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: Accessing Paragraphs in a Macro.

Accessing Paragraphs in a Macro

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 23, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021


One of the nifty things about programming VBA macros is that the language is object-oriented. This means that you can access every part of your document using objects and collections of objects. In other words, you can manipulate paragraphs without ever needing to select them.

For instance, let's say you wanted to access each paragraph of a document, in turn, and do some processing on the text in that paragraph. Since each paragraph is a distinct object in the document, this is relatively easy. All of the paragraph objects are accessible as part of the Paragraphs collection. The following code will do the trick:

iParCount = ActiveDocument.Paragraphs.Count
For J = 1 To iParCount
    sMyPar = ActiveDocument.Paragraphs(J).Range.Text
    [Add processing comments to manipulate sMyPar]
    ActiveDocument.Paragraphs(J).Range.Text = sMyPar
Next J

The first line of the code sets iParCount equal to the number of paragraphs in the current document. The loop starting in the second line then does the main work in the macro. The third line set the sMyPar string equal to the text within the specified paragraph. (When J is equal to 1, you are working with the first paragraph. When J is equal to 2, it is the second paragraph—and so on.)

After the processing of sMyPar is complete, then the next line sets the document text equal to the modified text in the sMyPar string.

The above code does, however, take quite a long time to run. It would be quicker to access the Paragraphs collection using a For Each loop, as shown here:

For Each p In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
    sMyPar = p.Range.Text
    [Add processing comments to manipulate sMyPar]
    p.Range.Text = sMyPar
Next p

You can make your code quicker still if you only change the paragraphs if your processing indicates that a change is necessary.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12177) 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: Accessing Paragraphs in a Macro.

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

Printing Shortcut Key Assignments from a Macro

Need to know what shortcut keys are defined? You can use a single macro command line to print out the definitions.

Discover More

Animated Recalculation in Excel

Excel includes some animation capability that is enabled by default. If the animation is bothersome to you, then you'll ...

Discover More

Using the TRUNC Worksheet Function

Want to chop off everything after a certain point in a number? The TRUNC function can help with this need.

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)

Offering Options in a Macro

When creating macros, you often need to offer a series of choices to a user. This tip demonstrates how easy it is to ...

Discover More

Controlling the Italic Text Attribute

If you are formatting your document by using a macro, you may need to make some of your text italics. You do that by ...

Discover More

Adding Smart Quotes through Macro Text

When text is added to your document by a macro, and that text includes quotes or apostrophes, Word won't change the ...

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 eight more than 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


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.