How to Remove Content Controls That Repeat Text in a Word Footer in WPS Office
Question details
The user needs to stop text entered in a Word document from automatically repeating in the footer by removing or editing content controls and related fields.
- Product
- WPS Office Writer
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Editing a .docx file where typed text is automatically repeated in the footer and Show/Hide marks reveal content control or field markers.
- Observed behavior
- Show/Hide displays corner-arrow markers in the footer, and text entered after a specific phrase repeats automatically in the footer.
Open the affected file in WPS Office Writer and double-click the footer area to enter footer-editing mode. Enable Show/Hide from the Home tab so any content control and field markers are visible before you remove or edit them.
Remove Repeating Text Content Controls in the Footer
Use this when the repeated footer text is wrapped by a content control and the corner-arrow marker is visible with Show/Hide enabled.
Content controls can link to the same data source, so removing the control breaks the automatic repetition without affecting the main document text.
Double-click the footer area of the Word document to open footer-editing mode.
On the Home tab, click Show/Hide Paragraph Marks so corner-arrow and field markers become visible.
Click the text that repeats, then click the content control border or corner-arrow marker around it to select the control.
Right-click the selected control and choose Remove Content Control. If the text disappears, retype any static footer text you want to keep.
Scroll through every footer region and table cell, and repeat the removal for any remaining corner-arrow content controls.
Clear StyleRef or Mapped Fields That Repeat Footer Text
Use this if the repeated text remains after content controls are removed or if the footer shows field codes instead of a control.
Edit Word Footers and Remove Repeating Text Controls in WPS Office Writer
WPS Office Writer opens your .docx document directly, shows hidden content controls, and lets you remove them so footer text no longer repeats. Preserve the original Word layout while cleaning up content controls and StyleRef fields.
- 1. Download and install WPS Office: Download WPS Office from the official website and install it on your computer.
- 2. Open the Word document in WPS Office Writer: Launch WPS Office Writer and open the affected .docx file from your local folder or recent files.
- 3. Enable footer editing and Show/Hide: Double-click the footer and enable Show/Hide from the Home tab to display content control markers.
- 4. Remove the repeating text content control: Select the corner-arrow content control around the repeated text, right-click it, and choose Remove Content Control.
- 5. Save as a Word document: Save the file as a .docx document so your cleaned footer remains compatible with Microsoft Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does text I type in the body repeat in the Word footer?
The document likely contains a mapped content control or a StyleRef field. In WPS Office Writer, double-click the footer, enable Show/Hide from the Home tab, and right-click the corner-arrow marker to remove the content control. If a field code appears, delete or edit that field separately.
Where is Show/Hide in WPS Office Writer?
Open WPS Office Writer and go to the Home tab. Click Show/Hide Paragraph Marks in the paragraph group so hidden markers such as content control borders and field codes become visible.
Does removing a content control delete the footer text?
It may leave the current text or remove it depending on the control settings. To avoid surprises, select the repeated text first and delete it, then remove the content control and retype the static footer text you want to keep.
What if the footer still updates after removing the control?
Check every footer area and table cell for additional content controls. Then press Alt+F9 to reveal field codes and look for STYLEREF or mapped fields. Select those fields and press Delete, or right-click and choose Edit Field to change the source.
Can WPS Office save the edited file without breaking Word compatibility?
Yes. Save the document as a .docx file in WPS Office Writer. WPS Office maintains compatibility with Microsoft Word footers, tables, content controls, and field codes.
