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


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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. ...

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Comments

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What is 8 + 5?

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?


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