Inserting Text with a Shortcut Key

Autotext option doesn't exist in my version of Word

Is there an Autotext option that would work across all the programs on my computer (like Gmail, Word, Excel, etc.)? I do secretarial and bookkeeping work and I keep using the same phrases and email body text over and over again. It would be great to have hotkeys that would work across the board on my computer - not only on Word...

Oops, meant to say at the end there:
Sounds like if I'd bought another licence for Word 97-2013, I might've, nay would've, been okay.

Darn it, i've just bought a new laptop and Office Professional and there doesn't appear to be a workaround for inserting autotext entries, without actually going to some fiddly menu options and then actually selecting the entry you want from a scroll down list! How archaic is that? In Word 13, we could use F3 to enter the required text.

I've created hundreds of them now, and use them regularly, like everyday for my work. I managed to transfer Normal.dotx template file okay, after some wrangling - it didn't like it and tried to stop me deleting the current one on there - but I can only retrieve them sometimes bec it flashes up press return to enter the text, which is okay - will take getting used to after using F3 key a million times! - bu other than that, from the research I've done so far, there's no other way.

Can anyone help at all?
Sounds like if I'd bought Word 2010, I might've been okay. How annoying... altho hopefully not! Thanks in advance for any help received!

Open Microsoft Word > File > Options > Proofing > Autocorrect options > in the 'Replace' field add the shortcut key and in the 'With' field add the phrase > Add > Ok.

This will replicate across all Microsoft applications.

When using my building blocks suddenly it stopped working when I put in my shortcut words and hit f3. Won't work at all. Don't know what has happened.

Thanks for this usefull answer,
There is only 1 thing which I can't complete. In the custimize keyboard window I can't find the Autotext command.
You would make me really happy is you know what is causing this and how I could still apply it. (I am using Word 2010).
Thank you in advance

The F3 short cut doesn't seem to work for Word 2016?

lorac, Irene,

Look for "Building Blocks" if you cannot find Autotext.
It is toward the very bottom of the list for me.

Can you please explain a word or some word how to write using shortcut.
Ex: our address or name how can use through shortcut.

i don't see autotext either as in step 7 and i definitely have insert on (not overtype)

How come I don't see "Autotext" in the Categories list? (your step 7)

Susan: Sounds like you may be in the overtype mode. Press the Insert key to change to normal "Insert" mode.
The setting for using the Insert Key to toggle Insert/Overype is as follows:

To change the overtype settings so that you can access overtype mode by pressing INSERT, do the following:
1.Press ALT+F, T to open Word Options.
2.Press A to select ADVANCED, and then press TAB.
3.Press ALT+O to move to the Use the Insert key to control overtype mode check box.
4.Press SPACEBAR to select/check (or uncheck) the check box, and then press ENTER.

With the box checked, to turn Overtype mode on or off, press INSERT.

Mike: I often use autocorrect but prefer to use an unusual key combination like /j and when Word sees that with a space the text is inserted.

You can then consider using the / with several different letters for quickly remembering/inserting the text. For example you could use /abc to insert the signature for the initials abc.

Hi: What am I supposed to do to carry out your first step in this process: "1.Define your AutoText entry as you normally would."?

Thanks, Mike S.

but what shortcut key switches from "replace" text to "insert" text. My new typing is "replacing" text I'm trying to add when I type!