Mail merge combines one Word document with a list of recipients so every letter, label, envelope, or email is personalized without hand-editing each copy.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019. The guided wizard is available in Word for Windows. On Mac, use the Mailings tab buttons manually in the same general order.
Run a mail merge with the wizard
Prepare the data first, then connect it to Word.
- In Excel, prepare one row per recipient with clear column headers such as First Name, Last Name, Address, City, and Email. Avoid blank rows and merged cells.
- Open Word and create the letter or document.
- Go to Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Step-by-Step Mail Merge Wizard.
- Choose the document type, such as Letters, Labels, Envelopes, or E-mail Messages.
- Choose Use the current document.
- Choose Use an existing list, browse to the Excel file, select the correct sheet, and confirm the first row contains headers.
- Write the document and use More items or Insert Merge Field wherever personalized information should appear.
- Preview records with Preview Results.
- Choose Finish & Merge, then print, send email, or edit individual documents.
Edit individual documents creates a new Word file containing every personalized copy, which is useful for review before printing.
Fix wrong or blank merge fields
Most field problems come from the source spreadsheet or the wrong field selection.
- Open Mailings > Edit Recipient List.
- Check whether rows and columns look correct. If not, fix the Excel file, save it, then refresh the data source.
- Delete any blank or wrong merge field in the letter.
- Use Insert Merge Field to add the correct column again.
- Preview several records before completing the merge.
More control
Format merged dates and numbers
If a date or currency value appears in the wrong format, toggle field codes and add the correct date or number formatting switch, or prepare a formatted helper column in Excel before merging.
Filter recipients
In Edit Recipient List, uncheck individual recipients or filter by a column such as Status equals Active without deleting anyone from the master spreadsheet.
Use mail merge for labels and envelopes
Choose Labels or Envelopes in the document type step. For labels, Word asks for the label brand and product number so the layout lines up.
Email merge requires Outlook
For E-mail Messages, Outlook must be configured as the default mail program on the same computer because Word hands the messages to Outlook to send.
Do not move the source file mid-project
Word remembers the linked spreadsheet path. If the Excel file is renamed or moved, reconnect it through Edit Recipient List and Data Source refresh.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Mail merge: edit recipients (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Use mail merge for bulk email, letters, labels, and envelopes (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Mail merge in Word: FAQs (2024)