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: Adding an AutoText Entry.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 12, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
To get the most out of Word's Building Blocks you will want to customize it to help with words and phrases that you use most. You can add Building Blocks in this manner:
Figure 1. The Create New Building Block dialog box.
Those four steps are the simplest way to create your Building Block. If you take a look at the Create New Building Block dialog box again, you'll notice that there are quite a few items you can change besides the name for the Building Block. For instance, you may want to change which gallery the Building Block is stored in and the category you want to use to classify it.
After working with Building Blocks for a while, you many need to change some of your entries. Fortunately, Word makes it really easy to change your Building Blocks. Follow the steps outlined for adding entries, and when you click on OK, you will be asked if you want to redefine the Building Block entry. Click on Yes and you will be able to use the new entry.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8223) 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: Adding an AutoText Entry.
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Ever wonder what the Building Blocks feature does in Word? Here's an explanation of the feature and what you can do with it.
Discover MoreAt some point you may want to delete an AutoText entry you previously created. Here's the steps to follow.
Discover MoreOnce you've created a Building Block, you may believe that it is "set in stone" and cannot be changed. Not so! You can ...
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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:
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