Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Putting Document Names in Headers or Footers.

Putting Document Names in Headers or Footers

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 28, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

When you print your document, it is often a good idea to include the document name in the header or footer. This allows you, at a later date, to recall the name of the file in which the document is stored. To include document names in the header or footer, follow these steps:

Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
Click either the Header or Footer tool in the Header & Footer group. Word displays a list of options.
Click Edit Header or Edit Footer, depending on what you selected in step 2. Word activates either the header or footer area of the page.
Position the insertion point where you want to include the filename.
The Insert tab of the ribbon should still be displayed. Click the Quick Parts tool (in the Text group) and then choose Field. Word displays the Field dialog box.
From the Categories list select the Document Information category. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Field dialog box.

From the Field Name list, select FileName.
Click on OK. The filename of the current document will be inserted at the insertion point; it will automatically change if you save the document under another name.
Click on Close.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8138) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Putting Document Names in Headers or Footers.

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

Selecting the Current Region

Most of Excel's commands affect whatever cells you select prior to invoking the command. Some commands, however, affect ...

Discover More

Hyphenating a Selection

Word provides a hyphenation tool that can help you hyphenate words within a document. If you want to apply hyphenation to ...

Discover More

Excel Crashes when Running Macros

It can be frustrating when macros don't run as you expect. When it occurs, however, tracking down the cause can be even ...

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 (ribbon)

Putting a File Name and Path in a Default Footer

Want to add a filename and path to the footer of a template? You might be confused by what you see in documents created ...

Discover More

Inserting the Date in a Header or Footer

Need today's date in the header or footer of your document? Here's how to get it there easily.

Discover More

Making Wider Footer Margins

Want the margins used in your footers (or headers) to be wider than the margins used in the rest of your document? There ...

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 4 - 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 ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.