Hello, my name is Erin.
This tutorial shows how to insert Word files into existing files in Microsoft Word.
We will also look at an advanced method that allows us to insert files while maintaining each file’s headers and footers.
Plus, stay tuned to the end of a brief but important discussion about the difference between inserting files, as we will do today,
and copy and pasting files, which we have done in previous tutorials.
Today I’ll be using Word for Microsoft 365.
These steps also apply to the one-time purchase versions of the software back to Word 2013.
In addition, these steps apply to Word for Mac back to Word 2016 for Mac.
However, at the time this tutorial was written, Word for Mac users can only insert one file at a time using the process shown here.
To begin inserting files into an existing file, place your cursor in the document where you want to make the insertion.
Next, select the Insert tab.
Followed by the Object menu arrow in the Text group.
From the drop-down menu select Text from File.
And then locate and select the file in the Insert File dialog box.
Mac users can only select one file at this time.
However, PC users can select multiple files.
If you do choose to insert multiple files at once,
note that the files will be inserted in the order they appear in the Insert File dialog box, not in the order of selection.
When you’re finished, select the Insert button.
The file or files you selected should be inserted into the original file.
Now we are going to insert a file with its headers and footers.
This process can only be used to insert one file at a time.
To begin, select the Home tab.
And then select the Show/Hide button in the Paragraph group to reveal your formatting marks.
Next, place your cursor before the final paragraph mark on the page before you want to insert the file.
With your cursor in place, select the Layout tab.
Followed by the Breaks button in the Page Setup group.
And then select Next Page from the drop-down menu.
A new section will be created
and your cursor will move to the next page.
Now, select the Insert tab.
And once again select the Object menu arrow.
And then Text from File from the drop-down menu.
When the Insert File dialog box appears, locate and select the file
and then select the Insert button.
The file you selected should be inserted with its headers and footers.
And, the headers and footers in the original file should be unaffected.
As always, remember to save your file to save your changes.
Before we close, let’s quickly answer the question “What is the difference between inserting files and copying and pasting files?”
When you insert Word files into other Word files, as we did today,
you can insert multiple files at a time with their original formatting.
You can also maintain headers and footers if you insert one file at a time.
Conversely, the copy and paste method makes it easier to merge formatting,
but it’s difficult to copy and paste multiple files and difficult to maintain headers and footers.
For more information about copying and pasting, please see my previous tutorials
“How to Cut, Copy, and Paste in Microsoft Word,” and “How to Cut, Copy, and Paste in Word for Mac.”
You can find my entire collect of Word tutorials in the playlists titled “How to Use Microsoft Word"
and “How to Use Word for Mac,” which are linked in the description box below.
Plus, all the steps we just performed are listed with images on erinwrightwriting.com,
along with all my other writing-related software tutorials to help you succeed at work and in the classroom.
Feel free to leave me a comment if there’s a specific topic that you would like me to talk about in the future.
And please subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss upcoming tutorials.
And give this video a thumbs-up if you found it helpful.
Thank you so much for watching!
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