Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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: Repeating Actions.
If you want to repeat an action a single time, you can either press the F4 key or Ctrl+Y. What if you want to repeat it more than once, however? Granted, you could press these keys multiple times, but this can get tedious if you want to repeat something fifty or sixty times.
The answer is to use a nifty little macro that will do the repeating for you:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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: 
Sub DoRepeat()
Dim CountValue As Integer
CountValue = Val(InputBox("How many times?"))
If CountValue > 0 Then Repeat (CountValue)
End Sub
The trick is to assign DoRepeat to a keyboard shortcut, such as Alt+R. Then, you can perform an action, press Alt+R, enter the number of times to repeat, and be on your way. You should note that if the action you did prior to invoking the macro cannot be repeated for some reason, you will get an error when the macro tries to run.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9081) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Repeating Actions.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!
You can make running macros very easy if you assign a shortcut key to the macro. This tip demonstrates how easy it is to ...
Discover MoreNeed to know if the Num Lock key is on or off? You can use a short bit of macro code to figure out the state of the key.
Discover MoreWhen text is added to your document by a macro, and that text includes quotes or apostrophes, Word won't change the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-09-20 05:46:35
Tango
There's a ghost in my machine. My delete and backspace keys repeat at random times, swallowing everything forwards or backwards in my novel. My only save is to yank out my USB or hope ctl-alt-del gets me to the task manager in time to end the program. Im using MsWord2010 and had 2 different computers and 2 diff manuscripts with the same prob. Obviously, its me doing something clumsy. I've disabled insert and over write. Anybody have a fix or notion of what I'm repeatedly doing wrong?
2014-12-08 17:29:38
Doug Carlile
I have a document with about 3600 records, each record on a separate page. I have a macro that adds blank lines so the data will fit a form. My Macro is currently assigned to Alt+/ and in order to process the file (every record gets the exact same treatment) I have to hold the Alt & / keys. When I tested this macro, it did not repeat macro #1, but repeated the last action in macro #1.
Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?
Thanks,
Doug Carlile
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments