MSWord Placeholders
bub.im · cheatsheet
Microsoft Word · fields and shortcuts
Dynamic placeholders, field codes and keyboard power moves for Word desktop on Windows. Classic key bindings, verified on current Microsoft 365 builds.
01
Insert dynamic placeholders
| Shortcut | Inserts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alt+Shift+D | { DATE } | Updates automatically. Uses your default date format. Change the default via Insert → Date & Time → Set As Default. |
| Alt+Shift+T | { TIME } | Current time. Refreshes on field update or print, not continuously. |
| Alt+Shift+P | { PAGE } | Current page number at the cursor. Works in headers, footers and body text. |
| Ctrl+F9 | { } empty field braces | The only correct way to create field braces. Typing { } on the keyboard produces plain text. Enter a field code inside, then press F9 to evaluate. |
| Ctrl+Alt+F | Footnote | Auto-numbered. Renumbers itself when you add or delete footnotes. |
| Ctrl+Alt+D | Endnote | Same behavior, placed at the end of the document or section. |
| Ctrl+Alt+M | New comment | Anchors to the current selection. |
| Ctrl+K | Hyperlink dialog | Select text first to keep it as the display text. |
| Alt+Shift+X | { XE } index entryhidden text | Marks the selection for the index. |
| Alt+Shift+O | { TC } TOC entry | For building a table of contents from manual marks instead of heading styles. |
| Alt+Shift+I | { TA } citation entrylegal | For a table of authorities in legal documents. |
02
Work with fields
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F9 | Update selected fields | Press Ctrl + A first to update every field in the document at once. |
| Shift+F9 | Toggle field code / result for the selection | Quick check of what a single field really contains. |
| Alt+F9 | Toggle all field codesglobal | If a document suddenly shows { } codes everywhere, someone pressed this. |
| Ctrl+Shift+F9 | Unlink fieldno undo | Converts the field result to static text. There is no way back except Undo right away. |
| Ctrl+F11 | Lock field | The field keeps its current value and ignores updates. |
| Ctrl+Shift+F11 | Unlock field | Re-enables updates. |
| F11 / Shift+F11 | Jump to next / previous field | Fast way to audit a template. |
tipEnable File → Options → Display → “Update fields before printing” so DATE, TOC and cross-references are always fresh on paper and in exported PDFs.
03
Field codes worth memorizing
Create empty braces with Ctrl+F9, type the code inside, then press F9.
| Field code | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FILENAME \p | File name with full path | Classic footer content for controlled documents. |
| SAVEDATE \@ “yyyy-MM-dd” | Date the file was last saved | The \@ switch sets the format and overrides the default. |
| CREATEDATE | Date the document was created | Does not change on save, unlike DATE. |
| AUTHOR | Author from document properties | Pulls from File → Info. |
| NUMPAGES | Total page count | Combine as Page { PAGE } of { NUMPAGES }. |
| STYLEREF “Heading 1” | Text of the nearest Heading 1running header | Place it in the header to repeat the current chapter title on every page. |
| SEQ Figure | Next number in a named sequence | Custom numbering series for figures, tables or requirements. |
| =SUM(ABOVE) | Sum of the numbers above in a table column | Word tables can calculate. Also =AVERAGE(LEFT) and similar. |
| DOCPROPERTY “Name” | Any built-in or custom document property | Single source of truth for values repeated across the document. |
04
Text expansion and generators
| Trick | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Block name, then F3 | Inserts the stored AutoText | The name must be at least four characters and the cursor must sit right after it. |
| Select text, Alt+F3 | Creates a new Building Block | Saves boilerplate such as signatures, disclaimers or address blocks. |
=rand(3,4) then Enter | Three paragraphs of four sentences of sample text | Must be on its own empty line. The numbers are optional. |
=lorem(2,5) then Enter | Lorem ipsum filler text | Same syntax as =rand. |
| Unicode code, then Alt+X | Converts the code into the character | 2713 then Alt + X gives ✓. It also works in reverse: press Alt + X after a character to see its code. |
05
Formatting
| Shortcut | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shift+F3 | Cycle case of the selection | lowercase → UPPERCASE → Capitalize Each Word. |
| Ctrl+Space | Reset character formatting | Strips manual bold, color and size, returns to the underlying style. |
| Ctrl+Q | Reset paragraph formatting | Clears manual indents, spacing and alignment. |
| Ctrl+Shift+N | Apply the Normal style | Fast exit from an accidental heading. |
| Ctrl+Alt+1 / 2 / 3 | Apply Heading 1 / 2 / 3 | Keeps the navigation pane and the TOC usable. |
| Ctrl+Shift+C then Ctrl+Shift+V | Copy formatting, then paste it | Format Painter without the mouse. The copied format stays available for repeated pasting. |
| Ctrl+] / Ctrl+[ | Grow / shrink font by 1 pt | Finer control than Ctrl + Shift + > and Ctrl + Shift + <. |
| Ctrl+= / Ctrl+Shift+= | Subscript / superscript | Both toggle on and off. |
| Ctrl+Shift+K | Small caps | Toggle. |
| Ctrl+Shift+8 | Show or hide formatting marks | Displays ¶, spaces, tabs and hidden text. First thing to press when a layout misbehaves. |
06
Breaks and special characters
| Shortcut | Inserts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Enter | Page break | Never push text to the next page with empty paragraphs. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Enter | Column break | For multi-column sections. |
| Shift+Enter | Line break | New line inside the same paragraph, keeps the style and list numbering. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Space | Non-breaking space | Keeps pairs such as 10 GB or initials together on one line. |
| Ctrl+Shift+Hyphen | Non-breaking hyphen | Prevents a line break inside hyphenated terms. |
| Ctrl+Hyphen | Optional hyphen | Invisible until the word actually breaks at the end of a line. |
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