Return Address Isn't Saved

Ed is having a problem getting Word to remember the return address for envelopes. He can set the address just fine, but when he closes Word and restarts the program, the return address is deleted. Ed can't figure out why this is happening.

Let's take a look at where many people enter a return address. They do it as they are creating the envelope, using the Envelopes and Labels dialog box. (You open this dialog box by displaying the Mailings tab of the ribbon and then clicking the Envelopes tool in the Create box.) (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Envelopes tab of the Envelopes and Labels dialog box.

Notice that you can, near the bottom-left of the dialog box, enter a return address for your envelope. The important thing to remember is that this address is a temporary return address; it is not saved when you exit Word.

So where should you set your return address, so it is remembered? Obviously, it needs to be in a different place than on the Envelopes and Labels dialog box. Here's how to do it:

1. Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 and later versions display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
2. At the left side of the dialog box click Advanced.
3. Scroll through the options available until you see the General section. (See Figure 2.)



Figure 2. The General options of the Word Options dialog box.

4. In the Mailing Address box, enter your return address.
5. Click OK.

That's it. The next time you display the Envelopes and Labels dialog box, this return address should be displayed automatically in the Return Address area. You can change it on that dialog box if you want (or even click the Omit check box) but remember that those changes are temporary in nature. Any persistent changes need to be made by following the above steps.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13694) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365.