Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007. 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: Deleting an AutoText Entry.

Deleting an AutoText Building Block

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated June 7, 2017)

4

AutoText has long been a powerful tool in Word. There are several reasons why you would want to remove an AutoText entry you previously created. The biggest reason is that you just don't need the entry any more. For instance, you may have defined a group of AutoText entries for a particular job you were doing. When the job is over, it is best to remove the AutoText entries.

You can remove AutoText entries by using the Building Block Organizer. (AutoText entries are considered one of several "building blocks" that can be created in Word.) To remove AutoText entries, follow these steps:

  1. Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
  2. Click the Quick Parts tool in the Text group. Word displays a list of options you can choose.
  3. Choose Building Blocks Organizer. Word displays the Building Blocks Organizer. (See Figure 1.) (Building Blocks were introduced as a sort of "super AutoText" in Word 2007.)

    4. Figure 1. The Building Blocks Organizer.

  4. Select the name of your AutoText entry from the name list. (You can be sure it is an AutoText entry because the word AutoText shows up in the Gallery column of the Building Blocks Organizer.) You can use the preview area to make sure you selected the right AutoText name.
  5. Click on the Delete button and your entry vanishes after you confirm you want to delete it.
  6. Click on OK to close the Building Blocks Organizer.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8716) applies to Microsoft Word 2007. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Deleting an AutoText Entry.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Folder Locations for Add-Ins

Add-ins can be stored in a number of different places on a computer system. This tip explains the many different places ...

Discover More

Making VLOOKUP Trigger a Macro

VLOOKUP is an oft-used worksheet function to lookup values in a data table. If the function cannot return a value, it ...

Discover More

Updating Document Links

If you establish dynamic links between documents, then you can force Word to update those links whenever you want. How ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

QuickWords in Word

WordPerfect users coming to Word may miss a feature called QuickWords. This tip examines some ways you can get around the ...

Discover More

Quick Recall of Table Formats

Got a table that you use over and over again? One way you can make quick work of such repetition is to save the table in ...

Discover More

Extra Spaces after Inserting a Building Block

Building blocks are a great tool for inserting standard information in your documents. It is also possible, however, to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

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}] 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.

What is three more than 1?

2017-06-07 15:31:05

Kim

Hi,
Thanks for the great tip. Is there anyway to zoom in on the right (preview) side of the Building Blocks Organizer? It is super tiny and unreadable.

2015-01-08 14:35:31

Tim

5 stars out of 5. Worked great! Went to the MS site, totally did not work on their directions.

Well done

2013-09-13 16:41:18

campingshadow

I have deleted the same auto text entries time after time in building blocks. Next time I open Word they are back. How do I permanently delete them?

2013-05-15 11:57:55

Catharine

This was exactly what I needed! simple to use, too.

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.