How to Mail Merge Letters in Word: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

To mail merge letters in Word, put each person’s name and address in an Excel table, then in Word select Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List. Add a Greeting Line and an Address Block, preview the letters, then select Finish & Merge > Edit Individual Documents to put every letter in one document ready to print. To send emails instead, see how to use mail merge in Word for emails.

In this guide, you’ll follow the same steps as the video, from the Excel address list to the finished letters. The steps are for Word in Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019 and Word 2016 for Windows.

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What Mail Merge Letters Does

Mail merge takes one letter and a list of people, and produces a separate copy for each person with their own name and address filled in. It saves typing the same letter again and again, and it suits invitations, newsletters, reminders and reports home.

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Step 1: Build the Address List in Excel

1. Open a blank workbook. In row 1, type First Name, Last Name, Address Line 1, City and Postcode.

2. Under the headings, type each person’s details, with no gaps between rows.

3. Select all the data, including the headings, then Insert > Table. Keep My table has headers ticked and select OK.

4. Save the workbook with a clear name, then close Excel.

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Step 2: Connect the List in Word

1. Open a new Word document and select Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List.

2. Find your saved workbook, select it and select Open.
3. Choose the sheet, keep First row of data contains column headers ticked and select OK.

4. Select Edit Recipient List to check every name and address came through, then select OK.

👉 If you change the Excel list later, open Edit Recipient List and select Refresh.

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Step 3: Write the Letter

1. Type the body of the letter. Leave out the greeting and the address: mail merge adds them.

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Step 4: Add the Greeting Line

1. Click where the greeting goes, then select Mailings > Greeting Line.

2. Keep Dear, choose a name format and a comma, then use the arrows to check each recipient. Select OK.

3. Select Preview Results to see the real names, and use the arrows to move between letters.

👉 Before preview, the letter shows «GreetingLine». That placeholder is working correctly.

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Step 5: Add the Address Block

1. Click above the greeting and turn off Preview Results.
2. Select Address Block. Keep the name format, tick or untick Insert postal address and check the preview on the right.

3. If a line is wrong, select Match Fields and pick the right Excel column, such as City. Select OK twice.

👉 With Preview Results on, each letter now shows its own name and address.

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Step 6: Lay Out the Address Your Way (Optional)

Want the postcode on its own line, or a different order? Build the address from separate fields instead of the Address Block.

1. Delete the «AddressBlock» placeholder.
2. Select Insert Merge Field > First_Name, type a space, then insert Last_Name.

3. Press Enter and insert Address_Line_1, City and Postcode, each on its own line.

👉 To close the gaps between the address lines, select them and choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Remove Space After Paragraph.

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Step 7: Merge and Print the Letters

1. Select Finish & Merge > Edit Individual Documents.

2. Choose All and select OK.

👉 Word puts every letter in a new document, one per page. Check them, then press Ctrl + P to print.

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Quick Tips

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FAQs

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Conclusion

Mail merge letters in Word in seven steps: an Excel address list, a greeting line, an address block and one merge give you a personalised letter for everyone on the list.

Sending the same message by email instead? Follow how to use mail merge in Word for emails.

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Related Tutorials

• How to Use Mail Merge in Word: Send Personalised Emails
• How to Make Labels in Word: 6 Easy Steps (Quick Guide)
• 28 Essential Mail Merge Shortcuts in Word (Free PDF)