Microsoft Word 2003 includes a feature called “AutoText,” which stores phrases and sentences you often type. When you begin typing a stored phrase, Word activates the AutoComplete feature, also known as AutoFill, and inserts the entire phrase. This feature was removed from later versions of Word, suggesting that Microsoft had second thoughts about its usefulness; but it can save time when you are typing certain long phrases of text. For example, you probably type your companys name frequently – add an AutoText entry and then Word will insert the company name after you type its first four letters.
Ryan Menezes is a professional writer and blogger. He has a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Boston University and has written for the American Civil Liberties Union, the marketing firm InSegment and the project management service Assembla. He is also a member of Mensa and the American Parliamentary Debate Association.
As a regular Microsoft Word user, you likely type the same words, phrases, or even entire paragraphs repeatedly. Manually retyping these text strings over and over can get tedious fast. Fortunately, Word’s autofill feature provides a handy timesaving solution.
With autofill in Word you can create reusable text building blocks that insert themselves automatically as you type. This allows you to quickly populate documents with commonly used content.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to enable and use autofill in Word to boost your productivity. We’ll cover how to
- Turn text selections into autofill entries
- Insert autofill suggestions as you type
- Create custom autotext building blocks
- Manage and organize your library of autotext entries
- Use keyboard shortcuts for ultra-fast autofilling
Equipped with these tips, you’ll be able to streamline repetitive typing tasks and complete Word documents faster than ever.
How to Turn Text into an Autofill Entry in Word
The first step is transforming a text selection into an autotext entry that will pop up for autofilling later. Here’s a simple 3-step process:
-
Highlight the text – Select the word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph you want to autofill in the future. You can select multiple separate text chunks too.
-
Access the AutoText menu – Go to the Insert tab and click “Quick Parts” then “AutoText”. Or use the Alt+F3 keyboard shortcut.
-
Save as a new entry – In the AutoText window, click “New” to save the highlighted text as a reusable building block Give it a descriptive name
Once created, this autotext entry will appear as an autofill suggestion anytime you begin typing its name. Next, let’s go over how to actually use autofill when writing documents.
Inserting Autofill Suggestions in Word
As you type in Word, matching autotext entries will pop up above the cursor as autofill suggestions.
To insert the suggestion, simply press “Enter” when the correct one is highlighted. Or click it with your mouse. The full text will automatically populate.
This on-demand autofill feature makes inserting frequently used terms, sentences, and paragraphs a breeze. For certain phrases, you may only need to type the first 1-2 letters before the desired autofill pops up.
Word’s autofill suggestions appear after you type a triggering character, such as a space, colon, or period. You can disable this automatic behavior if it gets distracting.
Creating Custom Autotext Building Blocks
In addition to turning existing text into autofill entries, you can create blank autotext blocks from scratch.
Here’s how to make custom building blocks to autofill:
-
On the “Insert” tab, click “Quick Parts” then “AutoText” then “New”.
-
Give the entry a name and press Enter.
-
Type the reusable text you want or insert content from another file.
-
Click “AutoText” and select “Save Selection to AutoText Gallery”.
Now this custom entry will autofill whenever you begin typing its unique name.
Organizing Your Autotext Library
As your autotext library grows, keeping it organized can help you find specific entries faster.
On the AutoText menu, choose “Organize AutoText” to:
- Delete unnecessary entries
- Rename or reorganize entries into groups
- Import/export autotext for backup or sharing
You can also assign concise abbreviations or codes to lengthy entry names so they autofill after typing just 1-2 letters.
Autofill Keyboard Shortcuts
For true autofill mastery, take advantage of these handy keyboard shortcuts:
- F3 – Brings up the AutoText menu
- Alt+F3 – Inserts a selected autofill entry
- Ctrl+F3 – Creates a new blank building block
With the F3 and Alt+F3 hotkeys, you can immediately insert autotext without clicking your mouse.
Autofill to Boost Productivity
Autofill may seem like a minor feature, but with the right autotext library, it can transform how quickly you populate Word documents.
Whether you’re inserting names, addresses, form letters, disclaimers, or anything else Word’s robust text reuse powers are at your fingertips.
So be sure to grab any repetitive text chunks and add them to your autofill library. Over time, you’ll recoup hours otherwise lost on redundant typing.
Now that you’re an autofill expert, use it as your go-to tool for reducing repetitive strain and accelerating document creation in Word and beyond. Your productivity will thank you!
How To Auto Populate Form Fields in Word – Repeating A User Field in Other Parts Of Your Document
What is autofill in word?
Autofill, also known as AutoText, is a feature in Word that helps users type faster by automatically completing words. This feature completes text for the user based on defined entries stored in a library with commonly typed words. The word processor already has some entries in this library, but users can also add their own entries.
How do I turn text into autofill suggestions?
Select the text that you want to turn into an autofill suggestion by highlighting it. You can do this either in a new document or in a document on which you’re already working. Be sure that you only select the text you want to use by omitting spaces. However, you can include spaces if you wish to have an AutoText suggestion that’s multiple words.
Is autofill a grammatical superiority or inferiority?
@JonHanna I understand. There is no grammatical superiority or inferiority to open compounds ( auto fill ), hyphenated compounds ( auto-fill) or closed compounds ( autofill ). There are forms that are particularly common with particularly common compounds, to the extent that they would be considered preferred spellings.
