Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, 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: Editing an AutoText Entry.

Editing a Building Block Entry

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 17, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021

Other issues of WordTips have focused on the Building Block feature of Word. Once you have defined your Building Block entries, you might need to edit them later. There is no special editing feature for Building Block entries in Word, however. The best way to edit a Building Block entry is to follow these general steps:

Insert the Building Block entry in a document.
Make your changes to the text or graphic that you inserted.
Select the text or graphic that you want in the Building Block entry.
Add the Building Block entry, using the same name as before.

When you perform these steps, Word asks you if you want to redefine your existing Building Block entry. When you respond positively, Word replaces the old (incorrect) entry with the new (edited) 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 (11694) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Editing 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. Learn more about Allen...

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