Frequently asked questions about the location of Word 2002 templates (291186)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2002
This article was previously published under Q291186
For a Microsoft Word 2003 version of this article, see 826867.

For a Microsoft Word 2000 version of this article, see 210884.

SUMMARY

This article contains the answers to some of the more frequently asked questions about the location of templates in Microsoft Word 2002.

MORE INFORMATION

  1. Where are the document templates located that are installed by Microsoft Word?

    During the installation of Microsoft Word, all of the document templates are installed to the following folder:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033

    When you click the General Templates option on the New Document task pane, the Templates dialog box appears. These templates are "advertised" and are divided among the various tabs. If you view the \Templates\1033 folder, you won't see any folders. This functionality is different from earlier versions of Word. Because these templates are installed by Microsoft Word, Word internally "knows" which tab each of these templates belongs with and automatically sorts and places the template on its correct tab, without the use of corresponding folders in the \Templates\1033 folder.
  2. Where are my Normal.dot and custom templates saved?

    The global template (Normal.dot) is classified as a "user" template and is saved to a different location than in earlier versions of Microsoft Word. When you create a new template, the template is saved to a location that is common to the particular user rather than with the installed Word templates. By default, custom "user" templates (including Normal.dot) are saved to the following folder:

    Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

    C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

    Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows Me with User Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:

    C:\Windows\Profiles\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

    Microsoft Windows 2000

    C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

    NOTE: Username is the logon name of the user.
  3. Where are my Word add-in files saved?

    Add-ins are supplemental programs that you install to extend the capabilities of Word by adding custom commands and specialized features.

    When you load a template or add-in (on the Tools menu, click Templates and Add-ins), it remains loaded for the current Word session only. If you quit and then restart Word, the template or add-in is not automatically reloaded. To have a template or add-in available whenever you start Word, store the add-in or template in the Word Startup folder.

    NOTE: To locate or change the Word Startup setting, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the File Locations tab. The default location for the Startup folder in Word 2002 is as follows:

    Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

    C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

    Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows Me with User Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:

    C:\Windows\Profiles\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

    Microsoft Windows 2000

    C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

    NOTE: Username is the logon name of the user. When you install a program (add-in) that is designed to work with Microsoft Word 2002, the add-in program normally installs certain files to this folder. When Microsoft Word starts, it checks this Startup folder in order to load the necessary add-in files.

    NOTE: If you installed Microsoft Word to the same location as Microsoft Word 97 for Windows (you installed over the earlier version of Word), and you had templates and add-ins located in the previous Startup folder, Word 2002 still loads and uses those templates and add-ins. The location for add-ins for earlier versions of Word is as follows:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\STARTUP

  4. How do I add a new tab for my custom templates?

    To add a tab to the New dialog box (on the File menu, click New), you must add a new folder as in earlier versions of Word. Because the location where your custom templates are saved has changed in Word 2002, the folder must be added to the following location:

    Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

    C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

    Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows Me with User Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:

    C:\Windows\Profiles\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

    Microsoft Windows 2000

    C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

    NOTE: Username is the logon name of the user. If you do not add the new folder to this location, the tab will not appear in the New dialog box.

    NOTE: The location of your user templates may be different on your system. To check where your user templates are located, follow these steps:

    1. On the Tools menu in Word, click Options.
    2. On the File Locations tab, click User Templates, and then click Modify. The location of your custom templates is displayed in the Folder name box.
    To add a new tab to the New dialog box, follow these steps:

    1. On the File menu, click Save As.
    2. Change the Look in box to your User Templates folder.
    3. On the Save As toolbar, click Create New Folder.
    4. In the Name box, type the name you want for your new tab and then click OK.
    5. Click Cancel to close the Save As dialog box.
    NOTE: Your new tab does not appear in the New dialog box until you save a Word document or template to the new folder.
  5. How do I add a custom template to an existing tab?

    Although folders are not associated with the built-in tabs that appear in the New dialog box in Word 2002, you can still place a custom template in one of these tabs. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Using Windows Explorer, go to the folder in which your custom templates are saved. By default, this folder is as follows:

      Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me):

      C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\

      Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Me with User Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:

      C:\Windows\Profiles\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

      Microsoft Windows 2000

      C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

      NOTE: Username is the logon name of the user.

    2. Create a new folder with the same name as the tab where you want your custom template to appear.

      For example, if you have a memo template called MyMemo.dot that you want to appear on the Memos tab, create a new folder called Memos. Or if you have a template that you want to appear on the Publications tab, create a folder called Publications.

      NOTE: The folder name must match the name that appears on the tab.
    3. Copy your template into the new folder you just created. The template now appears on the specified tab.
  6. How do I prevent a default tab from appearing?

    To prevent a default tab from appearing in the Templates dialog box (When you click the General Templates option on the New Document task pane), you must uninstall all of the templates that are located on that tab.

    For example, if you do not want the Letters & Faxes tab to appear when you click New on the File menu, uninstall all the templates from the following folder:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033

    To remove the Letters & Faxes tab (and its associated templates), follow these steps:

    1. Quit Microsoft Word 2002.
    2. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    3. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
    4. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Word 2002 (or Microsoft Office XP), and then click Add/Remove.
    5. Click Add or Remove Features.
    6. Click to expand (click the plus sign) Microsoft Word for Windows.
    7. Click to expand Wizards and Templates.
    8. Click Letters and then click Not Available from the drop-down list.
    9. Click Faxes and then click Not Available from the drop-down list.
    10. Click Update Now to continue the Setup program and remove the Letters and Faxes templates from your system.
    NOTE: If you just delete the templates that are listed on the Letters & Faxes tab from the "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033" folder, Microsoft Word still "advertises" these templates on the Letters & Faxes tab. If the template does not exist, and you click to select any of the templates listed on the Letters & Faxes tab, Word instructs you to install the template with a message similar to the following:

    The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk that is not available.

    Insert the 'Microsoft Office Professional' disk and click OK.

    Use feature from:

    Microsoft Office XP Professional

    To install the template, insert the Microsoft Word 2002 (or Microsoft Office XP) CD-ROM and then click OK.
  7. How can I rename a default tab?

    You cannot rename a default tab that appears in the Templates dialog box when you click General Templates on the New Document Task Pane. Microsoft Word internally creates the default tabs that appear.

REFERENCES

For more information about templates, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type templates in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/27/2006
Keywords:kbtemplate kbFAQ kbhowto KB291186
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