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How to quickly convert field codes to text in Word

Author Sun Last modified

If you need to convert field codes to plain text in Word, this tutorial will guide you through different methods depending on your needs. The first method converts field codes to their displayed values, preserving only the visible content. The other two methods retain the field codes as text, displaying them in their raw format, such as { SEQ Table \* ARABIC }.

Convert field codes to displayed values with a shortcut

Convert field codes to text with Kutools for Word

Convert field codes to text with VBA

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Convert field codes to plain text with a shortcut

If you only need to remove the field functionality while keeping the displayed values, you can use a simple shortcut:

  1. Select the entire document by pressing Ctrl + A. Tip: If you want to convert field codes in a specific range, select only that portion instead of the entire document.
  2. Press Ctrl + Shift + F9 to convert all fields to their displayed values.
    Field Codes converted to displayed values

Note: This method keeps only the current field values. If you need to retain the field codes as text, displaying them in their raw format, such as { SEQ Table \* ARABIC }, use the methods below.

Convert field codes to text with Kutools for Word

Kutools for Word provides a simple way to convert field codes to text, either from the whole document or a selected portion.

Kutools for Word, equipped with AI 🤖, offers over 100 handy features to simplify your tasks.
  • If you want to convert field codes to text within a specific range, first select the range, then click Kutools > Convert > Convert Field Codes to Text.
    Convert Field Codes to Text option on the Kutools tab on the ribbon
  • If you want to convert field codes in the entire document, simply apply the feature by clicking Kutools > Convert > Convert Field Codes to Text without selecting anything in the document. A prompt box will then appear asking for confirmation. Click Yes to proceed.
    Convert Field Codes to Text dialog

All field codes in the selected range or within the entire document will be converted to plain text.

Document with field codes >>> Document with field codes converted to text

Click here for more details about Kutools for Word's Convert Field Codes to Text.

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Convert field codes to text with VBA

VBA offers a powerful way to handle field codes in Word documents. Depending on the script used, you can either extract all field codes and save them as text in a new document or replace the field codes in the original document with their actual code representation (e.g., { SEQ Table \* ARABIC }).

  1. Press Alt + F11 to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
  2. Click Module from the Insert tab, then copy and paste one of the following VBA codes into the module window.

    Note: The VBA codes below provide two different outcomes. Choose the one that suits your needs.

    VBA 1: Extract field codes and save them in a new Word document

    Sub fieldcodetotext()
Dim MyString As String
For Each aField In ActiveDocument.Fields
    aField.Select
    MyString = MyString & vbCr & Selection.Fields(1).Code.Text
Next aField
Documents.Add
ActiveDocument.Content.InsertAfter MyString
End Sub

    VBA 2: Replace field codes with their code representation in the original document

    Sub fieldcodetotext()
Dim MyString As String
ActiveWindow.View.ShowFieldCodes = True
For Each aField In ActiveDocument.Fields
    aField.Select
    MyString = "{ " & Selection.Fields(1).Code.Text & " }"
    Selection.Text = MyString
Next aField
ActiveWindow.View.ShowFieldCodes = False
End Sub
  3. Click the Run button Run button or press F5 to execute the VBA.

Note: This VBA method does not work on selected portions of the document; it applies to the entire document.

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