auto text, why won't it work or only works sporadically ...

I have figured some things out after a lot of experimentation. If you have no other windows maximised (i.e. everything except Word is minimised down), if you have no text in the document after the cursor, if you have recently saved the document and if the whole line is completely visible (i.e. it's not half cut off at the bottom of the screen), then it will work! If your autotext entries aren't suggested, try minimising everything else and save your document. Then it might work - until the next time it mysteriously decides to stop. This IS a bug in Word and it should be fixed by the Microsoft people!

Sorry, I don't concur. The activity you observed may well have to do with where the AutoText is stored on your system. Check for the following behavior.

AutoText must be stored in a template. It can be stored in the normal template; that is the default location for storage. It can also be stored in the attached document template. Finally, it can be stored in other loaded global templates including Building Blocks.dotx or Built-In Building Blocks.dotx.

Tooltips display for AutoText in Word 2003 for any available AutoText.

They do not display in Word 2007.

They display in 2010 if the holder of the AutoText is normal.dotm or the attached template.

In all three versions of the program the AutoText is inserted if you type at least 4 characters of the entry name (and those characters are unique) and then press F3.

On my system at least, minimizing windows or saving the recipient document have nothing to do with whether Tooltips for AutoText entries appear.

How can you possibly not concur? I am describing my experience of the intermittent appearance of autotext tooltips on my own computer. I use Word for six to eight hours every day and I think I have a little bit of experience now (sarcasm). Sometimes the tooltips will appear, sometimes they won't, and I was merely stating a few of the situations in which it would work more often. I am quite aware of how to use autotext and where they should be stored, etc, etc, etc. I must be doing it right otherwise they would not work at all. My problem is that the tooltips appear only intermittently. But you people just want to argue with me!

I have figured some things out after a lot of experimentation. If you have no other windows maximised (i.e. everything except Word is minimised down), if you have no text in the document after the cursor, if you have recently saved the document and if the whole line is completely visible (i.e. it's not half cut off at the bottom of the screen), then it will work! If your autotext entries aren't suggested, try minimising everything else and save your document. Then it might work - until the next time it mysteriously decides to stop. This IS a bug in Word and it should be fixed by the Microsoft people!

Sorry, I don't concur. The activity you observed may well have to do with where the AutoText is stored on your system. Check for the following behavior.

AutoText must be stored in a template. It can be stored in the normal template; that is the default location for storage. It can also be stored in the attached document template. Finally, it can be stored in other loaded global templates including Building Blocks.dotx or Built-In Building Blocks.dotx.

Tooltips display for AutoText in Word 2003 for any available AutoText.

They do not display in Word 2007.

They display in 2010 if the holder of the AutoText is normal.dotm or the attached template.

In all three versions of the program the AutoText is inserted if you type at least 4 characters of the entry name (and those characters are unique) and then press F3.

On my system at least, minimizing windows or saving the recipient document have nothing to do with whether Tooltips for AutoText entries appear.

I have figured some things out after a lot of experimentation. If you have no other windows maximised (i.e. everything except Word is minimised down), if you have no text in the document after the cursor, if you have recently saved the document and if the whole line is completely visible (i.e. it's not half cut off at the bottom of the screen), then it will work! If your autotext entries aren't suggested, try minimising everything else and save your document. Then it might work - until the next time it mysteriously decides to stop. This IS a bug in Word and it should be fixed by the Microsoft people!

In Word 2010 the AutoComplete tooltips only appear if the AutoText is stored in the normal template or the attached template. If stored elsewhere, F3 still works.

Note: You’ve posted your question or problem in response to an old question and answers. Your computer and Word configuration is unlikely to be the same as that of the original poster. Posting this way means you may not get as good a response as you would if you started a new question.

When you ask your own question you give information about the version of Word and your operating system that can make a difference in the answer.

Once i press F3, it is working. However, it does not prompt with auto text name so that you can just press Enter to insert it. Why only certain computer are having this issue? Please advise. Thank you.