Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Feb 24, 2023

Missing Word customizations & macros

I opened Word yesterday, and all of my customizations were gone. Still today, my macros don't work, my shortcuts are all reset...I tried going through the steps in the link below as I assume there wa...

office 365

Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP

MVP

Feb 24, 2023

LaurenScribe I have my doubts about the veracity of point 7 of the article for which you provided the URL

You should see at least one of the following files: Normal.dotm.old, NormalPre, NormalPre15, NormalOld, OldNormal, NormalEmail.dotm.old, NormalEmailPre, NormalEmailPre15, NormalEmailOld, or OldNormalEmail.

The only NormalOld.dotm or OldNotma.dotm files that I have seen are ones that I have created myself.

However, as your issue appears to be finding the Templates folder, you can do that by going to clicking on Windows (C:) in the file explorer, then on Users, then on your user name. Then if you do not see a folder named AppData, go to the View tab of the File Explorer and in the Show/Hide section, check the box for Hidden Items (In Windows 11, click on View and then on Show More and click on Hidden Items). Then when you see AppData, double click on it and then on Roaming and then on Microsoft and then on Templates.

To avoid loosing your macros, you should put them in a macro enabled template that you save into the Word Startup folder so that it will be loaded as an add-in. The macros will then be available for use on all documents, not just documents created from the Normal template (Blank document).

Charles_Kenyon

Bronze Contributor

Feb 24, 2023

Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP

The spot listed in the article is, by default, a hidden folder. If you go into the address bar in Windows and type %appdata% it will get you much of the way there. That address is the default location. If things are not there, see Where is the Normal Template / How to Find the Normal Template.

I second the idea of storing your macros, shortcuts, and QAT modifications related to those macros in a separate Global Template.

Global templates are also a great storage location for any macros you want to share with others.

References:

Bottom line: If you use Word long enough something (bad) will happen to your Normal Template. This need not be a catastrophe.