How to Create and Use Quick Parts in Microsoft Word for Faster Typing

What are Quick Parts in Microsoft Word?

Quick Parts (also known as Building Blocks) is one of the most powerful, yet underutilized, productivity features in Microsoft Word. It allows you to save blocks of text, formatted tables, complex letterheads, or custom graphics into a dedicated gallery.

Instead of manually retyping standard legal disclaimers, company addresses, or frequent email responses, you can insert them instantly using a few keystrokes or a drop-down menu.

How to Create a New Quick Part

Creating a Quick Part is simple. First, you need to design the content exactly as you want it to appear when inserted later.

1. Type and format your text in a Word document. Include any necessary bolding, colors, hyperlinks, or even images.
2. Highlight the entire block of text or content that you want to save.
3. Navigate to the Insert tab on the Word ribbon.
4. In the “Text” group (usually near the far right), click the Quick Parts button.
5. Select Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery… from the bottom of the drop-down menu.

A “Create New Building Block” dialog box will appear. You should carefully configure the following fields:

• Name: Give it a short, memorable name (e.g., “Disclaimer”). This is crucial for using keyboard shortcuts later.
• Gallery: Leave this as “Quick Parts”.
• Category: Leave as “General” or create a new category to organize your snippets.
• Save in: By default, this saves to the Normal.dotm template, making the Quick Part available across all your Word documents.
• Options: Choose whether the text should insert inline with other text, in its own paragraph, or on its own page.

How to Insert a Quick Part

There are two primary ways to insert your saved content into a document.

Method 1: Using the Ribbon Menu

Place your cursor where you want the text to appear. Go to Insert > Quick Parts. You will see a visual gallery of your saved snippets. Simply click on the one you want to insert.

Method 2: Using the F3 Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest)

The fastest way to use Quick Parts is via the keyboard. Type the exact Name you gave the Quick Part (e.g., type the word Disclaimer) and immediately press the F3 key on your keyboard.

Word will instantly replace the typed name with the full formatted block of text.

How to Edit or Delete a Quick Part

Over time, your saved snippets might become outdated or cluttered. You can manage them through the Building Blocks Organizer.

1. Go to Insert > Quick Parts.
2. Click on Building Blocks Organizer…
3. The list contains hundreds of default Word elements. To find yours quickly, click the Gallery column header to sort the list alphabetically, and scroll down to “Quick Parts”.
4. Select your custom snippet.
5. To delete it, click the Delete button at the bottom. To edit its properties (like changing its name), click Edit Properties….

Note: You cannot directly edit the text of a Quick Part from the Organizer. To change the text, you must insert the Quick Part into a document, edit the text, highlight it, and save it again using the exact same Name. Word will ask if you want to overwrite the existing Building Block.