I expect this limitation to be temporary.
If Word 365 accept special characters, my first paragraph will be "0.Cover 2021 06" which PowerPoint is capable of (using Period Variant U+2024 ONE DOT LEADER ․
"0․Cover 2021 06.pdf¶" which is almost identical to human eye "0.Cover 2021 06.pdf")
Before this happens, my first paragraph will be "0句號Cover 2021 06" to be extracted from Template-File-Name.
When Word accept special characters, all End-User need to do is change Template-File-Name to "tool.Redbook.CoverPage.Text(0.Cover 2021 06).dotx".
This frees End-User from changing formula to get FileSaveAsDialogBox to show "0.Cover 2021 06" when Word improves. He/She only needs to change Template File Name to "tool.Redbook.CoverPage.Text(0.Cover 2021 06).dotx"
How to get "0句號Cover 2021 06" from "tool.Redbook.CoverPage.Text(0句號Cover 2021 06).dotx" which is Template-File-Name ?
Details of Word Default File Name limitations:
Word 365 Default File Name using First paragraph - character - Microsoft Community


2021-08-26 23:06:07

sunny

Since Microsoft Office should have Unified User Experience, since PowerPoint 365 show "0․Cover 2021 08.pdf¶" in SaveAs DialogBox, IMHO, Word should match PowerPoint?

Period Variant U+2024 ONE DOT LEADER ․
Example of 1st paragraph "0․Cover 2021 08.pdf¶" which is almost identical to human eye "0.Cover 2021 08.pdf"

Leader (typography) - WikipediaLeader (typography) - Wikipedia
But this requires Microsoft involvement which is beyond my control..


2021-08-26 22:12:44

sunny

my 2cent alternative (least disruption of code pertinent to name-output of FileSaveAs DialogBox) is to use variant of period:
Period Variant U+2024 ONE DOT LEADER ․
Example of 1st paragraph "0․Cover 2021 08.pdf¶" which is almost identical to human eye "0.Cover 2021 08.pdf"
Leader (typography) - WikipediaLeader (typography) - Wikipedia
But this requires Microsoft involvement which is beyond my control....
Is there another way?


2021-08-26 21:33:50

sunny

While still aiming program-free solution, is there more info why period/comma results in truncated Name ? ;

File-SaveAs-Dialog-Box currently shows "0.docx" when 1st paragraph is "0,Cover 2021 08.pdf¶" ?

Comma is not in list of reserved characters;

Period may be problematic b/c it separate base file name from extension but not in Reserve list

Quote https://bit.ly/3kuVCII of Use of Period and Reserved Characters :

"

Use a period to separate the base file name from the extension in the name of a directory or file.

Use any character in the current code page for a name, including Unicode characters and characters in the extended character set (128–255), except for the following:

The following reserved characters:

< (less than)

> (greater than)

: (colon)

" (double quote)

/ (forward slash)

\ (backslash)

| (vertical bar or pipe)

? (question mark)

* (asterisk)

Integer value zero, sometimes referred to as the ASCII NUL character."


2021-08-25 04:10:03

sunny

Please correct if wrong, quote " Word picks up the default file name from the first paragraph" means text up to first punctuation mark or Unicode Character....


2021-08-25 00:30:29

sunny

For those who have to Automate w/o VBA

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_word-mso_win10-mso_o365b/word-365-conditional-text-to-depend-on-document/d3c24b59-1718-4245-b0bd-34e909f262aa?messageId=0561fa40-7f7c-4da7-b9fc-15dca0ff5763


2021-08-20 00:08:54

sunny

Thanks for very useful tip. Is it also possible Word 365 picks up the default file name from the first paragraph which includes:
⒈ period within a line ? Save As dialog box showing words preceding the period.
⒉ field-code-formulas ? Save As dialog box is showing blank NOT formula result
KR!


2021-05-20 10:03:16

Andrew

Haihm, what do you mean by "the name shown inside"? If you are referring to a field code that displays the name of the file, for example in a footer, then you really can't do anything about it directly, since Word will save the PDF file to look like the Word file would look if printed. Here are some work arounds you could try:
1. Edit the PDF file after you create it to change the filename text.
2. Edit the Word file to replace the field with its result (using Ctrl-Shift-F9) and then change the filename text of the result before you create the PDF.
3. Change the name of the Word file by saving it under the new name, update fields, and then save it as a PDF (however, this would still show the Word extension e.g., .docx).

Andy.


2021-05-19 12:48:21

Phil Rabichow

Find your file in File Explorer, select it, press F2, & change your pdf file to what you want.


2021-05-18 17:33:17

Haihm

I am trying to save my word as a pdf file, when I save the file for a specfic name like (CAR). Then when I open the saved PDF file, the name shown inside is default to as an example (BUS). Could you please help with that.

thanks a lot,
Haithm


2017-01-20 10:56:50

Shirley Wilcox

Thank you Phil. That worked just fine. I am new to Word 2016 and thought it could be done as it was in Word 2007. Some things seem to be more difficult with these new "upgrades".


2016-09-26 12:38:50

Phil Rabichow

Can't you just go to Windows Explorer, find your file & change it's name?


2016-09-25 19:33:59

Peter Barry

When I saved the name of a file, I omitted two letters from the name.. How can I amend the File's name to include these letters?

Peter Barry


2016-03-14 04:41:56

Jean

Dear Allen,

I would like to have a template file name when saving like: “Title – [Title ID] – [Report Title].docs”

If we set the “Title” in the document property, it only shows “Title”. Do you know if there is a way to use special characters and space in Title & set it as default file name when saving, except using macros?

Appreciate your help.

Beset Regards,
Jean



2015-12-17 06:55:47

Stephen Psallidas

Thanks for this, however it doesn't work. The default name given to the file gets chopped off at the first non-alphanumeric character.

So when I have set the document Title to be:

[DATE]-Incident-Report-[PM-NAME]

in fact when I click 'Save As', I see

[DATE].docx

Does anyone know a way around this? Can the 'Save As' button have a Macro attached to it which will insert a filename into the Save As dialog box?

Thanks for any help.

Stephen


2015-11-28 10:18:52

Helmut Lepper

well done - many thanks


2015-11-26 10:44:41

Vandenhout

Hello

I have another issue : my Word doesn't use the title/first paragraph of my documents as the suggested file name in the Save As dialog box...

By default, my Word (from office 365) suggests me the document number "DocumentXX"

I would like it to use the title of my document by default.

Do you know how I could fix this ? (I use Office 365)

Thank you and happy thanksgiving !
Jeff from France


2015-08-14 13:55:24

Phil Rabichow

Take a look at the macro at:
http://word.tips.net/T000964_Changing_the_Default_File_Name.html


2015-08-13 18:35:15

Paulo Almeida

Thanks for this tip. Unfortunately, it seems that this only works if the file name have only letters, cutting the file name at the first special character ("_", "-" and others), characters that can really be used in files names!


2015-08-10 15:02:40

Marla Schilly

This can also be done in Windows Explorer (and the template doesn't have to be open). Just right-click on the document, choose Properties, and insert the new default name in the Title field of the Details tab.

I'm new to WordTips and have enjoyed getting in touch with folks who are like-minded (i.e., worker smarter, not harder)!


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