Fields are the parts of a Word document that Word fills in for you: page numbers, dates, tables of contents, figure captions, cross-references, mail merge entries and calculations. They do not always update by themselves. If a table of contents shows old page numbers or a cross-reference points to the wrong figure, you need to update the fields. This guide shows how to update one field, every field in the document, and fields in headers and footers, plus how to lock fields you do not want to change.
Quick answer
Press Ctrl + A to select the whole document, then press F9. Word updates every field in the main text. To update a single field, click it and press F9, or right-click it and choose Update Field.
Update a single field
- Click inside the field. It turns gray when selected (if field shading is on).
- Press F9, or right-click and choose Update Field.
On laptops where F9 controls media, press Fn + F9.
Update all fields in the document
- Press Ctrl + A to select everything.
- Press F9.
- If Word asks how to update a table of contents, choose Update entire table to pick up new headings, or Update page numbers only to keep manual edits.
Note: Ctrl + A and F9 only update fields in the main body. Fields in headers, footers, footnotes and text boxes are separate and need the methods below.
Update fields in headers, footers and text boxes
- Headers and footers: double-click the header or footer, press Ctrl + A, then F9. Repeat for each section if your document has different headers.
- Text boxes and footnotes: click inside, select the text, and press F9.
- Print Preview: opening File > Print updates many fields, including page numbers in headers and footers.
Update fields automatically before printing
- Go to File > Options > Display.
- Under Printing options, tick Update fields before printing.
- Click OK.
Word then refreshes fields every time you print or create a PDF through the print dialog.
Update a table of contents
Click inside the table of contents and click Update Table at the top of it, or go to References > Update Table. Choose whether to update page numbers only or the entire table. For setting one up, see how to create a table of contents in Word.
See what a field contains
Press Alt + F9 to switch between field results and field codes for the whole document, or Shift + F9 for just the selected field. Field codes look like { PAGE } or { REF _Ref123 \h }. See how to display field codes in Word for details.
Stop a field from updating
- Lock a field: click it and press Ctrl + F11. It stays as it is until you unlock it with Ctrl + Shift + F11.
- Convert to plain text: click it and press Ctrl + Shift + F9. The field becomes ordinary text permanently. This is useful for a date field you want to freeze, such as the date a letter was signed.
Common field types
- Page numbers and page counts (PAGE, NUMPAGES).
- Dates (DATE updates every time; CREATEDATE and SAVEDATE do not change on their own).
- Captions (SEQ), which number figures and tables. See how to insert a caption in Word.
- Cross-references (REF, PAGEREF).
- Document properties such as title and author (DOCPROPERTY).
Frequently asked questions
How do I update fields in Word for Mac?
Click the field and press Fn + F9, or Control-click it and choose Update Field. To update everything, press Command + A first.
Does Word for the web update fields?
Word for the web can update a table of contents through the References tab, but support for other field types is limited. For documents with many fields, update them in the desktop app.
Why does my date change every time I open the document?
It is a DATE field, which always shows today’s date. Convert it to plain text with Ctrl + Shift + F9, or replace it with a CREATEDATE field, which keeps the date the document was created.
Can I turn off the gray field shading?
Yes. Go to File > Options > Advanced and, under Show document content, set Field shading to Never, When selected or Always.
Troubleshooting
- “Error! Reference source not found”: the item a cross-reference points to was deleted or its bookmark removed. Recreate the cross-reference.
- Fields will not update: they may be locked. Select them and press Ctrl + Shift + F11, then F9.
- Field shows code instead of a result: press Alt + F9.
Summary
- Click a field and press F9 to update it.
- Press Ctrl + A, then F9 to update all fields in the main text.
- Update headers and footers separately, or use Print Preview.
- Turn on Update fields before printing in Word Options.
- Lock fields with Ctrl + F11 or convert them to text with Ctrl + Shift + F9.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.