Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 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: Inserting a Cross-Reference to the First Style on a Page.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 23, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
Word includes a cross-reference feature that allows you to indicate the contents of a paragraph formatted with a specific style. This is done with fields and is used primarily in headers or footers. For instance, let's suppose your document uses headers or footers that refer to headings appearing on the page. This is frequently done in reference material and is a great help to the reader. You can use the following steps to set up this type of cross-reference.
If you set up your header or footer this way, then every time the contents of the referenced paragraph style changes, the contents of the header or footer will change. For instance, let's say that you are using the Heading 2 style in the field. Every time a new paragraph formatted with the Heading 2 style is encountered in your document, the contents of that paragraph are inserted in place of the field in the header or footer.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3517) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Inserting a Cross-Reference to the First Style on a Page.
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2023-12-08 21:32:53
Tomek
Just to clarify: the tip says:
Press F9 to update the field information. Word replaces the field with the text of the ***last paragraph*** you formatted with the specified style.
What gets into the header or footer is actually the text of the ***first paragraph*** formatted with the specified Style on the page. If the Style is not used on a particular page, the text is taken from such paragraph on the closest page preceding the page where the header/footer is.
2023-12-05 15:26:09
Wallace
This is fantastic for showing the name of each chapter in the header or footer. Thanks so much, Allen, for this tip and your many other excellent tips!
2022-01-18 10:19:09
Steven Van Steenhuyse
I found the answer toi mny question:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/field-codes-to-display-both-number-and-text-of/36a75c82-246c-451f-9fa6-65ef1b2d6e55
2022-01-17 10:55:13
Steven Van Steenhuyse
Several of my legal documents include outline numbering tied to heading styles. How can I also include the outline number with the heading title (for instance, instead of just "Legal Authorty" I want the header or footer to show "12-3-8 Legal Authority")?
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 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:
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