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Mail merge lets you create a batch of documents that are personalized for each recipient. For example, a form letter might be personalized to address each recipient by name. A data source, like a list, spreadsheet, or database, is associated with the document. Placeholders--called merge fields--tell Word where in the document to include information from the data source.

Data pulled into mail merge fields

You work on the main document in Word, inserting merge fields for the personalized content you want to include. When the mail merge is complete, the merge document will generate a personalized version of itself for each name in the data source.

Data sources

Your first step in setting up a mail merge is to pick the source of data you'll use for the personalized information. Excel spreadsheets and Outlook contact lists are the most common data sources, but any database that you can connect to Word will work. If you don't yet have a data source, you can even type it up in Word, as part of the mail merge process.

For details about data sources, see Data sources you can use for a mail merge.

Excel or Outlook

If you know you'll be using Excel or Outlook as the source of your data, see:

Document types

Word provides tools for incorporating your data into the following kinds of documents. Follow the links for details about each type:

Data sources

Your first step in setting up a mail merge is to pick the source of data you'll use for the personalized information. Excel spreadsheets and Outlook contact lists are the most common data sources, but if you don't yet have a data source, you can type it up in Word, as part of the mail merge process.

Document types

If you open a mail merge document that you created with the Word desktop application, Word Web App will preserve all of the mail merge settings in it, but you can’t perform a mail merge or edit any mail merge settings.

If you have the Word desktop application, open the document there and perform a mail merge there.

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