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: Inserting the Current Month.

Inserting the Current Month

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 16, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


4

In certain documents, it would be helpful to insert the current month. For instance, you might need to do a monthly report in which you place the current month name in the title of the report. Word allows you to insert a field for the month, and this field will be updated automatically whenever you print your document. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Position the insertion point where you want the month inserted.
  2. Press Ctrl+F9 to insert a set of field braces. Make sure the insertion point remains between the braces.
  3. Type date \@MMMM.
  4. Press F9 to update the field.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9414) 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: Inserting the Current Month.

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

Transposing Two Paragraphs

Need to swap two adjacent paragraphs? Your editing arsenal can include a command to do this is you use the macro in this tip.

Discover More

Using Document Properties to Ensure Consistent References

If you need to refer to the same information over and over in a document, you may be interested in using custom document ...

Discover More

Removing Duplicates Based on a Partial Match

Some types of data may have certain fields that contain partially identical information. In such cases you may want to ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Field in Footer Won't Update

Word provides a handy shortcut that allows you to update the fields in any text you've selected. When you select your ...

Discover More

Displaying Fields

Fields (sometimes called field codes) allow you to insert dynamic information in your documents. If you want to see the ...

Discover More

Inserting the Total Number of Pages in Your Document

Word keeps track of many statistics for each of your documents. One statistic is the total number of pages in the printed ...

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.

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.

What is 0 + 8?

2024-07-16 08:07:38

Ray McAllister

I will likely be preparing my monthly report after the last day of the month. How do I use the field to insert last month into the document text?


2023-01-02 02:23:06

Raahul Dev

Thanks, Allen for sharing this excellent tip. I want to add the previous month, like December 2022 & this month, January 2023 in mmm yyyy format in a Word file that automatically gets updated when I open this Word file.Thanks, Allen for sharing this excellent tip. I want to add the previous month, like December 2022 & this month, January 2023 in mmm yyyy format in a Word file that automatically gets updated when I open this Word file. I'm using Microsoft 365.

Sorry for the similar comment on the webpage for the older version of Word. I read later after posting the comment that the webpage is for the older versions of Word & not for Microsoft 365.


2021-07-23 11:38:48

Eitan

Thank you,
How would you insert next month?


2021-07-23 03:54:50

Eitan

Thank you,
How would you insert next month?


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.

Videos
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.