Word of the week: Add the filename to your header or footer

People often want to add the location of their document--the filename and the file path--to the header or footer.

In Word 2010, you can do this by using field codes. It sounds more complicated than it is, so let's take a look.

For more information on field codes, see Insert and format field codes in Word.

-- Joannie Stangeland

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  • So helpful - thanks :)

  • thank you!

  • Thanks, Joannie - very helpful.  Where'd the Header and Footer floating toolbar and all those handy icons disappear to?

  • Dear Al,

    Buttons that used to be on the floating toolbar are now on the ribbon. But a few of them (such as Page x of y Pages and Filename) aren't there. But you've given me an idea!

    -- Joannie

  • Whoops! That didn't work. I wasn't sure I'd ever checked to see whether some of those commands were available in the command well (in the Word Options dialog box, in the Customize ribbon area), but I'm not finding them.

    -- Joannie

  • Thanks for the instructions! I was challenged in finding this command in Word 2010.

  • Very helpful. Anybody know why 2010 was designed so that many things take so many more steps than in 2003? We just updated and I find nothing super helpful and many things take many more steps.

  • Thanks. I wondered what happened to the adding a filepath feature...

  • Very helpful.  Thank you.

  • Joannie:  Thanks for addressing this issue.  Is there a way to save this into a shortcut for future use?

  • Steven,

    Good question! I can think of a couple of ways (AutoText or adding it into the gallery). I want to test them first, though.

    -- Joannie

  • thanks for the video, hours of my life have been saved by this vid

  • I SO agree with Kathy, WHY do some simple functions now take 3 steps to do - why are things in such illogical places, why can't I just have one toolbar where everything I want is, I do not like 2010 no wonder I've refused to have it for two years, still don't really want it, it's RUBBISH!!!

  • Rachel -- Glad it's helpful.

    Jenny and Kathy -- The idea behind changes in Word 2007 and Word 2010 is that the galleries are a quick option for adding headers or footers or page numbers. But yes, if you want something that isn't in the gallery, the process requires more clicks. Thanks for your comments, though. They can help inform how Word is developed in the future.

    -- Joannie

  • Told me exactly what I needed to know very quickly and clearly!

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