Recording a Macro

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 4, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


If you have a repetitive task that is a good candidate for a macro, you can use the macro recording capabilities of Word to help turn your actions into a macro. To record a macro, follow these steps:

  1. Display the Developer tab of the ribbon.
  2. Click the Record Macro tool. Word displays the Record Macro dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The Record Macro dialog box.

  4. In the Macro Name field, provide a name you want used for your macro. You can accept the default name, if you desire, but if you plan on using the macro more than once or twice, you will want to use a more descriptive name. The name you provide must not include any spaces.
  5. In the Description box you can provide an optional comment about your macro.
  6. Use the Store Macro In drop-down list to specify where you want the macro stored.
  7. Click OK.

Word starts recording everything you do. The actions you take become steps in the macro, and will be repeated when you later execute the macro.

When you finish the steps you want recorded in your macro, again display the Developer tab of the ribbon and click the Stop Recording tool. (This tool is only available when you are actually recording your macro.) The macro is then saved and available for use at any time.

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 (13519) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365.

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

Rechecking Spelling and Grammar

If you ever need to check the spelling or grammar of a document from scratch, it can be confusing knowing the proper ...

Discover More

Deleting Files or Folders

Part of managing the files and folders on a system is the need to occasionally delete them. Here's a quick discussion on ...

Discover More

Field Calculations in Locked Forms

When adding form fields to a document, you may want some of the fields to be automatically calculated from other fields. ...

Discover More

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!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Using Message Boxes

If your macro needs to communicate with a user, one simple way to do it is to use a message box. Here's how to use this ...

Discover More

Determining if a Text Selection Exists

Macros are often designed to be run on just a selected portion of a document. It is a good idea to make sure that the ...

Discover More

Swapping Two Numbers

When developing a macro, you may need to swap the values in two variables. It's simple to do using the technique in this tip.

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 5 + 9?

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.