How to turn On Pick up where you left off in Word

By default, the MS Office Word is setting up to open at the first page of the document. This tutorial will show you how to instantly access to the last edited position where you left off as soon as you open the Word document.

Table of Contents Show

3 ways to pick up where you left off in Word document:
How to use Resume Reading Feature in Word Document
Way 2: Use Shortcut Key
Way 3: Create a Bookmark
How do I turn on track moves in Word?
How do I go back a link after clicking in Word?
How do I go back to a previous position in Word?

3 ways to pick up where you left off in Word document:

Way 1: Use resume reading
Way 2: Use shortcut key
Way 3: Create bookmark

How to use Resume Reading Feature in Word Document

The Resume reading feature allows you to pick up in a document where you left off. Word automatically bookmarks the last place you were reading, and this feature is built-in Office 2013 and 2016.

A tiny bookmark icon helps you pick up and resume work from where you left off last time. Here's how:

Step 1: Open a document that is stored on your computer.

Step 2: You will notice the bookmark icon on the right. Click it, you see the option to pick up where you left off.

Tips: The feature is synced across locations and devices if you sign in with a Microsoft account.

Not only does Resume Reading allow you to pick up where you left off in a document that is stored on your computer – for documents on SkyDrive, it also takes up your reading position whenever you go.

Way 2: Use Shortcut Key

The easiest way is to use the shortcut key: Shift + F5.

As soon as you open your word document, press Shift+F5, the Word's Go Back feature will take you back to your last edit. ( In fact, if you press Shift + F5 repeatedly, it'll take you through your last four edits. )

Tips: This feature disappeared in version office 2007, but return back in office 2010.

Way 3: Create a Bookmark

For version 2007 or older version, you can create a bookmark that identifies a location for next time editing so that you can go to it by using the Bookmark dialog box. No need to scroll through the document to locate the text. Take Word 2003 bookmark insertion for example.

1. Run your Word, select a location which you want to add bookmark.

2. On the Insert tab, in the Links group, click on Bookmark.

3. Under the Bookmark name, type or select a name ( with a letter and can contain numbers, but no separate words. )

4. Then click Add, and then save the document.

When you close document and reopen it, go to Insert > Bookmark, in displayed Bookmark dialog box, you can find out the bookmark name you have typed, then click Go to. Then you can get to where you marked.

Microsoft Office is packed with enabled-by-default features, like “pick up where you left off.” Some people find this feature useful, but others…not so much. If you’re willing to make a couple of quick changes to the Registry, you can disable this feature.

As the name implies, “pick up where you left off” brings you to the point you were at in a document when you last closed it. So, if you were on page 32 of your Word document when you exited the program, the next time you open it, you’ll be back on page 32—with your insertion point at the same location, too.

Microsoft didn’t provide a simple solution to disable this feature directly within the Office suite, though. If you want to disable this function, you have to do so in the Registry.

Standard Warning: Registry Editor is a powerful tool and misusing it can render your system unstable or even inoperable. This is a pretty simple hack and as long as you stick to the instructions, you shouldn’t have any problems. That said, if you’ve never worked with it before, consider reading about how to use the Registry Editor before you get started. And definitely back up the Registry (and your computer!) before making changes.

First, press the Windows Key + R to open the “Run” window. Next, type Regedt32.exe and select “OK.”

This opens your Registry Editor Utility. Now, navigate to the following file path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Reading Locations

Note that “16.0” in the file path might be different depending on which version of Office you’re using. If you’re using Office 2013, you need to look for “15.0.”

Here’s where you find the “pick up where you left off” key. If you delete the key, that only works temporarily. The key is generated automatically, so the next time you reboot your computer, it will reappear.

To disable it, right-click “Reading Locations” and select “Permissions” from the drop-down menu.

The “Permissions for Reading Locations” menu appears. Here, click the “Advanced” button.

The “Advanced Security Settings for Reading Locations” dialog appears. Toward the bottom, check the box next to “Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object.”

Click “Apply,” and a security message appears. Read the message and then click “Yes” to continue.

You can now click “OK” and close the Registry Editor Utility.

To make sure the feature is disabled, reboot your computer and open Word.

How do I turn on track moves in Word?

On the Review tab, select Track Changes. In the Track Changes drop-down list, select one of the following: To track only the changes that you make to the document, select Just Mine. To track changes to the document made by all users, select For Everyone.

How do I go back a link after clicking in Word?

Replies (8)  If the hyperlink is to a place in the same document, go back by pressing Alt+left arrow, or use the Back button on the Web toolbar.

How do I go back to a previous position in Word?

All you have to do is press the space bar and Word immediately returns you to the insertion point. You'll want to delete the space of course, but that's the quickest and easiest method for getting back to where you last were.