5 Things Microsoft Word Can Update Automatically for You

Microsoft Word is packed with useful features that can save you time and effort. One great set of features allows Word to automatically update elements of your document so you don’t have to do it manually. Here are 5 things that Word can automatically update for you.

1. Update Fields

Word documents can contain fields that display information like page numbers, captions, dates and more. Normally these fields statically display the value they contained when inserted. However, you can set Word to dynamically update them.

Here are the steps to update fields automatically in Word:

1. Select the entire document (Ctrl+A)
2. Press F9 to update all fields
3. Enable automatic field updating before printing by going to File > Options > Display > Printing Options and checking “Update fields before printing”

Now page numbers, dates, captions and other fields will stay up-to-date automatically! You can also update individual fields manually if needed.

2. Update Office

The Office apps including Word can automatically check for updates and install the latest versions. Here’s how to enable automatic Office updating:

1. Open Word and click Help > Check for Updates
2. Click “Automatically keep Microsoft apps up to date”
3. Updates will now install automatically moving forward

This ensures you have the most up-to-date Office apps with the latest features and security fixes. You can also manually trigger an Office update check at any time.

3. Update Document Content

You can embed content from other Office files like Excel or PowerPoint and have it update automatically when the source changes. Here’s how:

1. On the Insert tab select the Object option
2. Choose to insert Excel or PowerPoint content
3. The selected file’s contents will now display in Word
4. When the source file updates, right click the object in Word and select “Update Link” to refresh

Now charts, tables and other data can update automatically without having to re-insert content!

4. Update Blog Posts

If you use Word to write blog posts, you can publish directly to your blog platform. When you make edits in Word it will automatically update on your live blog. To enable:

1. Start a new Blog Post via File > New
2. Provide credentials to register Word with your blogging platform
3. Compose posts in Word and click Publish to post live
4. Edits will sync automatically when published again

Now you can draft, edit and update blog content directly in Word without any manual copying.

5. Update Document Properties

Word documents have built-in properties like author, title and keywords that are used when searching. You can set these properties to update automatically:

1. Click the File tab then select Info
2. Click the Properties dropdown and choose Advanced Properties
3. Check the box labeled “Update automatically”
4. Enter a custom property name and value if desired

Now properties like title and author will stay updated as the document changes without any effort!

Automatically updating elements like fields, links, and properties can save you significant time and effort in Word. Enable these 5 auto-update features to boost your productivity!