Field keyboard shortcuts

Word 2016 2013 2010 2007 2003
A field is a placeholder that Word uses to insert specified information into a document. Word automatically uses fields for specific elements that update automatically, such as dates, formulas, page numbers, and a table of contents. The field looks like a text in curly braces but you can not create a field by typing such text in your document; instead, you tell Word to insert the field you want.

Word offers two ways to work with fields using the Field dialog box and using shortcuts:

  • F9 - Update fields - updates all fields contained in the current selection.
  • Ctrl+F9 - Insert field characters - inserts new field code braces (curly brackets) for manually inserting fields:
    The special brackets for fields in Word 365
  • Shift+F9 - Toggle field display - toggles field code display for fields contained in the current selection.
  • Alt+F9 - View field codes - toggles field code display for all fields in the entire document.
  • Ctrl+Shift+F9 - Unlink fields - converts all qualifying fields in the selection into hard text; once this action is done, the field can't be updated any more.
  • Alt+Shift+F9 - Do field click - alternative to double - clicking MacroButton and GoToButton fields.

Shortcuts for navigating between fields

  • F11 - Next field - selects the next field in the document. Field codes do not need to be displayed for this command or the next.
  • Shift+F11 - Previous field - selects the previous field in the document.

Shortcuts for locking and unlocking fields

Note: See How to turn on or turn off highlighting of fields in a Word document.

See also this tip in French: Raccourcis clavier du champ.

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How to lock and unlock updating for fields in the Word document

How to lock and unlock updating for fields in the Word document

Bookmarks and references are typical examples of fields in Word documents. All fields are updated automatically on opening the document or manually by selecting them and pressing F9. However, you can lock specific fields in the document to prevent automatic updates. To update those fields, update them one by one, or select the entire text by pressing Ctrl+A and press F9.
Revealing document fields

Revealing document fields

As you work on a document, you usually see the results of the field codes that you've inserted instead of the actual codes themselves. Because of this, these field results may be difficult to distinguish from standard text, so Word has added a feature called shading that helps you to locate such results.
The Master Document View

The Master Document View

Word master document enables you to cross-reference items among several documents; create indexes, tables of contents, and lists that span several documents; easily assign consistent page numbering, headers, and another formatting across multiple documents; etc.
A book is ideally suited to the master document feature. Each chapter can be a subdocument, and the elements common to the entire book can be contained in the master document itself.