Using AutoText

In LibreOffice Writer, you can store text - also containing graphics, tables, and fields - as AutoText, so that you can quickly insert the text later on. If you want, you can also store formatted text.

To Create an AutoText Entry

  1. Select the text, text with graphics, table, or field that you want to save as an AutoText entry. A graphic can only be stored if it is anchored as a character and is preceded and followed by at least one text character.

  2. Choose Tools - AutoText.

  3. Select the category in which you want to store the AutoText.

  4. Type a name that is longer than four characters. This allows you to use the Display remainder of name as suggestion while typing AutoText option. If you want, you can modify the proposed shortcut.

  5. Click the AutoText button, and then choose New.

  6. Click the Close button.

To Insert an AutoText Entry

  1. Click in your document where you want to insert an AutoText entry.

  2. Choose Tools - AutoText.

  3. Select the AutoText that you want to insert, and then click Insert.

You can also type the shortcut for an AutoText entry, and then press F3, or click the arrow next to the AutoText icon on the Insert bar, and then choose an AutoText entry.

Tip Icon

To quickly enter a LibreOffice Math formula, type fn, and then press F3. If you insert more than one formula, the formulae are sequentially numbered. To insert dummy text, type dt, and then press F3.


To Print a List of AutoText Entries

  1. Choose Tools - Macros - Organise Macros - LibreOffice Basic.

  2. In the Macro from tree control, select Application Macros - Gimmicks - AutoText.

  3. Select "Main" in the Existing macros in: AutoText list and then click Run. A list of the current AutoText entries is generated in a separate text document.

  4. Choose File - Print.

Using AutoText in Network Installations

You can store AutoText entries in different directories on a network.

For example, you can store "read-only" AutoText entries for your company on a central server, and user-defined AutoText entries in a local directory.

The paths for the AutoText directories can be edited in the configuration.

Two directories are listed here. The first entry is on the server installation and the second entry is in the user directory. If there are two AutoText entries with the same name in both directories, the entry from the user directory is used.

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