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In Word for Windows, press Alt+F9 to switch all fields between their code view and displayed results. Press it again to switch back. On Word for Mac, Microsoft lists Option+F9 for the same all-fields toggle.
What Alt+F9 does in Word
Microsoft describes the Windows shortcut as: “Alt+F9: switches between all field codes and their results.” A field code is an instruction Word uses for content such as dates, references, or other generated information; its result is what the document displays when the code is hidden. Alt+F9 changes that display for all fields—it does not update them.
The shortcut applies to Word for Windows. Keyboard settings or customized shortcuts can affect what happens when you press it. Microsoft lists Option+F9 for the equivalent all-fields display toggle in Word for Mac. See Microsoft Support’s Word keyboard shortcuts.
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Choose the shortcut for the task
| Task | Windows Word | Mac Word | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toggle all field codes and results | Alt+F9 | Option+F9 | Changes the display for all fields |
| Toggle one field code and its result | Shift+F9 | Shift+F9 | Changes the display for the selected field |
| Update selected fields | F9 | F9 | Updates the selected field or fields rather than toggling their display |
Microsoft’s shortcut table lists these combinations; confirm the shortcuts for your Word version if they behave differently. Alt+Shift+F9 has a separate purpose: it runs a GOTOBUTTON or MACROBUTTON from a field displaying results.
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If field codes stay visible
Use Word’s display setting in Windows
A Microsoft-hosted community answer describes an alternative to the shortcut: open File > Options > Advanced, then find Show document content and change Show field codes instead of their values. The exact wording or location may differ by Word version. The steps are community guidance, not Microsoft’s shortcut documentation. See the Microsoft-hosted Q&A answer.
Check whether you are seeing formatting marks instead
Field-code display is separate from ordinary formatting marks, such as paragraph symbols. Turning paragraph marks on or off will not resolve a field-code display setting. A Microsoft-hosted community thread also notes that hidden-text formatting can affect whether some fields are visible; that is a separate issue from the all-fields toggle. This guidance comes from a historical 2010 discussion, so treat it as version-dependent. See the Microsoft-hosted discussion.
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Quick way to diagnose the problem
- If field instructions appear throughout the document, use Alt+F9 on Windows or Option+F9 on Mac to switch the all-fields view.
- If only one field is showing its code, use Shift+F9 to switch that selected field.
- If the field is visible but its displayed information is out of date, use F9 to update selected fields instead of changing the display.
- If the shortcuts do not change the view, check Word’s field-code display setting on Windows and consider whether your keyboard shortcut has been customized.
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